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Revenge weapon (German designation series); or V, volts.
V G Stepanov.
First Owner of Stepanov
V N Chelomei.
First Owner of Chelomei
V P Glushko.
First Owner of Glushko
V(1D).
Manufacturer's designation for S-75 surface-to-air missile.
Vertical or short takeoff and landing aircraft
V-1.
First significant cruise missile. German engineer, Paul Schmidt, working from design of Lorin tube, developed and patented a ramjet engine later modified and used in the V-1 Flying Bomb.
V-1.
Family of launch vehicles.
Russian anti-ballistic missile. First Soviet anti-ballistic missile system. Development began in 1956 and the system was tested at Sary Shagan 1960 to 1961. It was clear that enormous development work was needed to achieve an operational anti-ballistic missile system. Therefore work began on the successor A-35 system, although the Americans were led to believe that an operational system was deployed around Moscow. The System A anti-ballistic missile equipped with the V-1000 rocket made the first intercept and destruction in the world using a conventional warhead of an intermediate range ballistic missile warhead coming in at 3 km/s on 4 May 1961. The US did not demonstrate an equivalent capability until 1984.
Novator solid rocket engine.
Solid propellant rocket stage. Loaded mass 3,000 kg. Thrust 1,962.00 kN.
Nitric acid/Amine propellant rocket stage. Thrust 103.00 kN.
V-11A.
Manufacturer's designation for R-11A suborbital launch vehicle.
V-2.
Alternate designation for A-4 rocket stage.
V-2.
The V-2 ballistic missile (known to its designers as the A4) was the world's first operational liquid fuel rocket. It represented an enormous quantum leap in technology, financed by Nazi Germany in a huge development program that cost at least $ 2 billion in 1944 dollars. 6,084 V-2 missiles were built, 95% of them by 20,000 slave labourer in the last seven months of World War II at a unit price of $ 17,877. As many as 3,225 were launched in combat, primarily against Antwerp and London, and a further 1,000 to 1,750 were fired in tests and training. Despite the scale of this effort, the inaccurate missile did not change the course of the war and proved to be an enormous waste of resources. The British, Americans, and Russians launched a further 86 captured German V-2's in 1945-1952. Personnel and technology from the V-2 program formed the starting point for post-war rocketry development in America, Russia, and France.
V-2.
The V-2 ballistic missile (known to its designers as the A4) was the world's first operational liquid fuel rocket. It represented an enormous quantum leap in technology, financed by Nazi Germany in a huge development program that cost at least $ 2 billion in 1944 dollars. 6,084 V-2 missiles were built, 95% of them by 20,000 slave labourer in the last seven months of World War II at a unit price of $ 17,877.
V-2 battery 444 was assigned to the northern group of V-2 mobile launchers and began operations on 31 August 1944, with the first successful launch on 2 September 1944. V-2 Gruppe Nord launchers were distributed along the English Channel, in a restricted zone north and south of The Hague, which included Hoek den Holland, Den Haag, and Wassenaar, all used for launches against London. On 28 January 1945 Battery 444 moved to Burgsteinfurt in the southern group of V-2 launchers, and continued operations with launches against Antwerp and Lille.
V-2 batteries 1./485, 2./485 and 3./485 were assigned to the northern group of V-2 mobile launchers around the Hague and began operations on 3 September 1944, with the first successful launch on 8 September 1944. In late October 1944 3./485 was moved to Burgsteinfurt, and conducted operations from the southern group with launches against Antwerp and Lille. All units of battery 485 ended operations in the face of allied advances in the last days of March 1945.
V-2 batteries 1./ 836, 2./836, and 3./836 were part of the southern group of V-2 mobile launchers based in the Ardennes forest and kept a constant barrage against Paris, Lille, and other French towns for three weeks from 10 September 1944. Focus then shifted to the Allied port facilities at Antwerp from 19 October until the end of March 1945. After retreating farther into Germany, on 8 April the battery destroyed its rockets and launching equipment and ceased to exist.
V-2 Battery SS Abt 500 was first assigned to the southern group of V-2 mobile launchers and began operations near Breitenfurt on 10 October 1944. Just over a month later it was moved to the northern group near the Hague. It operated from various locations there until forced cease operations and retreat before the Allied advance on 28 March 1945.
The northern group of V-2 mobile launchers began operations on 31 August 1944, with the first successful launch on 2 September 1944. Batteries assigned to Gruppe Nord included 444, 1./485, 2./485, and SS Battery 500. V-2 Gruppe Nord launchers were distributed along the English Channel, in a restricted zone north and south of The Hague, which included Hoek den Holland, Den Haag, and Wassenaar, all used for launches against London; Zwolle-Hellendoorn-Enchede, used for launches by SS 500 against Antwerp; and Burgsteinfurt, used for launches against Antwerp and Lille.
The southern group of V-2 mobile launchers saw a few initial launches by Battery 444 from the Ardennes forest against Paris beginning on 6 September, 1944. 444 moved on to Holland on the 10 September. Thereafter the batteries 1./ 836, 2./836, and 3./836 deployed and kept a constant barrage against Paris, Lille, and other French towns for three weeks. Focus then shifted to the Allied port facilities at Antwerp from 19 October until the end of the war.
Chinese manned spaceplane. Study 1988. The V-2 vertical takeoff / horizontal landing two-stage reusable space shuttle was proposed by Beijing Department 11 of the Air Ministry in 1988.
Chinese winged orbital launch vehicle. The V-2 vertical takeoff / horizontal landing two-stage reusable space shuttle was proposed by Beijing Department 11 of the Air Ministry in 1988. The first stage would use liquid oxygen/kerosene engines, while the second would use liquid oxygen/hydrogen engines. Both stages would be winged, and first flight would be no earlier than 2015.
V-3.
German gun-launched missile. The V-3 Hochdruckpumpe (aka HDP, 'Fleissiges Lieschen'; 'Tausend Fussler') was a supergun designed by Saar Roechling during World War II. The 140 m long cannon was capable of delivering a 140 kg shell over a 165 km range. Construction began of a bunker for the cannons in September 1943 at Mimoyecques, France. The site was damaged by Allied bombing before it could be put into operation and was finally occupied by the British at the end of August 1944. Two short-length (45 m long) V-3's were built at Antwerp and Luxembourg in support of the Ardennes offensive in December 1944. These were found to be unreliable and only a few shots were fired without known effect.
V-300.
Missile article number for S-25 missile.
V-400.
Missile of Dal surface-to-air missile.
V-420.
Missile article number for Dal-M missile.
V-500.
Alternate Designation of S-300P surface-to-air missile.
V-500.
Missile of Dal-2 surface-to-air missile.
V-5A.
Alternate Designation of R-5A intermediate range ballistic missile.
V-5V.
Alternate Designation of R-5V intermediate range ballistic missile.
V-750.
Missile of S-75 surface-to-air missile.
V-750M.
Missile of S-75M surface-to-air missile.
Russian surface-to-air missile. Naval version of the SA-2 Guideline. Installed on the test cruiser Dzerzhinsky 1958-1982. Not adopted for fleet use due to the missile's liquid propellants, but exploited for its unique capability, including ability to intercept targets travelling at up to 2300 kph
V-758.
Missile of 22D surface-to-air missile.
V-825.
Alternate designation for S-225 anti-ballistic missile.
Rocket stage used on S-225 missile.
Rocket stage used on S-225 missile.
V-860.
Missile article number for S-200 missile.
Russian surface-to-air missile.
Russian surface-to-air missile.
Russian surface-to-air missile.
Russian surface-to-air missile.
Russian surface-to-air missile. Export version.
Russian surface-to-air missile. Fakel-designed missile; not widely exported until 1980s.
Russian surface-to-air missile.
VA.
Re-entry capsule (Russian abbreviations)
VAB.
Vehicle Assembly Building (formerly Vertical Assembly Building)
VAFB.
Vandenberg Air Force Base
Headquarters of an RVSN Division, 1960-on. Perhaps operated R-12 missile.
Max Valier, first with the backing of automobile magnate von Opel, then in competition with him, was instrumental in popularising rocketry in Germany in the 1920's. He dreamed of rocket-propelled transatlantic aircraft, but was killed in a rocket engine test in 1932.
German manufacturer of rockets. Valier, Germany.
Valier, Max (1895-1930) German Austrian engineer and early advocate of the use of rockets for flight. Opel supported Valier's rocket car tests as publicity. Valier died in a careless accident, in his laboratory in Berlin, when working on a rocket combustion chamber. It exploded and a small metal fragment hit his pulmonary artery.
German gun-launched orbital launch vehicle. In 1926 rocket pioneers Max Valier and Hermann Oberth, members of the VfR (Society for Space Travel), amused themselves by designing a gun that would rectify Verne's technical mistakes and be actually capable of firing a projectile to the moon.
Valkov, Konstantin Anatolyevich (1971-) Russian pilot cosmonaut, 1997-on. Graduated from Barnaul Higher Military Air School of Pilots, 1994 Russian Air Force. Cosmonaut training completed November 19, 1999.
American manufacturer. Valley Forge, USA.
