Briz M Credit - Khrunichev

Improved Proton. Improvements in lower stages to reduce structural mass, increase thrust, and fully utilize propellants (reducing release of toxic chemicals in stage impact areas). Briz M storable propellant upper stage replaces Block D cyrogenic stage.

4 stage vehicle consisting of 1 x 8S810 + 1 x 8S811 + 1 x 8S812 + 1 x Briz-M

Manufacturer: Chelomei. Launches: 4. Failures: 1. Success Rate: 75.00%. First Launch Date: 1999-07-05. Last Launch Date: 2003-12-10. Launch data is: continuing. LEO Payload: 21,000 kg (46,000 lb). to: 185 km Orbit. at: 51.60 degrees. Payload: 2,920 kg (6,430 lb). to a: geosynchronous orbital trajectory. Apogee: 40,000 km (24,000 mi). Associated Spacecraft: Gorizont, Raduga, Spacebus 3000. Liftoff Thrust: 9,469.100 kN (2,128,738 lbf). Total Mass: 712,800 kg (1,571,400 lb). Core Diameter: 7.40 m (24.20 ft). Total Length: 53.00 m (173.00 ft).

• Stage Number: 1. 1 x Stage: Proton KM-1. Gross Mass: 450,400 kg (992,900 lb). Empty Mass: 31,000 kg (68,000 lb). Thrust (vac): 10,532.000 kN (2,367,687 lbf). Isp: 317 sec. Burn time: 108 sec. Isp(sl): 285 sec. Diameter: 7.40 m (24.20 ft). Span: 7.40 m (24.20 ft). Length: 21.00 m (68.00 ft). Propellants: N2O4/UDMH. No Engines: 6. Engine: RD-253-14D14. Status: In production.

• Stage Number: 2. 1 x Stage: Proton K-2. Gross Mass: 167,828 kg (369,997 lb). Empty Mass: 11,715 kg (25,827 lb). Thrust (vac): 2,399.216 kN (539,365 lbf). Isp: 327 sec. Burn time: 206 sec. Isp(sl): 230 sec. Diameter: 4.15 m (13.61 ft). Span: 4.15 m (13.61 ft). Length: 14.00 m (45.00 ft). Propellants: N2O4/UDMH. No Engines: 4. Engine: RD-0210. Other designations: 8S811K.

• Stage Number: 3. 1 x Stage: Proton K-3. Gross Mass: 50,747 kg (111,877 lb). Empty Mass: 4,185 kg (9,226 lb). Thrust (vac): 630.170 kN (141,668 lbf). Isp: 325 sec. Burn time: 238 sec. Isp(sl): 230 sec. Diameter: 4.15 m (13.61 ft). Span: 4.15 m (13.61 ft). Length: 6.50 m (21.30 ft). Propellants: N2O4/UDMH. No Engines: 1. Engine: RD-0212.

• Stage Number: 4. 1 x Stage: Proton KM-4 Briz M. Gross Mass: 22,170 kg (48,870 lb). Empty Mass: 2,370 kg (5,220 lb). Thrust (vac): 19.600 kN (4,406 lbf). Isp: 326 sec. Burn time: 3,000 sec. Diameter: 2.50 m (8.20 ft). Span: 4.10 m (13.40 ft). Length: 2.61 m (8.56 ft). Propellants: N2O4/UDMH. No Engines: 1. Engine: S5.98M. Other designations: Briz M. Status: In production. New upper stage for Proton, replacing Energia Corporation's Block DM, making Proton an all-Khrunichev launch vehicle. The Khrunichev-built Briz-M upper stage is a derivative of the flight-proven Briz -K stage (as used on the Rokot booster). The Briz-M consists of a central cylinder and a jettisonable external propellant tank. Propellant carried is dependent on the specific mission requirements and is varied to maximize performance for the mission. The Briz-M is capable of operating, on-orbit, for a minimum of 24-hours and is controlled by a closed loop, triple redundant guidance system that is commandable in flight.

1999 July 5 - 13:32 GMT - Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: LC81. Launch Pad: LC81/24. Launch Vehicle: Proton 8K82K / Briz-M. Model: Proton-K/Briz-M. LV Configuration: Proton-K/Briz-M 389-01. FAILURE: Second stage explosion.

• Raduga Nation: Russia. Payload: Raduga s/n 45L. Class: Communications. Spacecraft: Raduga. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 30 km (18 mi). COSPAR: F990705A. Carried a Russian Defence Ministry communications satellite. First attempted flight of the Khrunichev Briz-M upper stage in place of the usual Block DM. After the second stage explosion the remainder of the vehicle survived for 45 seconds before breaking up. Debris landed near Karaganda. As a result of this accident the Kazakh government suspended launches from Baikonur pending Russian agreement to pay back part of rent owed.

