Vostok (rocket family)

Vostok [ vɔstɔk ] (Russian Восток for East English Vostok ) is a Soviet rocket that was developed from the R-7. The Vostok arose when they wanted to build a rocket with higher payload capacity on the basis of the R-7. For this purpose, the two-stage R-7 received a third stage, which made ​​the start of heavier lunar probes and later manned Vostok spacecraft possible. The early version of the Vostok with the GRAU index 8K72, which launched the first Soviet lunar probes, is also known under the name Luna. First start a Luna rocket took place on September 23, 1958 January 2, 1959, she successfully launched the Lunik -1 lunar probe on the trip. The rocket used a 9100 kg vast third stage ( Blok E), which was driven by an RD 105 rocket engine. The engine burned the Kerosinart RP -1 and liquid oxygen (LOX ). The first two steps were identical to those of R-7.

On April 12, 1961 slightly improved Vostok -K ( GRAU index 8К72К ) with Vostok 1 launched the first man into space. The Vostok -K received a somewhat enlarged and modified third stage with a RD -109 engine, as well as minor modifications were carried out on the basic steps. Through these measures, the payload capacity of the rocket rose to 4730 kg into low-Earth orbit.

A slightly modified Vostok -2 ( GRAU index 8A92 ) was from 1962 used to launch military reconnaissance spacecraft of the zenith, which corresponded to a manned Vostok spacecraft, in essence, however, a camera system brought with them to the place of the cosmonauts. A likewise somewhat modified Vostok -2M ( GREY index 8A92M ) started from 1967 Meteor weather satellites and military early warning satellites Tselina -D. On March 18, 1980 exploded a Vostok -2M in Plesetsk during refueling directly on the launch pad. In the explosion, 48 people died. The error has been found and modified the rocket accordingly. Your last bet was the Vostok on August 29, 1991, which launched the Indian IRS -1B Earth observation satellites into space.