Van Allen, James A (1914-2006) American astrophysicist; his experiment carried aboard the first American satellite established the existence of radiation belts that encircled the Earth; also very active in sounding rocket experiments.
van den Berg, Dr Lodewijk (1932-) Dutch-American physicist payload specialist astronaut. Flew on STS-51-B.
van Hoften, Dr James Dougal Adrianus 'Ox' (1944-) American engineer mission specialist astronaut. Flew on STS-41-C, STS-51-I. Grew up in Burlingame, California.
Van Horn, William L (1931-1997) American manager. Program Director for the Atlas Weapon System. Manager of Long Range Planning in the Atlas production program. Later Vice President and Program Director for the Atlas Weapon System.
Vance, Cyrus R (1917-) American politician, long career as a senior government official in various Democratic administrations.
Vandal.
Vande Hei, Mark Thomas (1966-) American scientist mission specialist astronaut, 2009-on.
Vandenberg Air Force Base is located on the Central Coast of California about 240 km northwest of Los Angeles. It is used for launches of unmanned government and commercial satellites into polar orbit and intercontinental ballistic missile test launches toward the Kwajalein Atoll.
Titan launch silo.
Titan launch silo.
Titan launch silo.
Titan launch silo.
Titan launch silo.
Titan launch silo.
Sergeant, Scout launch complex. Complex
Atlas launch complex. Atlas 576 SMS ICBM pad, dedicated to ABM target payloads for Nike Zeus at Kwajalein. Upgraded for use as ABRES re-entry vehicle test program pad in 1965, and for BMRS program in 1971.
Atlas launch complex. Originally an Atlas 576 SMS ICBM pad. Upgraded for use as ABRES re-entry vehicle test program pad in 1965, and for BMRS program in 1971.
Atlas, AMROC launch complex. Originally an Atlas 576 SMS ICBM pad. Upgraded for use as ABRES pad in 1965, and for BMRS program in 1971.
Atlas launch complex. Originally an Atlas 576 SMS ICBM pad. Upgraded for use as ABRES pad in 1965.
Atlas launch complex. Originally an Atlas 576 SMS ICBM pad. Upgraded for use as ABRES pad in 1965.
Atlas launch complex. Originally an Atlas 576 SMS ICBM pad. Upgraded for use as ABRES pad in 1965.
Atlas launch complex. Complex
Atlas launch complex. Complex
Taurus, Pegasus, Atlas, OBV launch complex. Complex
Bomarc launch complex. Bomarc Complex 1
Bomarc launch complex. Bomarc Complex 2
HP-06 GLCM launcher
Scout, Javelin, Honest John, Black Brant, Astrobee, Asp, Seagull, Journeyman, Dac Roc launch complex. Launch Complex A, Naval Missile Facility, Point Arguello
Viper, Terrier, Hopi, Deacon, Cajun, Astrobee launch complex. Launch Complex B, Naval Missile Facility, Point Arguello
Delta launch complex. Originally a Thor 75 SMS IRBM pad. Upgraded for use as a launch emplacement in 1961.
Minuteman, Peacekeeper launch silo. Originally a Minuteman 394 SMS silo. Upgraded for use as a Launch Facility in 1964, and later again modified to launch the Peacekeeper.
Minuteman, Minotaur launch silo. Originally a Minuteman 394 SMS silo. Upgraded for use as a Launch Facility in 1964, and later again modified to launch the Minotaur.
Minuteman launch silo. Originally a Minuteman 394 SMS silo. Upgraded for use as a Launch Facility in 1964.
Minuteman, Peacekeeper launch silo. Originally a Minuteman 394 SMS silo. Upgraded for use as a Launch Facility in 1964.
Minuteman, Minotaur launch silo. Originally a Minuteman 394 SMS silo. Upgraded for use as a Launch Facility in 1964, and later again modified to launch the Peacekeeper.
Minuteman launch silo. Originally a Minuteman 394 SMS silo. Upgraded for use as a Launch Facility in 1964.
Minuteman, Peacekeeper, Astrid launch silo. Originally a Minuteman 394 SMS silo. Upgraded for use as a Launch Facility in 1964, and later again modified to launch the Peacekeeper.
Minuteman launch complex.
Minuteman launch complex.
Minuteman, Orbus launch complex.
Minuteman launch complex.
Minuteman, OBV launch complex.
Minuteman launch complex.
Minuteman launch complex.
Minuteman launch complex.
R-17 launch complex.
Titan launch silo. Operational Silo Test Facility
Atlas launch complex. Originally an Atlas Operational Silo Test Facility. Upgraded to a 576 SMS launch pad in 1963.
Atlas launch complex. Originally an Atlas Operational Silo Test Facility. Upgraded to a 576 SMS launch pad in 1963.
Tomahawk Sandia, Aerobee launch complex. Probe Launch Complex C
Runway
Delta launch complex. Originally a Thor 75 SMS launch pad. Upgraded to a launch emplacement in 1961.
Delta launch complex. Originally a Thor 75 SMS launch pad. Upgraded to a launch emplacement in 1965.
Delta launch complex. Originally a Thor 75 SMS launch pad. Upgraded to a space launch complex in 1967.
Delta launch complex. Originally a Thor 75 SMS launch pad. Upgraded to a space launch complex in 1966.
Delta launch complex. Originally a Thor 75 SMS launch pad. Upgraded to a space launch complex in 1966.
Delta launch complex. Originally a Thor 75 SMS launch pad. Upgraded to a space launch complex in 1966.
Atlas V, Atlas launch complex. Atlas test facility, originally designated PALC1-2, then LC1-2, and finally upgraded to a Space Launch Facility in 1966.
Delta, Atlas launch complex. First designated LC1-1 and used to launch Atlas Agena B with Samos payloads. After Samos cancellation, rebuilt in 1963 to support launch of KH-4 Corona spysats atop Thor-Agena. Refurbished in 1973 to accomodate surplus Atlas ICBM's in space launch role.
Titan, Atlas launch complex. First designated PALC2-4 and used to launch Atlas Agena D with KH-7 spysats. Rebuilt after MOL cancellation in 1970 to handle Titan 3D with KH-9 and KH-11 spysats. Upgraded in 1989-1990 for Titan 4.
Titan, Atlas launch complex. First designated PALC2-3 and used to launch Atlas Agena D with KH-7 spysats. Rebuilt in 1966 to handle Titan 3B with various military payloads. From 1988 used to launch refurbished surplus Titan 2 ICBM's in space launch role.
Scout launch complex. Dedicated Scout launch pad, used during the life of that vehicle from 1962 to 1994.
Delta IV, Athena launch complex. Space Launch Complex
Minotaur launch complex. Commercial Space Launch Facility, California Spaceport
Titan launch silo. Lift Test Facility.
SICBM, Peacekeeper launch silo.
Trident launch complex.
Vandenberg, Hoyt S (1899-1954) Immensely influential American officer, Air Force Chief of Staff in the late 1940's and 1950's during the formative period of rocketry development and the work on intercontinental ballistic missiles.
Vandersee, Fritz (1918-1975) German engineer in WW2, member of the Rocket Team in the United States thereafter.
Vangen, Scott Duane (1959-) American engineer payload specialist astronaut, 1993-1995.
Relatively unsuccessful program to launch the United States first artifical satellite of the earth.
American orbital launch vehicle. Vanguard was the 'civilian' vehicle developed by the US Navy to launch America's first satellite as part of the International Geophysical Year. The Army / von Braun Jupiter-C instead launched the first US satellite after Sputnik and Vanguard's public launch failure. The second stage design led to the Able upper stage for Thor/Atlas, and then to the Delta upper stage still in use in the 21st Century. The original version of Vanguard used a Grand Central final stage.
Vanguard was the 'civilian' vehicle developed by the US Navy to launch America's first satellite as part of the International Geophysical Year. The Army / von Braun Jupiter-C instead launched the first US satellite after Sputnik and Vanguard's public launch failure. The second stage design led to the Able upper stage for Thor/Atlas, and then to the Delta upper stage still in use in the 21st Century. The original version of Vanguard used a Grand Central final stage.
American manufacturer of spacecraft. Vanguard Spacecraft, USA.
Lox/Kerosene propellant rocket stage. Loaded/empty mass 7,661/811 kg. Thrust 134.79 kN. Vacuum specific impulse 270 seconds.
American technology satellite. 4 launches, 1957.12.06 (Vanguard 1A) to 1958.04.29 (Vanguard 2A). An engineering test satellite. Based on orbital position data derived from its transmissions, the shape of the earth was refined.
American earth magnetosphere satellite. 4 launches, 1958.05.28 (Vanguard 2B) to 1959.02.17 (Vanguard 2). The actual operational satellite that was to be launched by the Vanguard launcher.
American earth magnetosphere satellite. 4 launches, 1959.04.14 (30-inch Sphere) to 1959.09.18 (Vanguard 3). Radiation, micrometeoroid data.
Solid propellant rocket stage. Loaded/empty mass 210/31 kg. Thrust 11.56 kN. Vacuum specific impulse 230 seconds.
American orbital launch vehicle. Version of Vanguard with X-248 upper stage.
Russian submarine-launched ballistic missile. Version with clustered Nylon-B propellant motors.
Russian submarine-launched ballistic missile. Version with clustered Nylon-S propellant motors.