• Gorizont Nation: Russia. Payload: Gorizont 45. Mass: 2,125 kg (4,684 lb). Class: Communications. Spacecraft: Gorizont. Agency: Kos Svya. Manufacturer: NPO Prikladnoi Mekhaniki, Zhelenogorsk. Perigee: 35,779 km (22,231 mi). Apogee: 35,798 km (22,243 mi). Inclination: 0.30 deg. Period: 1,436.20 min. COSPAR: 2000-029A. USAF Sat Cat: 26372. Completed Operations Date: 2000-06-06. Communications satellite. First successful Proton/Briz-M launch. The Proton placed the Briz-M/Gorizont payload stack into a suborbital trajectory. The stage then performed four maneuvers to put the satellite into geosynchronous orbit:
  
  • Burn 1 placed the stack into a 200 km, 51.6 deg parking orbit probably inclined at around 51.6
  • Burn 2 raised apogee to 6000 km and changed inclination slightly
  • Burn 3, at second perigee, four hours after launch put the stack in a 369 x 34,988 km x 48.8 deg transfer orbit. The Briz-M then jettisoned its empty toroidal supplementary fuel tank.
  • Burn 4, ten hours after launch, placed Gorizont No. 45L in near-geostationary orbit.
  
  Gorizont No. 45L was expected to be the final launch of that model of television broadcasting satellite. It carried 6 C-band transponders, one L-band, and one Ku-band transponder. The newer Ekspress satellites are replacing the system. Stationed at 145 deg E. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 145 deg E in 2000. As of 5 September 2001 located at 145.25 deg E drifting at 0.002 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 10 located at 144.69E drifting at 0.019W degrees per day.References: 4, 552, 554.

• AMC-9 Nation: USA. Program: Americom. Payload: Spacebus 3000B3. Mass: 4,100 kg (9,000 lb). Class: Communications. Spacecraft: Spacebus 3000. Agency: SES Americom. Manufacturer: Alcatel. Perigee: 35,778 km (22,231 mi). Apogee: 35,796 km (22,242 mi). Inclination: 0.00 deg. Period: 1,436.10 min. COSPAR: 2003-024A. USAF Sat Cat: 27820. Launch delayed from December 2002, then to February 10, 2003, then to February 28, March 15, April 28 and May 19. Finally moved forward from June 12 and 7. Upper stage changed from DM3 after several failures. The fifth burn of the Briz-M upper stage placed the spacecraft in a geostationary transfer orbit of 6,445 km x 35,674 km x 17.2 deg. The satellite used its own engine to place itself in geosynchronous orbit at apogee. Alcatel Spacebus 3000B3 with C and Ku band communications for North America from a geotationary position of 72 deg W. Americom at the time of launch had become a subsidiary of Societe Europeene des Satellites (SES), Luxembourg, which operated the European Astra satellie constellation. As of 2007 Mar 10 located at 83.02W drifting at 0.008W degrees per day.

• Cosmos 2402 Nation: Russia. Payload: Glonass 794. Mass: 1,415 kg (3,119 lb). Class: Navigation. Spacecraft: Glonass. Agency: KNITs. Manufacturer: NPO Prikladnoy Mekhaniki. Perigee: 19,018 km (11,817 mi). Apogee: 19,314 km (12,001 mi). Inclination: 65.10 deg. Period: 677.20 min. COSPAR: 2003-056A. USAF Sat Cat: 28112. Three navigation satellites of the GLONASS system were launched to replenish the constellation. This was the fourth end-of-year replenishment launch since 2000.

• Cosmos 2403 Nation: Russia. Payload: Glonass 795. Mass: 1,415 kg (3,119 lb). Class: Navigation. Spacecraft: Glonass. Agency: KNITs. Manufacturer: NPO Prikladnoy Mekhaniki. Perigee: 18,963 km (11,783 mi). Apogee: 19,102 km (11,869 mi). Inclination: 65.10 deg. Period: 671.90 min. COSPAR: 2003-056B. USAF Sat Cat: 28113.

• Cosmos 2404 Nation: Russia. Payload: Glonass-M 701. Mass: 1,480 kg (3,260 lb). Class: Navigation. Spacecraft: Glonass. Agency: KNITs. Manufacturer: NPO Prikladnoy Mekhaniki. Perigee: 18,961 km (11,781 mi). Apogee: 19,104 km (11,870 mi). Inclination: 65.10 deg. Period: 671.90 min. COSPAR: 2003-056C. USAF Sat Cat: 28114. Improved version of the Glonass satellite.

• McDowell, Jonathan, Jonathan's Space Home Page, Harvard University, 1997-present. Jonathan McDowell's complete on-line listing of all objects orbited and over 20,000 rocket launches Accessed at: http://www.planet4589.org/jsr.html.

• Isakowitz, Steven J,, International Reference to Space Launch Systems Second Edition, AIAA, Washington DC, 1991 (succeeded by 2000 edition). ISBN: 1563473534. Superseded by the later editions. More at amazon.com...