Engineering Journal: Science and InnovationELECTRONIC SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING PUBLICATION
Certificate of Registration Media number Эл #ФС77-53688 of 17 April 2013. ISSN 2308-6033. DOI 10.18698/2308-6033
  • Русский
  • Английский
Article

Evolution and development prospects of approaches to the creation of ground complexes of space rockets

Published: 17.11.2025

Authors: Igritsky V.A.

Published in issue: #12(168)/2025

DOI:

Category: Aviation and Rocket-Space Engineering | Chapter: Design, Construction, Production, Testing, and Operation of Aircraft

The article examines the evolution of approaches to the creation of rocket and space technology complexes in terms of their ground complexes, with a subsequent analysis of the main advantages and disadvantages of these approaches. It proposes the introduction of unified launch complexes that are initially designed for simplified modification to prepare and launch various space rockets of a specific class of payload capacity, including those from different manufacturers.This approach, which is ensured by the implementation of relevant design requirements, can reduce the overall cost of the state space program by reducing the cost of preserving or rehabilitating inactive launch complexes, as well as facilitating the transition to new generations of launch vehicles. The article substantiates the need to introduce requirements for the creation of tourist infrastructure within the framework of rocket and space technology complexes for the needs of specialized education, scientific and educational activities, and to simplify the commercialization of space activities, it is proposed to consider the possibility of creating technology parks within the unified technical complexes of cosmodromes.