Varlamov, Valentin Stepanovich (1934-1980) Russian pilot cosmonaut, 1960-1961. Left team after fracturing a vertebra in a diving accident in July 1960. Worked in the Soviet space program as a flight instructor for new cosmonauts within the TsPK.
Vasilyev, Anatoli Alekeseyevich (1921-1973) Russian officer. Commander of GURVO 1964-1967. Chaired the Scientific-Technical Committee of the Strategic Missile Forces 1967-1969.
Vasyutin, Vladimir Vladimirovich (1952-2002) Russian pilot cosmonaut. Flew on Salyut 7 EO-4-2.
VAT.
Vehicle acceptance team
VE.
Series of Experimental Vehicles (VE's), each named after precious stones, leading to the MSBS/SSBS solid propellant missiles that made up the French nuclear deterrent.
VE.
Series of Experimental Vehicles (VE's), each named after precious stones, leading to the MSBS/SSBS solid propellant missiles that made up the French nuclear deterrent.
Solid rocket stage. 75.00 kN (16,861 lbf) thrust. Mass 900 kg (1,984 lb).
VE110.
Alternate designation for Agate test vehicle.
VE121.
Manufacturer's designation for Emeraude VE121 orbital launch vehicle.
VE210.
Manufacturer's designation for Rubis orbital launch vehicle.
VE231.
Manufacturer's designation for Saphir orbital launch vehicle.
VE9.
First test rocket in the series leading to French IRBM's. The VE 9 instrumented warhead was boosted twice in 1960 and 1961 by a SEPR 732, motor, 55 cm in diameter. his had been developed as the booster for the SE.4400 Surface-to-Air Missile and was the most powerful French solid propellant motor available at that time.
Veach, Charles Lacy (1944-1995) American engineer mission specialist astronaut. Flew on STS-39, STS-52. Grew up in Honolulu, Hawaii. Died of cancer.
An instrument for taking a graphic record of the magnitude and direction of the electrical potentials of the heart.
Venus-Earth-Earth Gravity Assist (Galileo flight path)
Vega.
Vega.
Primarily Italian all-solid propellant launch vehicle. After years of furious debate, a $173 million development program began, 52% funded by Italy and 34% by France. As of the first firing of the P80 first stage motor at the end of 2006, first flight had slipped into 2008 from a 2007 original planned date.
Vega.
Sud solid rocket engine. 20 kN.
Russian Venus probe. 2 launches, 1984.12.15 (Vega 1) to 1984.12.21 (Vega 2). The Vega 5VK spacecraft was designed for a mission combining a flyby of the planet Venus followed by an encounter with Halley's Comet.
Russian Venus probe. Cancelled 1985. Unflown series of Venus probes (which also served as the basis for the Granat satellite). Original plans called for two versions, 5VS and 5VP, both weighing 4850 kg.
French surface-to-air missile, tested at Hammaguir in early 1961 but not put into production.
French surface-to-air missile, tested at Hammaguir in early 1961 but not put into production.
French surface-to-air missile.
Solid rocket stage. 200.00 kN (44,962 lbf) thrust. Mass 800 kg (1,764 lb).
Vega-M .
Launch System of V-880 surface-to-air missile.
Vehicle Evaluation Payload.
Alternate designation for VEP technology satellite.
Category of missiles.
French air-launched rocketplane. Dassault design for an air-launched experimental reusable launch vehicle. It would be launched from Novespace's Airbus 300 zero-G aircraft. The lifting-body design was loosely based on Dassault's work on the NASA-led X-38 Crew Rescue Vehicle program. VEHRA weighed 6.5 t tonnes and carried 19.5 tonnes of kerosene and oxygen propellant. One Russian 400.5 kN-thrust NK-39 engine would power the vehicle, which would be capable of reaching Mach 14. The 11.5 meter long vehicle also contained a small 1.5 x 1.5 x 5 meter payload bay for an expendable upper stage+250 kg satellite. Like THEMIS, VEHRA would explore hypersonic flight and the operational and cost aspects of reusability.
Veiculo Lancador de Microsatelites.
Alternate designation for VLM all-solid orbital launch vehicle.
Veiculo Lancador de Satelites.
Full Portugese name (Satellite Launch Vehicle) for VLS all-solid orbital launch vehicle.
Vektor.
Code name for Taifun-1 military target satellite.
Vela.
American nuclear detection surveillance satellite. 6 launches, 1963.10.17 (Vela 2) to 1965.07.20 (Vela 6). The Vela (meaning "watchman" in Spanish) series of spacecraft were designed to monitor world-wide compliance with the 1963 nuclear test ban treaty.
Vela.
WRE solid rocket engine.
A fastener for quick attachment (and subsequent detachment) of an object to another object, or to a surface. It has two parts, a pad consisting of velvety, loopy pile made of Teflon, and a pad consisting of little hooks resembling a cockleburr, made of polyester. Attachment by pressing the two pads together, detachment by pulling them apart.
Russian series of spacecraft that explored the planet Venus. Venera spacecraft made the first soft landings on the surface of Venus and returned the first images from the surface.
Russian Venus probe. 2 launches, 1967.06.12 (Venera 4) to 1967.06.17 (Cosmos 167). Venus probe with the announced mission of direct atmospheric studies.
Russian Venus probe. 2 launches, 1961.02.12 (Sputnik 7) to (Venera 1). The 1VA probe, the first spacecraft sent towards Venus, consisted of a cylindrical body topped by a dome, totaling 2 meters in height.
Russian Venus probe. 2 launches, 1969.01.05 (Venera 6) to 1969.01.10 (Venera 6). Spacecraft was very similar to Venera 4 / 1V (V-67) although the descent module was of a stronger design.
Russian Venus probe. 3 launches, 1964.02.19 (3MV-1 No. 2 SA) to 1964.04.02 (Zond 1).
Russian Venus probe. 2 launches, 1963.11.11 (Cosmos 21) to 1964.02.19 (3MV-1A).
Russian Venus probe. One launch, 1965.11.16, Venera 3. The mission of this spacecraft was to land on the Venusian surface.
Russian Venus probe. 2 launches, 1965.11.12 (Venera 2) to 1965.11.23 (Cosmos 96). Carried a TV system and scientific instruments.
Russian Venus probe. 2 launches, 1970.08.17 (Venera 7) to 1970.08.22 (Cosmos 359). Venus lander intended to study the Venusian atmosphere and other phenomena of the planet.
Russian Venus probe. 2 launches, 1972.03.27 (Venera 8) to 1972.03.31 (Cosmos 482). Venus atmospheric probe; instrumentation included temperature, pressure, and light sensors as well as radio transmitters.
Russian Venus probe. 6 launches, 1975.06.08 (Venera 9) to 1981.11.04 (Venera 14).
Russian Venus probe. 2 launches, 1983.06.02 (Venera 15) to 1983.06.07 (Venera 16). Venera radar mappers which used an 8 cm band side-looking radar to study the surface properties of Venus.
Venezuela
American SSTO winged orbital launch vehicle. Production reusable single-stage-to-orbit launch vehicle using technology developed in X-33 testbed.
American manned spaceplane. Study 2006. Production reusable single-stage-to-orbit launch vehicle using technology developed in X-33 testbed.
Lox/LH2 propellant rocket stage. Loaded/empty mass 991,000/89,300 kg. Thrust 15,413.89 kN. Vacuum specific impulse 455 seconds.
Category of spacecraft.
Sud solid rocket engine. 44 kN.
European Venus probe. One launch, 2005.11.09. European Union probe to Venus, with the primary mission of studying the atmosphere and space environment of the planet.
Category of spacecraft.
VEP.
Japanese technology satellite. 2 launches, 1994.02.03 (VEP) and 2001.08.29 (VEP-2). Monitored H-2 launch vehicle performance. National name MYOJO.
French manned spaceplane. Study 1968. A Mach 10 spaceplane demonstrator proposed by Nord Aviation in 1968.
Vergeltungswaffen-1.
Alternate designation for V-1 short range cruise missile.
Vergeltungswaffen-2.
Alternate designation for V-2 short range ballistic missile.
Verne, Jules (1828-1905) French writer, one of the founders of the literary genre of science fiction. He described in his novels the possibility of space flight, technically accurate to the extent possible.
Test rocket launch location known to have been used for 1 launch in 1951.
Vernov, Sergei Nikolayevich (1910-1982) Russian scientist. Director of NII-Yash of Moscow State University 1960-1982. Specialised in science experiments.
LRBA solid rocket engine.
LRBA solid rocket engine. 20 kN.
After the cancellation of the 'Super V-2' project, the German team at Vernon pursued development of a tenth-scale version, the Project 4213 Veronique (VERnon et electrONIQUE). The 4 tonne thrust motor, using nitric acid and kerosene, beat the 'pure French' project 4211 Eole design and paved the way leading to the Ariane space booster.
After the cancellation of the 'Super V-2' project, the German team at Vernon pursued development of a tenth-scale version, the Project 4213 Veronique (VERnon et electrONIQUE). The 4 tonne thrust motor, using nitric acid and kerosene, beat the 'pure French' project 4211 Eole design and paved the way leading to the Ariane space booster.
