Plesetsk Cosmodrome

62.92777777777840.45Koordinaten: 62 ° 55 ' 40 "N, 40 ° 27' 0" E

Plesetsk (also Plesezk, Plesetsk, Russian Плесецк ) is the name of a rocket launch site south of Arkhangelsk.

Plesetsk was first established in the late 1950s as the basis for Angara military ICBMs. First there a unit of the first type missiles R-7 was stationed. 1966, the Plessezker Baikonur to the operation. It served mainly since the start of military satellites, such as reconnaissance satellites. In addition, civilian satellites will be launched into polar orbit from Plesetsk. Manned space launches have been conducted of Plesetsk. From Plesetsk most Russian satellites were launched. Currently built here is a launch pad for the new Angara rocket.

During the construction of the cosmodrome to the nearby town of Mirny Closed emerged as the residence for the military and civil servants. The eponymous urban-type settlement Plesetsk is as Mirny south of the cosmodrome.

In the years 2013/2014 the two European ESA's Sentinel -2A and Sentinel -3A will be launched with Rockot vehicle from Plesetsk from within the Earth observation program GMES.

Accidents

• On June 26, 1973 came the explosion of a Cosmos -3M launch clear rockets nine people lost their lives.
• On March 18, 1980 48 people died in the explosion of a Vostok -2M rocket.
• On 15 October 2002 exploded a Soyuz-U rocket seconds after launch. In a neighboring building, a soldier was killed by the blast.
• On November 9, 2013 was caused by an accident while cleaning a filled with dinitrogen tetroxide fuel tank killed two soldiers and three others injured.