EDN DZLSTL


References
[1] Stelmakh S.F., Basov G.B. Analiz sostoyaniya razrabotki i perspektiv primeneniya rakety-nositelya «Soyuz-5» [Analysis of the state of development and prospects for the use of the “Soyuz -5” launch vehicle]. Izvestiya Instituta inzhenernoy phiziki, 2021, no. 2 (60), pp. 10–15.
[2] Sirobaba Ya.Ya. O nekotorykh ponyatiyno-terminologicheskikh aspektakh prakticheskoi kosmonavtiki. In: XXVI Akademicheskie chteniya po kosmonavtike posvyashhennye pamyati akademika S.P. Korolyova i drugikh vydayuschikhsya otechestvennykh uchenykh — pionerov osvoeniya kosmicheskogo prostranstva. Sbornik tezisov. Moscow, January 30 — February 1, 2002 [XXVI Academic Readings on Cosmonautics, dedicated to the memory of Academician S.P. Korolev and other outstanding Russian scientists — pioneers of space exploration (Moscow, January 30 – February 26, 2002): collection of abstracts]. Moscow, BMSTU-Press, 2002, p. 131.
[3] Igritsky V.A. O predposylkakh k izmeneniyu podkhodov k sozdaniyu nazemnoi infrastruktury raketnykh kompleksov kosmicheskogo naznacheniya. In: XLVIII Akademicheskie chteniya po kosmonavtike, posvyashhennye pamyati akademika S.P. Korolyova i drugikh vydayuschikhsya otechestvennykh uchenykh — pionerov osvoeniya kosmicheskogo prostranstva (Moskva, 23–26 yanvarya 2024 goda): sbornik tezisov [XLVIII Academic Readings on Cosmonautics, dedicated to the memory of Academician S.P. Korolev and other outstanding Russian scientists — pioneers of space exploration (Moscow, January 23–26, 2024): collection of abstracts]. In 3 vols. Moscow, BMSTU-Press, 2024, vol. 2, pp. 99–101.
[4] Gudilin V.E., Slabkiy L.I. Raketno-kosmicheskie sistemy (Istoriya. Razvitie. Perspektivy) [Rocket and Space Systems (History. Development. Prospects)]. Moscow, 1996, 326 p.
[5] Tsiolkovsky K. Kosmicheskaya raketa: Opytnaya podgotovka [Space Rocket: Experimental Preparation]. Kaluga, Gostipografiya KGSNKh, 1927, 24 p.
[6] Materialy gazety «Pravda» o trekh sovetskikh kosmicheskikh raketakh [Materials from the newspaper “Pravda” about three Soviet space rockets]. Epizody kosmonavtiki [website] Available at: https://epizodyspace.ru/bibl/mater-luna1-3/02.html#02 (accessed July 5, 2025).
[7] Istoriya razvitiya otechestvennoy nazemnoy raketno-kosmicheskoy infrastruktury [History of the development of domestic ground-based rocket and space infrastructure]. Vol. 1. Moscow, Stolichnaya entsiklopediya Publ., 2017, 504 p.
[8] Andreev L.V., Konyukhov S.N. Yangel. Uroki i nasledie [Yangel. Lessons and heritage]. Dnepropetrovsk, Art-Press, 2001, 522 p.
[9] Rakety i kosmicheskie apparaty konstruktorskogo byuro «Yuzhnoe» [Rockets and spacecraft of the Yuzhnoye design bureau]. Dnepropetrovsk, GKB «Yuzhnoe» im. M.K. Yangelya, 2000, 239 p.
[10] Istoriya otechestvennogo raketostroeniya. Ser. Istoriya otechestvennoi raketno-kosmicheskoy nauki i tekhniki [History of domestic rocket science. Series: History of domestic rocket and space science and technology]. Vol. 1. Moscow, Stolichnaya entsiklopediya Publ., 2024, 752 p.
[11] Gubanov B.I. Triumf i tragediya «Energii». Razmyshleniya glavnogo konstruktora. V 4 t. T. 2: Kosmos priotkryvaet dveri [The Triumph and Tragedy of Energia. Reflections of the Chief Designer. In 4 vols. Vol. 2: Space Opens Its Doors]. Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhegorodsky institut ekonomicheskogo razvitiya Publ., 1998, 240 p.
[12] Polyachenko V.A., Nesterov V.E. Universalnaya ballisticheskaya raketa UR-200 [UR-200 universal ballistic missile]. In: Istoriya otechestvennogo raketostroeniya. Ser. Istoriya otechestvennoi raketno-kosmicheskoy nauki i tekhniki [History of domestic rocket science. Series: History of domestic rocket and space science and technology]. Vol. 1. Moscow, Stolichnaya entsiklopediya Publ., 2024, pp. 182–192.
[13] Shubin P.S. Raketnaya kosmicheskaya sistema N1-L3 [Space rocket system N1-L3]. Albom. Kemerovo, Publisher P.S. Shubin, 2018, 48 p.
[14] Tverdovsky V.N. Kosmodrom [Cosmodrome]. Moscow, Mashinostroenie Publ., 1976, 160 p.
[15] Glushko V.P., ed. Kosmonavtika: Entsiklopediya [Cosmonautics: Encyclopedia]. Moscow, Sovetskaya entsiklopediya Publ., 1985, 528 p.
[16] Frolov K.V., ed. Mashinostroenie. Enciklopediya in 40 ts. [Mechanical Engineering: A 40-volume Encyclopedia]. T. IV-22: Raketno-kosmicheskaya tekhnika [Vol. IV-22: Rocket and space technology]. In 2 books. Book 1. V.P. Legoctaev, ed. Moscow, Mashinostroenie Publ., 2012, 925 p.