Nitric acid/Turpentine rocket stage. 40.00 kN (8,992 lbf) thrust. Mass 1,300 kg (2,866 lb).
LRBA solid rocket engine. 40 kN.
French sounding rocket. Development of an improved version of Veronique, with a 50% increase in thrust, began in 1961. The much larger vehicle could reach 315 km with the standard Veronique 60 kg payload.
LRBA Nitric acid/Turpentine rocket engine. 60 kN.
Nitric acid/Turpentine propellant rocket stage. Loaded mass 1,900 kg. Thrust 60.00 kN.
French sounding rocket. Lengthened version of Veronique 61 capable of carrying an increased payload of 100 kg.
Nitric acid/Turpentine propellant rocket stage. Loaded mass 2,000 kg. Thrust 60.00 kN.
French sounding rocket. The Veronique AGI was the rocket originally intended for the International Geophysical Year order. It followed the configuration of the Veronique NA, but had a lower empty weight, a simplified engine using single wall cooling, and used turpentine fuel instead of kerosene. This increased the specific impulse, decreased combustion instabilities, and allowed the version to reach 210 km altitude.
LRBA Nitric acid/Turpentine rocket engine. 40 kN.
Nitric acid/Turpentine rocket stage. 40.00 kN (8,992 lbf) thrust. Mass 1,300 kg (2,866 lb).
French sounding rocket. 'Veronique Normal ' - Full-scale version of the original Veronique design.
French sounding rocket. Lengthened version of the Veronique N, allowing the vehicle to reach the more scientifically-interesting altitude of 135 km. It also used a modified injector for the engine to improve combustion stability.
French sounding test vehicle. Test vehicle, powered by two powder rockets, to test the Veronique's unique wire guidance system.
Solid propellant rocket stage. Loaded mass 500 kg.
French sounding test vehicle. Test vehicle, powered by six powder rockets, to test the Veronique's unique wire guidance system.
Solid propellant rocket stage. Loaded mass 500 kg. Thrust 20.00 kN.
French sounding test vehicle. 'Veronique Reduce' - test vehicle for the full-size Veronique, with the burn time of the engine limted to 6.5 sec instead of the nominal 32 sec. Tested in France at the Suippes range in 1950 and 1951, then at Cardonnet in early 1952.
Solid rocket stage. 40.00 kN (8,992 lbf) thrust. Mass 500 kg (1,102 lb).
Vershinin, Konstantin Andreyevich (1900-1973) Russian officer. Commander of Air Force 1957-1969.
Vertical Takeoff Vertical Landing.
Alternate designation for VTOVL ssto vtovl orbital launch vehicle.
Vertikal.
Alternate designation for R-5A and R-5V sounding rocket versions of R-5 intermediate range ballistic missile.
Vertikal' K65UP.
Alternate designation for Vertikal-4 orbital launch vehicle.
Russian orbital launch vehicle. Soviet sounding rocket, based on the R-14 IRBM.
French sounding rocket. In the late 1950's LRBA studied several possible configurations for a 'Super Veronique' sounding rocket, with engines of 80 to 250 kN to carry a payload of 100 kg up to 600 km altitude. In 1962 CNES ordered the Vesta configuration. Static tests in 1964 led to a modest series of launches in 1965-1969.
LRBA Nitic acid/Turpentine rocket engine. 140 kN.
Nitric acid/Turpentine rocket stage. 140.00 kN (31,473 lbf) thrust. Mass 5,000 kg (11,023 lb).
Pertaining to the organs of the inner ear that provide a sense of equilibrium for animals and man.
Category of persons.
Vetoshkin, Sergei Ivanovich (1905-1991) Russian politician. First Deputy Chairman of Military-industrial Commission 1958-1965. Directorate Chief in Ministry of Armaments.
Base for units deployed with nine Pioner launchers.
SEP N2O4/UDMH rocket engine family
SEP N2O4/UDMH rocket engine. 68.6 kN. Isp=277s. Used on Europa launch vehicle. First flight 1964.
SEP N2O4/UDMH rocket engine. 75.4 kN. Out of production. Isp=251s. Used on Diamant launch vehicle. First flight 1965.
SEP N2O4/UDMH rocket engine. 99.1 kN. Out of production. Isp=251s. Used on Diamant B launch vehicle. First flight 1970.
VfR.
Verein fuer Raumschiffahrt.
VHF.
Very High Frequency
VIAM.
All-Union Institute for Aviation Materials (Russian abbreviation)
Victory, John F (1893-1975) American manager, at NACA 1915-1960, credited with maintaining good working relatioship with Congress.
Vidrine, David Matthew (1943-) American engineer military spaceflight engineer astronaut, 1979-1985.
Viebach, Fritz (1907-1961) German rocket technician in WW2, worked in the Soviet Union thereafter. One of the group that fired V-2 rockets at Kapustin Yar in 1946.
Viehboeck, Franz Artur (1960-) Austrian engineer cosmonaut. Flew on Mir Austromir. First Austrian astronaut.
Vietnam
Vietnamese AF.
Vik.
Sounding rocket launch location known to have been used for 4 launches from 1964 to 1965, reaching up to 451 kilometers altitude.
American Mars lander. 5 launches, 1974.02.11 (Viking Dynamic Simulator) to 1975.09.09 (Viking 2 Lander). First successful soft landings made at two locations on the Martian surface and returned the first images from the surface.
The Viking sounding rocket, originally code-named Neptune, was conceived in 1945 by the US Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) as having the same altitude capability as the V-2 but only one third the mass. Martin was given the contract to develop the rocket, and Reaction Motors the engine. The advanced design featured a gimbaled pump-fed engine, a fuel tank integral with the fuselage. All rockets would be static-tested and certified before launch. The first launch was on 3 May 1949. Viking was abandoned in 1954 as too expensive, but Martin's experience on the design led to the first stage of the Vanguard orbital launch vehicle and the Titan ICBM.
American sounding rocket. The Viking sounding rocket, originally code-named Neptune, was conceived in 1945 by the US Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) as having the same altitude capability as the V-2 but only one third the mass. Martin was given the contract to develop the rocket, and Reaction Motors the engine. The advanced design featured a gimbaled pump-fed engine, a fuel tank integral with the fuselage. All rockets would be static-tested and certified before launch. The first launch was on 3 May 1949. Viking was abandoned in 1954 as too expensive, but Martin's experience on the design led to the first stage of the Vanguard orbital launch vehicle and the Titan ICBM.
Swedish earth magnetosphere satellite. One launch, 1986.02.22, Viking. Sweden's first satellite, Viking, was originally initiated as a means of providing experience in satellite system development and management.
SEP N2O4/UDMH rocket engine. 693 kN. In production. Isp=281s. Used on Ariane 1, GSLV space launchers. First flight 1979.
SEP N2O4/UDMH rocket engine. 720 kN. Isp=278s. Used on Ariane 2/3. First flight 1984.
SEP N2O4/UDMH rocket engine. 721 kN. Isp=296s. Used on Ariane 1, GSLV, PSLV. First flight 1979.
SEP N2O4/UDMH rocket engine. 805 kN. Isp=296s. Used on Ariane 4. First flight 1984.
SEP N2O4/UDMH rocket engine. 752 kN. Isp=278s. Used on Ariane 42L, Ariane 44L, Ariane 44LP. First flight 1988.
Viking Model I.
Alternate designation for Viking sounding rocket.
Viking Model II.
Alternate designation for Viking Type 9 sounding rocket.
American sounding rocket. Increased-diameter version of the basic Viking.
Lox/Alcohol rocket stage. 93.00 kN (20,907 lbf) thrust. Mass 6,800 kg (14,991 lb).
Lox/Alcohol rocket stage. 93.00 kN (20,907 lbf) thrust. Mass 4,500 kg (9,921 lb).
Viktorenko, Aleksandr Stepanovich (1947-) Russian pilot cosmonaut. Flew on Mir EP-1, Mir EO-5, Mir EO-11, Mir EO-17. 489 cumulative days in space. Call sign: Vityaz (Knight).
Sounding rocket launch location known to have been used for 2 launches in 1973, reaching up to 240 kilometers altitude.
Vilter, Hans-Albert German rocket technician in WW2, worked in the Soviet Union thereafter. One of the group that fired V-2 rockets at Kapustin Yar in 1946.
Snecma, Ottobrunn lox/lh2 rocket engine. 180 kN. Upper Stages. In development. Isp=467s. Advanced expander cycle cryogenic propellant rocket engine with the capability of five in-space restarts. First hot-fire tests 2005. First flight 2010.
Vinogradov, Pavel Vladimirovich (1953-) Russian engineer cosmonaut. Flew on Mir EO-24, ISS EO-13. 380 cumulative days in space. Civilian Engineer, Energiya NPO.
Vinogradov, Aleksandr Pavlovich (1895-1975) Russian scientist. Director of Institute of Chemical and Analytical Chemistry. Specialised in lunar sample analysis.
Vinzant, Allen (1931-) American Chief engineer for interfacing the Centaur upper stage with the Titan 4 launch vehicle.
Viper.
Alternate designation for Viper V-Dart-1 rocket stage.
Single stage sounding rocket developed as a follow-on to the Loki-Dart.
American sounding rocket. Single stage sounding rocket developed as a follow-on to the Loki-Dart.
