Vostok (rocket family)
Vostok was a family of rockets derived from the Soviet R-7 Semyorka ICBM and was designed for the human spaceflight programme. This family of rockets launched the first artificial satellite and the first crewed spacecraft in human history. It was a subset of the R-7 family of rockets.
On March 18, 1980 a Vostok-2M rocket exploded on its launch pad at Plesetsk during a fueling operation, killing 48 people. An investigation into a similarbut avoidedaccident revealed that the substitution of lead-based for tin-based solder in hydrogen peroxide filters allowed the breakdown of the H2O2, thus causing the resultant explosion.Variants
The major versions of the rocket were:
- Luna 8K72 – used to launch the early Luna spacecraft
- Vostok-L 8K72 – Variant of the Luna, used to launch prototype Vostok spacecraft
- Vostok-K 8K72K – a refined version of the above. This was the version actually used for human spaceflight
- Vostok-2 8A92 – used for launching Zenit reconnaissance satellites throughout the 1960s
- Vostok-2M 8A92M – modified version for launching Meteor weather satellites into higher orbits.
- Soyuz/Vostok 11A110 – hybrid of Soyuz and Vostok rockets used as an interim for two launches
Vostok 8K72K
- First Stage — Block B, V, G, D
- *Gross mass: 43,300 kg
- *Empty mass: 3,710 kg
- *Thrust : 4 x 99,000 kgf = 3.88 MN
- *Isp:
- *Burn time: 118 s
- *Isp:
- *Diameter: 2.68 m
- *Span: 8.35 m
- *Length: 19.00 m
- *Propellants: Lox/Kerosene
- *Engines: 1 x RD-107-8D74-1959 per booster = 4
- Second Stage — Block A
- *Gross mass: 100,400 kg
- *Empty mass: 6,800 kg
- *Thrust : 912 kN
- *Isp:
- *Burn time: 301 s
- *Isp:
- *Diameter: 2.99 m
- *Length: 28.00 m
- *Propellants: Lox/Kerosene
- *Engine: 1 x RD-108-8D75-1959
- Third Stage — Block E
- *Gross mass: 7,775 kg
- *Empty mass: 1,440 kg
- *Thrust : 54.5 kN
- *Isp:
- *Burn time: 365 s
- *Diameter: 2.56 m
- *Span: 2.56 m
- *Length: 2.84 m
- *Propellants: Lox/Kerosene
- *Engine: 1 x RD-0109
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