American sounding rocket. The Viper 3A/10D Dart was a two stage sounding rocket vehicle consisting of a solid propellant Viper 3A rocket motor as the first stage and a non-propulsive Dart containing the payload as the second stage.
Solid rocket stage. 25.00 kN (5,620 lbf) thrust. Mass 35 kg (77 lb).
American sounding rocket. Two stage vehicle consisting of 1 x Viper I + 1 x Falcon
Solid rocket stage.
American sounding rocket. Single stage vehicle.
Solid propellant rocket stage. Loaded mass 100 kg. Thrust 27.00 kN.
Multiple-source American solid rocket engine. 20 kN. Viper
Aerojet solid rocket engine. 25 kN.
Multiple-source American solid rocket engine. 27 kN.
American sounding rocket. Single stage sounding rocket that delivered a 1-m diameter inflatable sphere to 90 km to meaure winds aloft.
Solid propellant rocket stage. Thrust 20.00 kN.
Virgin Galactic.
American manufacturer of spacecraft. Virginia Polytechnic, USA.
Virts, Terry Wayne Jr (1967-) American test pilot astronaut, 2000-on.
Visakhapatnam
Category of spacecraft.
Viso.
Viso, Michel Yves (1951-) French biologist payload specialist astronaut, cosmonaut, 1985-1998. Doctorate of veterinary medicine from " l'Ecole Veterinaire de Maison-Alfort ", 1975. Worked for CNES in Paris, in coordination of spaceflight activities.
Viste, Norman Duane (1939-) American Chief Engineer for Atlas III and V
VITA.
Volunteers In Technical Assistance, Inc., USA
Vitka, Vladimir Andreyevich (1901-1989) Russian engineer. First Deputy Chief Designer 1954-1961 of Glushko design bureau. Specialised in rocket engines.
Vitruk, Andrei Avksentyevich (1906-1987) Russian officer. Major General, Chief of KIK Space Tracking Network 1956-1959. Served in WW2. Assigned to 4-NII MO military space research institute in 1955. Invalided from the service in August 1962.
VITT.
Vehicle Integration Test Team
Vittori, Roberto (1964-) Italian test pilot mission specialist astronaut. Flew on ISS EP-3, ISS EP-8, STS-134. Italian Air Force.
VKA.
Russian agency. Military Space Force, Russia.
Russian manned spaceplane. Study 1957. The VKA (aero-space vehicle) was a 1957 Myasishchev design - a diminutive single-crew star-shaped spaceplane that could be launched by Korolev's R-7 ICBM.
Russian manned spaceplane. Study 1960. Myasishchev single-pilot winged spacecraft of 1960, sized for launch to orbit by Korolev's Vostok booster.
Russian manned spaceplane. Study 1957. Following the very critical review of the first M-48 spaceplane design by the expert commission, Myasishchev went back to the drawing board.
VKK.
Russian manned spaceplane. Study 1998. A Russian concept of the 1990's harking back to Chelomei's Raketoplan of three decades earlier. A manned aircraft would be protected during launch and re-entry by an expendable aeroshell heat shield.
VKS.
Russian manned spaceplane. Study 1986. The Energia VKS was designed as a hypersonic rocketplane with multi-regime engines, in response to the Soviet Ministry of Defenses' MVKS single-stage reusable aerospaceplane system requirement.
VKS.
RKK Energia's proposed solution to the Soviet government's MVKS requirement for a single-stage-to-orbit reusable aerospaceplane system was this 700-metric-ton, turboramjet/rocket mised propulsion design. Work began in 1986 but abandoned when the Soviet Union collapsed.
VKS.
Russian SSTO winged orbital launch vehicle. RKK Energia's proposed solution to the Soviet government's MVKS requirement for a single-stage-to-orbit reusable aerospaceplane system was this 700-metric-ton, turboramjet/rocket mised propulsion design. Work began in 1986 but abandoned when the Soviet Union collapsed.
VKS.
Russian agency overseeing development of spacecraft. Military Space Force, Russia.
Russian winged orbital launch vehicle. Air launched from An-225. Release conditions: Piggy-back, 275,000 kg, 38.0 m length x 24.0 m wingspan, 900 kph at 9,500 m altitude. Effective velocity gain compared to vertical launch 270 m/s.
Russian winged orbital launch vehicle. Air launched from Gerakl / NPO Molniya-1000 heavy-lift aircraft, catamaran layout, twin-fuselage triplane. Release conditions: Suspended load, 450,000 kg, 900 kph at 9,500 m altitude. Effective velocity gain compared to vertical launch 270 m/s.
Russian winged orbital launch vehicle. Air launched from Kholod Mach 5 mother ship. This was a Mikoyan supersonic cargo aircraft, designed from Spiral 50-50 design. Combined-cycle turbo-ramjet engine. Release conditions: Piggy-back, 200,000 kg, Mach 5 at 25 to 30 km altitude. Effective velocity gain compared to vertical launch 1130 m/s. It was concluded that the extensive development would be required for the combination-cycle engines, resulting in an extended development schedule and high technical risk. The more conservative subsonic-launched MAKS was chosen instead.
Russian winged orbital launch vehicle. Vertical takeoff, ballistic re-entry, single-stage-to-orbit, Lox/Kerosene/LH2 tripropellant rocket engine powered, reusable launch vehicle. 550 tonne and 770 tonne gross lift-off mass versions considered.
Russian winged orbital launch vehicle. Sled launched, delta winged, single-stage-to-orbit, Lox/LH2 launch vehicle. 290 tonne and 550 tonne versions considered. Studied in tradeoff studies leading to MAKS. Release conditions: Piggy-back, 290,000 kg, Mach 0.5, zero altitude. Effective velocity gain compared to vertical launch 100 m/s. The wheeled sled would get the vehicle up to a velocity where the wings could provide lift, allowing lower-thrust engines to be used than in a vertical-takeoff design. This saved weight, but velocity losses during lifting flight to orbit almost cancelled the advantage, resulting in the approach being unattractive in comparison to pure vertical-launch or air-launch designs.
Lox/Kerosene propellant rocket stage. Loaded mass 100,000 kg. Sled studied in tradeoff studies leading to MAKS. Release conditions: Piggy-back, 290,000 kg, Mach 0.5, zero altitude. Effective velocity gain compared to vertical launch 100 m/s.
Russian winged orbital launch vehicle. Horizontal takeoff, delta winged, single-stage-to-orbit, launch vehicle. Mixed rocket / ramjet propulsion.
Russian winged orbital launch vehicle. Vertical takeoff, delta winged, single-stage-to-orbit, Lox/Kerosene/LH2 tripropellant rocket engine powered vehicle. 550 tonne gross liftoff mass and 1000 tonne versions studied. Analogous to NASA's Shuttle-2 and RKK Energia's VKS.
Russian winged orbital launch vehicle. Horizontal takeoff, delta winged, single-stage-to-orbit, launch vehicle. Mixed rocket / scramjet propulsion.
VLA.
Very Large Array
Vladimirskiy, Sergei Mikhailovich Russian government official. Deputy Minister of Radio-Technical Industries 1954-1979. Began career at KB-1.
VLBA.
Very Long Baseline Array
VLBI.
Very Long Baseline Interferometry
VLF.
Very Low Frequency
VLM.
Brazilian satellite launcher using core of VLS only. Planned for launch of microsatellites. First launch 2002 or later.
Solid propellant rocket stage. Loaded/empty mass 377/57 kg. Thrust 20.49 kN. Vacuum specific impulse 275 seconds.
VLS.
Brazilian satellite launcher building on successful family of sounding rockets.
VLS.
Brazilian satellite launcher building on successful family of sounding rockets.
Brazilian all-solid orbital launch vehicle.
Brazilian all-solid test vehicle. Single stage vehicle.
VLT.
Very Large Telescope
VMF.
Russian agency. Voenno-Morskoy Flot (Navy), Russia.
Russian Navy (Russian abbreviation)
VMS.
Vertical Motion Simulator
Russian pressure suit, operational 1970. The VMSK-4 was a partial pressure immersion suit developed for Soviet Naval Aviation pilots.
VNII.
All-Union Scientific-Research Institute (Russian abbreviation)
Russian manufacturer of spacecraft. VNII Elektromekhaniki (Russian abbreviation for All-Union Scientific-Research Institute for Electro-Mechanics), Russia.
All-Union Scientific-Research Institute for Current Sources (Russian abbreviation)
Voevoda.
Alternate Designation of R-36M2 15A18M intercontinental ballistic missile.
Vogt.
Vogt, Richard (1894-1979) German Chief Designer. Chief aircraft designer with Blohm and Voss during World War II. As of January 1947, living in Hamburg.
Voigt German rocket engineer in WW2; later worked in France at LRBA from 1947 in the ground support equipment group. Returned to Germany thereafter.
VOIR.
Venus Orbiting Imaging Radar (superseded by VRM)
Volk.
Volk, Igor Petrovich (1937-) Ukrainian test pilot cosmonaut. Flew on Salyut 7 EP-4.
Volkhov.
Popular Name of S-75M surface-to-air missile.
Volkhov-M.
Complex of V-753 surface-to-air missile.
Volkov, Vladislav Nikolayevich (1935-1971) Russian engineer cosmonaut. Flew on Soyuz 7, Soyuz 11. Member of first space station crew, however perished during landing. From 1958 a civilian engineer, Korolev OKB, involved in the development of the Vostok and Voskhod spacecraft.
Volkov, Aleksandr Aleksandrovich (1948-) Ukrainian pilot cosmonaut. Flew on Salyut 7 EO-4-2, Mir EO-4, Mir EO-10. Father of cosmonaut Sergei Volkov. 391 cumulative days in space.
Volkov, Sergey Aleksandrovich (1973-) Ukrainian pilot cosmonaut. Flew on ISS EO-17, ISS EO-28. Son of cosmonaut Aleksandr Volkov.
Volna.
Volna.
Popular Name of R-29RL submarine-launched ballistic missile.
Russian launch vehicle based on surplus R-29RL submarine launched ballistic missiles. Suborbital and orbital versions. Payload volume 1.3 cu. M. Payload 115 kg to 3000 km or 1250 kg to 200 km altitude suborbital trajectories, or 120 (260 lb) kg to a 200 km orbit. Liftoff mass 34 tonnes.
N2O4/UDMH propellant rocket stage. Loaded mass 20,000 kg. Thrust 682.00 kN.
N2O4/UDMH propellant rocket stage. Loaded mass 10,000 kg.
Voloshin, Valeri Abramovich (1942-) Russian pilot cosmonaut, 1965-1969.
Volynkin, Yuvenaliy Mikhailovich (1907-) Russian officer. Director of Institute of Aviation and Space Medicine 1960-1969.
Volynov, Boris Valentinovich (1934-) Jewish-Russian pilot cosmonaut. Flew on Soyuz 5, Soyuz 21.
Modified 707 airliner used by NASA for zero-G astronaut training. It would follow a parabolic course, obtaining pseudo-zero-G at the top of the parabola, but then pulling 2G's at the bottom. Dozens of parabolas would be flown on a mission; by the tenth the first participant would usually vomit, followed by most of the others as the mission went on. Even for those unaffected the odor became very unpleasant by the 20th parabola. Attendants had to be very careful that those training in 110-kg spacesuits or on sharp-edged hardware mockups were not injured when, over and over, they would quit floating and be pulled to the deck with 2G's force.
In 1948, with the US Army's V-2 test project winding down, Wernher Von Braun was ensconced in isolated Fort Bliss. He had, unusually, some time on his hands. He occupied himself by writing a novel concerning an expedition to Mars, grounded on accurate engineering estimates. As an appendix to the novel he documented his calculations.
von Braun, Wernher (1912-1977) German-American chief designer, leader of the 'Rocket Team'; developed the V-2, Redstone, Jupiter, and the Saturn rockets that took US to the moon. He made the idea of space travel popular in the 1950's and a reality in the 1960's.
American manufacturer of rockets and spacecraft. Von Braun, USA.
German winged orbital launch vehicle. Von Braun's 1948 design for a reusable space launcher was remarkable in its tubby design. This was partly driven by the need for large parachute cannisters in the base of the first and second stages, which took up one half of the diameter, with the engines arranged around the periphery.
Nitric acid/Hydrazine propellant rocket stage. Loaded/empty mass 5,500,000/700,000 kg. Thrust 141,286.30 kN. Vacuum specific impulse 257 seconds.
Nitric acid/Hydrazine propellant rocket stage. Loaded/empty mass 770,000/70,000 kg. Thrust 16,271.10 kN. Vacuum specific impulse 298 seconds.
Nitric acid/Hydrazine propellant rocket stage. Loaded/empty mass 105,000/22,000 kg. Thrust 2,033.80 kN. Vacuum specific impulse 296 seconds.
German winged orbital launch vehicle. Von Braun's 1952 design for a reusable space launcher used the same mass and performance calculations done in 1948. However the large parachute cannisters were replaced by deployable drag skirts. This allowed the design to be substantially less squat and more elegant than the 1948 version -- but still fatter than the sleek paintings that appeared in print!
Nitric acid/Hydrazine propellant rocket stage. Loaded/empty mass 5,500,000/700,000 kg. Thrust 141,286.30 kN. Vacuum specific impulse 257 seconds.
Nitric acid/Hydrazine propellant rocket stage. Loaded/empty mass 770,000/70,000 kg. Thrust 16,271.10 kN. Vacuum specific impulse 298 seconds.
Nitric acid/Hydrazine propellant rocket stage. Loaded/empty mass 105,000/22,000 kg. Thrust 2,033.80 kN. Vacuum specific impulse 296 seconds.
German winged orbital launch vehicle. In 1956, for the book Exploration of Mars and the Disney television series, the 1952 design was significantly 'down-sized'. The first and second stages were simply reduced to 20% of their former size. A tiny expendable third stage replaced the manned glider. The manned glider itself became a seperate payload, that could be replaced by an 'all cargo' module.
Nitric acid/UDMH propellant rocket stage. Loaded/empty mass 1,100,000/140,000 kg. Thrust 28,257.80 kN. Vacuum specific impulse 257 seconds.
Nitric acid/UDMH propellant rocket stage. Loaded/empty mass 154,000/14,000 kg. Thrust 3,254.23 kN. Vacuum specific impulse 297 seconds.
Nitric acid/UDMH propellant rocket stage. Loaded/empty mass 12,400/2,100 kg. Thrust 406.77 kN. Vacuum specific impulse 297 seconds.
American manned Mars orbiter. Study 1952.
American manned Mars lander. Study 1952. The first design for a manned Mars lander based on engineering analysis. The enormous glider would have a wingspan of 153 m, and land on Mars horizontally either on skis, skids, or wheels on a prepared runway.
American manned lunar lander. Study 1952. Von Braun's first lunar lander design was an immense spacecraft, larger in earth orbit than a Saturn V booster.
Von Braun Mars Expedition - 1952.
American manned Mars expedition. Study 1952. Wernher von Braun made the first engineering analysis of a manned mission to Mars in 1948.
Von Braun Mars Expedition - 1956.
American manned Mars expedition. Study 1956. Von Braun's Mars expedition presented in the 1956 book he co-authored with Willy Ley, The Exploration of Mars, was vastly reduced in scope from the 1952 version.
Von Braun Mars Expedition - 1969.
American manned Mars expedition. Study 1969. Von Braun's final vision for a manned expedition to Mars was a robust plan that eliminated much of the risk of other scenarios. Two ships would fly in convoy from earth orbit to Mars and back.
American manned Mars orbiter. Study 1952. The first design for a manned Mars orbiter based on engineering analysis. 10 passengers would be housed in a 20-m-diameter sphere during the 963 day mission to Mars, in Mars orbit, and back to earth.
German manned rocketplane. Study 1939. On 6 July 1939 Wernher von Braun proposed to the German Reich Air Ministry a "fighter with rocket drive".
American manned space station. Study 1945. In the first 1946 summary of his work during World War II, Wernher von Braun prophesied the construction of space stations in orbit.
von Braun, Freiherr Magnus (1919-2003) German engineer in WW2, member of the Rocket Team in the United States thereafter.
Notional Nitric acid/UDMH rocket engine. 3057.3 kN. Study 1952. Isp=286s. Used on Von Braun launch vehicle.
Notional Nitric acid/UDMH rocket engine. 461.5 kN. A11, Von Braun studies 1943-1952. Isp=286s.
Notional Nitric acid/UDMH rocket engine. 392.3 kN. Study 1952. Isp=286s. Used on Von Braun launch vehicle.
Von Doepp, Phillip (1885-1967) Russian-German expert in guided missile aero design during WW2. Fluent in Russian. Member of the German rocket team, arrived in America under Project Paperclip on 1945.11.16. Worked at Wright Field and in California aerospace.
von Karman, Theodore (1881-1963) Jewish Hungarian-American aerodynamicist, immensely influential, director of the Guggenheim Aeronautical Laboratory at Caltech from 1930, where he trained a generation of engineers in theoretical aerodynamics and fluid dynamics.
Von Radinger German expert in guided missiles during World War II. As of January 1947, working at Cuxhaven.
Vorkuta Sovetskiy
Vorobyov, Lev Vasilyevich (1931-) Russian pilot cosmonaut, 1963-1974.
Voronin, Grigoriy Ivanovich (1906-1987) Russian engineer. Chief Designer 1939-1985 of OKB-124. Specialised in life support systems for spacecraft.
Voronov, Anatoli Fyodorovich (1930-1993) Russian navigator cosmonaut, 1963-1979.
Voronov, Nikolai Nikolayevich (1899-1968) Russian officer. Commander of Artillery forces 1941-1950. Later became President of Academy of Artillery Sciences.
Vortex.
Code name for Chalet military naval signals reconnaisance satellite.
Vosdushny Transport, Russian journal.
The Voskhods were adaptations of the single place Vostok spacecraft meant to conduct flights with up to three crew and for space walks in advance of US Gemini program. Work on the 3KV and 3KD versions of the basic Vostok spacecraft began with the decree issued on 13 April 1964. In order to accommodate more than one crew, the seats were mounted perpendicular to the Vostok ejection seat position, so the crew had to crane their necks to read instruments, still mounted in their original orientation. The Elburs soft landing system replaced the ejection seat and allowed the crew to stay in the capsule. It consisted of probes that dangled from the parachute lines. Contact with the earth triggered a solid rocket engine in the parachute which resulted in a zero velocity landing.
Russian manned spacecraft. 5 launches, 1964.10.06 (Cosmos 47) to 1966.02.22 (Cosmos 110).
Crew: Feoktistov, Komarov, Yegorov. First three-crew spaceflight. Altitude record (336 km). First crew to fly without spacesuits. First non-pilot crew (engineer that designed the spacecraft and a physician). Backup crew: Katys, Lazarev, Volynov.
Russian orbital launch vehicle. The 11A57 took the large third stage originally developed for the 8K78 interplanetary probe projects and applied it to increasing R-7 low earth orbit performance. It was primarily designed to launch the Zenit-4 reconnaisance satellite, but was also used for the Voskhod manned flights and later for a variety of other Zenit series versions.
Lox/Kerosene propellant rocket stage. Loaded/empty mass 43,400/3,800 kg. Thrust 995.30 kN. Vacuum specific impulse 314 seconds.
Lox/Kerosene propellant rocket stage. Loaded/empty mass 100,500/6,800 kg. Thrust 941.00 kN. Vacuum specific impulse 315 seconds.
Lox/Kerosene propellant rocket stage. Loaded/empty mass 24,300/2,000 kg. Thrust 294.00 kN. Vacuum specific impulse 330 seconds.
Crew: Belyayev, Leonov. First space walk. Speed and altitude records. A disaster: astronaut unable to reenter airlock due to spacesuit stiffness; cabin flooded with oxygen; manual reentry, landed in mountains, crew not recovered until next day. Further Voskhod flights cancelled. Backup crew: Gorbatko, Khrunov, Zaikin.
Crew: Shonin, Volynov. World-record 18-day space endurance mission, tasked primarily with testing ballistic missile detection equipment. Deferred just 15 days before launch in May 1966. Never formally cancelled, it just faded away in Brezhnev-era stagnation... Backup crew: Beregovoi, Shatalov.
Crew: Beregovoi, Katys. Planned second long-duration 20 day Voskhod flight. Cancelled in spring 1966 after near-disaster with Voskhod 2 and death of Korolev. Backup crew: Demin, Shatalov.
Crew: Ponomaryova, Solovyova. Planned all-female ten day long-duration flight. Solovyova would have conducted the first female space walk. Cancelled in spring 1966, after death of Korolev, in order to concentrate on Soyuz and Lunar landing programs. Backup crew: Kuznetsova, Yerkina.
Crew: Khrunov, Voronov. Planned Voskhod flight that would include EVA with test of the UPMK 'jet belt'. Cancelled in spring 1966. Backup crew: Gorbatko, Kolodin.Support crew: Matinchenko, Zaikin.
Payload specialists and physicians for Voskhod spaceflights.
Russian manned spacecraft module. Study 1965. Auxilliary Retrorocket.
Voskhod Physician Group - 1965.
Requirement: physician for planned Voskhod flight.
Russian manned spacecraft module. Study 1965. Equipment section.
Russian manned spacecraft module. Study 1965. Reentry capsule.
Voskresenskiy, Leonid Aleksandrovich (1913-1965) Russian engineer. Deputy Chief Designer 1953-1964 of Korolev design bureau.
Voskresensky Russian physician cosmonaut, 1964-1964. Medical doctor. Selected as a cosmonaut in early May 1964, but the selection was never confirmed by the government commission.
Voss.
Voss, James Shelton 'Jim' (1949-) American test pilot mission specialist astronaut. Flew on STS-44, STS-53, STS-69, STS-101, ISS EO-2. US Army
Voss, Dr Janice Elaine (1956-) American engineer mission specialist astronaut. Flew on STS-57, STS-63, STS-83, STS-94, STS-99. Engineer.
Voss, Werner (1913-1993) German-American engineer in WW2, member of the German rocket team, went to America after the first group. Died at Huntsville, Alabama.
Vostochniy, Russia's new cosmodrome, was to be constructed at the missile base of Uglegorsk, population 5135, not far from the Svobodniy Cosmodrome. The site would include a modern residential town to accomodate the tens of thousands of workers at the cosmodrome. The space center would be designed to handle the Angara rocket family.
Russian manned spacecraft. 13 launches, 1960.05.15 (Korabl-Sputnik 1) to 1963.06.16 (Vostok 6). First manned spacecraft. Derivatives were still in use in the 21st Century for military surveillance, earth resources, mapping, and biological missions.
Family of spacecraft.
World's first manned spacecraft, it was later developed into the Voskhod, and numerous versions of Zenit recoverable reconnaisance, materials, and biological research satellites which remained in service into the 21st Century.
Crew: Gagarin. First manned spaceflight, one orbit of the earth. Strap attaching service module failed to separate from capsule, leading to wild ride before it burned through during re-entry. Backup crew: Titov, Nelyubov.
Crew: Leonov. Planned ten-day flight, science plus engineering tests of ion flow sensors to be used for orientation of later Soyuz spacecraft. All follow-on Vostok missions cancelled in spring 1964. Backup crew: Komarov.
Crew: Komarov. Proposed Vostok flight to conduct extra-vehicular activity tests. All follow-on Vostok missions cancelled in spring 1964 and EVA moved to Voskhod 2. Backup crew: Beregovoi.
Russian orbital launch vehicle. Version of R-7 launch vehicle with Vostok second stage and unknown third stage used only twice to launch prototype RORSATs. These satellites were originally to have been launched on the cancelled UR-200 launcher, and operational satellites used Tsyklon-2 launchers.
Crew: Beregovoi. Proposed Vostok flight to conduct extra-vehicular activity tests. The Vostok would be modified by having the ejection seat removed and an airlock built into the spacecraft. All follow-on Vostok missions cancelled in Spring 1964. Backup crew: Komarov.
Crew: Gorbatko. Proposed high altitude manned Vostok flight for extended scientific studies. All follow-on Vostok missions cancelled in spring 1964.
Vostok 2.
Alternate designation for Zenit-2 military surveillance satellite.
Crew: Titov. Second manned orbital flight. After 17.5 orbits, the spacecraft reentered and the cosmonaut landed safely. First astronaut to experience space sickness. Day-long flight was a huge blow to America, which had not even orbited a man in space yet. Backup crew: Nikolayev, Nelyubov.
Crew: Nikolayev. Joint flight with Vostok 4; two Vostok capsules were launched one day apart, coming within a few kilometers of each other. Record flight duration. First simultaneous flight of two manned spacecraft. Backup crew: Bykovsky, Volynov.
Vostok 4.
Alternate designation for Zenit-4 military surveillance satellite.
Crew: Popovich. Joint flight with Vostok 3. Problems with life support system, resulted in cabin temperature dropping to 10 deg C. Returned to earth a day early due to communications secret code mix-up. First Ukrainian astronaut. Backup crew: Komarov, Volynov.
Crew: Bykovsky. Joint flight with Vostok 6. Record flight duration. Spacecraft ended up in a lower than planned orbit and quickly decayed - temperatures in the service module reached very high levels and the flight returned early. Backup crew: Volynov, Leonov.
Crew: Tereshkova. Joint flight with Vostok 5. First woman in space. Tereshkova did not reply during several communications sessions. To this day it is not known if she was paralysed with fear, or if there was an equipment failure. Backup crew: Solovyova, Ponomaryova.
Crew: Ponomaryova. Originally Vostok 5/6 were to be dual female flights. Two capsules would be launched a day apart; each would remain aloft for three days. Changed by leadership to single female flight in March 1963. Backup crew: Yerkina.
Crew: Volynov. Eight day manned flight planned for the last quarter of 1963, then June 1964. All further Vostok flights cancelled in favor of multi-crew Voskhod in February 1964. Backup crew: Khrunov.
Crew: Khrunov. Planned ten day manned flight; second high altitude flight into the lower Van Allen radiation belt for radiological-biological studies. All further Vostok flights cancelled in favor of multi-crew Voskhod in February 1964. Backup crew: Belyayev.
Russian orbital launch vehicle. The 8A92 was a modernized version of the Vostok booster used for launch of Zenit-2 reconnaisance satellites.
Lox/Kerosene propellant rocket stage. Loaded/empty mass 43,300/3,700 kg. Thrust 995.30 kN. Vacuum specific impulse 313 seconds.
Lox/Kerosene propellant rocket stage. Loaded/empty mass 100,400/6,800 kg. Thrust 940.40 kN. Vacuum specific impulse 315 seconds.
Lox/Kerosene propellant rocket stage. Loaded/empty mass 7,775/1,440 kg. Thrust 54.90 kN. Vacuum specific impulse 326 seconds.
Russian orbital launch vehicle. Second generation space systems required injection of lighter but higher-altitude Meteor and other satellite payloads into sun-synchronous orbits. The 8A92M version was developed for this purpose. First use was the Meteor launch on 29 June 1977.
Lox/Kerosene propellant rocket stage. Loaded/empty mass 43,300/3,700 kg. Thrust 995.30 kN. Vacuum specific impulse 313 seconds.
Lox/Kerosene propellant rocket stage. Loaded/empty mass 101,000/6,500 kg. Thrust 940.40 kN. Vacuum specific impulse 315 seconds.
Lox/Kerosene propellant rocket stage. Loaded/empty mass 8,100/1,100 kg. Thrust 54.52 kN. Vacuum specific impulse 326 seconds.
Russian orbital launch vehicle. 8K72 Luna launch vehicle, third stage modified with larger forward cylindrical section to accomodate Vostok-sized spacecraft. Used only for launch of first few prototype Vostoks.
Lox/Kerosene propellant rocket stage. Loaded/empty mass 43,300/3,710 kg. Thrust 970.00 kN. Vacuum specific impulse 312 seconds.
Lox/Kerosene propellant rocket stage. Loaded/empty mass 100,400/6,800 kg. Thrust 912.00 kN. Vacuum specific impulse 315 seconds.
Lox/Kerosene propellant rocket stage. Loaded/empty mass 7,775/1,440 kg. Thrust 49.42 kN. Vacuum specific impulse 316 seconds.
Russian orbital launch vehicle. R-7 ICBM with single-engine third stage, uprated from Luna launch vehicle and with forward fairing to accomodate Vostok/Zenit sized spacecraft. 8K72K, used for Vostok manned spacecraft launches and the first Zenit launch attempt.
Lox/Kerosene propellant rocket stage. Loaded/empty mass 43,300/3,710 kg. Thrust 970.00 kN. Vacuum specific impulse 313 seconds.
Lox/Kerosene propellant rocket stage. Loaded/empty mass 100,400/6,800 kg. Thrust 912.00 kN. Vacuum specific impulse 315 seconds.
Lox/Kerosene propellant rocket stage. Loaded/empty mass 7,775/1,440 kg. Thrust 54.52 kN. Vacuum specific impulse 326 seconds.
Crew: Belyayev. Proposed high altitude Vostok flight for extended scientific studies to be flown in 1963-1964; All further Vostok flights cancelled in favor of multi-crew Voskhod in February 1964. Backup crew: Leonov.
Russian manned spacecraft module. Study 1960. Equipment section.
Russian manned spacecraft module. Study 1960. Reentry capsule.
Vostok-2.
Alternate designation for Vostok-Zh manned spacecraft.
Vostok-L 8K72.
Alternate designation for Luna 8K72 orbital launch vehicle.
Russian manned spacecraft. Study 1961. The Vostok-Zh (or Vostok-7) maneuverable manned satellite was piloted by a single 'cosmonaut assemblyman'.
Russian manufacturer of rockets. Votinsk, Votinsk, Russia.
Votintsev, Yuri Vsevolodovich (1919-) Russian officer. First Commander of PRO/PKO forces 1967-1985. Commanded ABM and ASAT forces.
American manufacturer of rockets and spacecraft. Vought, USA.
Vowe.
Vowe, Theo (1904-1989) German-American engineer in WW2, member of the German rocket team, went to America after the first group. Died at Huntsville, Alabama.
American outer planets probe. 2 launches, 1977.08.20 (Voyager 2) and 1977.09.05 (Voyager 1). The twin Voyager spacecraft were designed to perform close-up observations of the atmospheres, magnetospheres, rings, and satellites of Jupiter and Saturn.
American Mars lander. Cancelled 1967. The original Voyager project was an ambitious NASA project to hurl a 3 metric ton spacecraft using a Saturn IB-Centaur booster toward Mars by 1969.
Vozbrashchaemaya ballisticheskaya kapsula.
Alternate designation for Progress M VBK manned spacecraft module.
Voznyuk, Vasili Ivanovich (1907-1976) Russian officer. Commander of Kapustin Yar from 1946 to 1973.
Vozovikov, Sergei Yuriyevich (1958-1993) Russian pilot cosmonaut, 1990-1993. Graduated from Higher Military Pilot School, Armavir, 1979. Cosmonaut training 1 October 1990 - 6 March 1992. Drowned during recovery training in the Black Sea.
Vozvrashchaemiy apparat.
Russian name for LK-1 VA manned spacecraft module.
VPF.
Vertical Processing Facility
VPK.
Military-Industrial Commission (Russian abbreviation)
VRM.
Venus Radar Mapper (now called Magellan)
Vooruzhennikh Sil SNG (Combined Forces of the Commonwealth of Independent States), Russia
Brazilian sounding rocket. Single stage suborbital launch vehicle.
Brazilian sounding rocket. Two stage vehicle consisting of 1 x Sonda 3-1 + 1 x Orion
Brazilian sounding rocket. Two stage vehicle consisting of 1 x S-40TM + 1 x S-44
VSAT.
Very Small Aperture Terminal
Brazilian two stage sounding rocket consisting of 1 x S-31 plus 1 x S-30. It replaced the British Skylark for suborbital flights from Kiruna.
All-Russian Council of the National Economy (Russian abbreviation)
VSOP.
Code name for Haruka radio astronomy satellite.
VTHL.
Vertical Takeoff Horizontal Landing
American SSTO winged orbital launch vehicle. Vertical Takeoff Horizontal Landing (winged).
Lox/LH2 propellant rocket stage. Loaded/empty mass 1,158,192/96,650 kg. Thrust 18,643.47 kN. Vacuum specific impulse 467 seconds.
American SSTO winged orbital launch vehicle. Vertical Takeoff Horizontal Landing (winged).
Lox/LH2 propellant rocket stage. Loaded/empty mass 687,503/71,901 kg. Thrust 11,186.09 kN. Vacuum specific impulse 467 seconds.
VTOL.
Vertical takeoff and landing aircraft .
The concept of a reusable single-stage-to-orbit Vertical Take-Off Vertical Landing (VTOVL) launch vehicle that would reenter and return to its launch site for turnaround and relaunch was first proposed by Philip Bono in the 1960's. The appealing simplicity of the concept has been offset by the technological risk in developing it. The problem with any single-stage-to-orbit concept is that if the empty weight of the final vehicle has been underestimated it will not be able to deliver any payload to orbit, or even reach orbit. Since weight growth of up to 20% is not unknown in aerospace projects, this is a very real threat which has made both NASA and private investors reluctant to invest the billions of dollars it would take to develop a full-scale flight vehicle.
American SSTO VTOVL orbital launch vehicle. Vertical Takeoff Vertical Landing.
Lox/LH2 propellant rocket stage. Loaded/empty mass 4,093,761/419,154 kg. Thrust 63,387.80 kN. Vacuum specific impulse 485 seconds.
VTs.
Computation Centre (Russian abbreviation)
VTVL.
Vertical Takeoff Vertical Landing
SEP, Ottobrunn lox/lh2 rocket engine family. Powered the cryogenic core stage of Ariane 5. First flight 1996. Upgraded versions developed and proposed for later Ariane 5 versions.
SEP, Ottobrunn lox/lh2 rocket engine. 1075 kN. In production. Isp=431s. Powered the cryogenic core stage of Ariane 5. First flight 1996.
SEP, Ottobrunn lox/lh2 rocket engine. 1350 kN. In development. Isp=434s. New generator cycle rocket engine for an Ariane 5 core stage upgrade. Thrust increased more than 30% from Vulcain 1. First flight 2002.
Super heavy-lift version of Energia with six strap-on boosters, and in-line upper stages and payloads. The concept was put on the back burner when Energia / Buran development begun.
Lox/Kerosene propellant rocket stage. Loaded/empty mass 355,000/35,000 kg. Thrust 7,891.01 kN. Vacuum specific impulse 336 seconds. Original design of Energia strap-ons, for use with Vulkan booster for manned lunar expedition. Ultimately derived from R-56 of 1961.
Lox/LH2 propellant rocket stage. Loaded/empty mass 800,000/80,000 kg. Thrust 7,450.00 kN. Vacuum specific impulse 452 seconds. Original version of Energia core as used on Vulkan booster, with in-line upper stages and payloads. Developed 1974-1976; cancelled when Energia / Buran development begun.
Lox/LH2 propellant rocket stage. Loaded/empty mass 142,000/15,000 kg. Thrust 411.00 kN. Vacuum specific impulse 460 seconds. Upper stage design by KB Saturn for manned lunar expedition, large geosynchronous platform launch.
Vulkan Engineering Group - 1968.
Requirement: engineer to operate Vulkan space welding system
VVS.
Russian air force.
VVS.
Soviet Air Force (Russian abbreviation)
Vykhod.
Code name for Voskhod manned spacecraft.
Russian manufacturer of rockets and spacecraft. Vympel Central Scientific Production Assoc. , Dubna, Russia
Vysota.
Russian intercontinental ballistic suborbital launch vehicle. Two stage vehicle based on R-29D SLBM. Suborbital; 30-55 min zero G. Payload volume 0.7 cu. m. Payload 115 kg to 5200 km or 1150 kg to 200 km. Liftoff mass 33 tonnes.
N2O4/UDMH propellant rocket stage. Loaded mass 20,000 kg. Thrust 682.00 kN.
N2O4/UDMH propellant rocket stage. Loaded mass 10,000 kg.
Vzletnaya stuplen.
Russian name (ascent module) for LK Energia VS manned spacecraft module.