[17] Gubanov B.I. Triumf i tragediya «Energii». Razmyshleniya glavnogo konstruktora. V 4 t. T. 3: «Energiya» — «Buran» [The Triumph and Tragedy of Energia. Reflections of the Chief Designer. In 4 vols. Vol. 3: “Energia” — “Buran”]. Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhegorodsky institut ekonomicheskogo razvitiya Publ., 1998, 432 p.
[18] Baklanov O.D. Kosmos — moya sudba. Zapiski iz «Matrosskoy tishiny» [Space is my destiny. Notes from “Matrosskaya Tishina”]. In 2 vols. Vol. 2. Moscow, OSLN, 2012, 864 p.
[19] Stromsky I.V. Kosmicheskie porty mira [Space ports of the world]. Moscow, Mashinostroenie Publ., 1996, 112 с.
[20] Makarov A.A. Sozdanie universalnogo kompleksa stend-start na kosmodrome Baikonur dlya otrabotki raket-nositeley tyazhelogo klassa s ispolzovaniem vodorodnogo topliva [The creation of a universal testbed-launch complex at the Baikonur Cosmodrome for testing heavy-class launch vehicles using hydrogen fuel]. Mezhdunarodny nauchny zhurnal Alternativnaya energetika i ekologiya — International Scientific Journal for Alternative Energy and Ecology (ISJAEE), 2008, no. 3, pp. 24–28.
[21] Barmin I.V., ed. Tekhnologicheskie obekty nazemnoy infrastruktury raketno-kosmicheskoy tekhniki: Inzhenernoe posobie [Technological objects of ground infrastructure of rocket and space technology: an engineering manual]. In 2 books Book 1. Moscow, Poligrafiks RPK, 2005, 416 p.
[22] Avtomatizirovanny nazemny kompleks kosmicheskoy rakety «Zenit» [Automated ground complex of the Zenit space rocket]. video Available at: https://vk.com/video-43241230_456240801 (accessed July 5, 2025).
[23] Konyukhov S.N., red. Prizvany vremenem. Ot protivostoyaniya k mezhdunarodnomu sotrudnichestvu [Called by the times. From confrontation to international cooperation]. Dnepropetrovsk, ART-PRESS, 2004, 768 p.
[24] Soglashenie mezhdu Pravitelstvom Rossiyskoy Federatsii i Pravitelstvom Frantsuzskoy Respubliki o dolgosrochnom sotrudnichestve v oblasti razrabotki, sozdaniya i ispolzovaniya raket-nositeley i razmeschenii rakety-nositelya “Soyuz-ST” v Gvianskom kosmicheskom centre [Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the French Republic on long-term cooperation in the field of development, creation and use of launch vehicles and the deployment of the Soyuz-ST launch vehicle at the Guiana Space Centre]. Available at: https://www.mid.ru/ru/foreign_policy/international_contracts/international_contracts/2_contract/46285/ 24.02.2025 (accessed July 5, 2025).
[25] Soglashenie mezhdu Pravitelstvom Rossiyskoy Federatsii i Pravitelstvom Soedinennykh Shtatov Ameriki o merakh po okhrane tekhnologiy v svyazi s deyatelnostyu v ramkakh proekta «Morskoy start» [Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the United States of America on measures to protect technology in connection with activities within the framework of the Sea Launch project]. Available at: https://www.mid.ru/ru/foreign_policy/international_contracts/international_contracts/2_contract/45905/ (accessed July 5, 2025).
[26] Soglashenie mezhdu Pravitelstvom Rossiyskoy Federatsii i Pravitelstvom Respubliki Kazakhstan o sozdanii na kosmodrome «Baykonur» kosmicheskogo raketnogo kompleksa «Bajterek» [Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the creation of the Baiterek space rocket complex at the Baikonur Cosmodrome]. Available at: https://www.mid.ru/ru/foreign_policy/international_contracts/international_contracts/2_contract/53693/ (accessed July 5, 2025).
[27] Kompleks posadki i obsluzhivaniya. Spravochnik po terminologii v oboronnoy sfere [Landing and Servicing Complex. Defense Terminology Handbook]. Available at: https://dictionary.mil.ru/folder/123087/item/130195/ (accessed July 5, 2025).
[28] Aleksandrov A.A., Barmin I.V., Denisov O.E., Chugunkov V.V. Innovatsionnye napravleniya v razvitii i ekspluatatsii nazemnoi kosmicheskoi infrastruktury tekhnicheskikh kompleksov kosmodromov [Innovative trends in the development and operation of space ground-based infrastructure at technical areas of cosmodromes]. Inzhenerny zhurnal: nauka i innovatsii — Engineering Journal: Science and Innovation, 2018, iss. 5. http://dx.doi.org/10.18698/2308-6033-2018-5-1765
[29] Kosmicheskiy raketnyi kompleks «Amur». Perspektivy razvitiya [Amur space rocket complex. Development prospects]. Roskosmos. Available at: https://www.roscosmos.ru/33785/ (accessed July 5, 2025).
[30] Kosmicheskiy raketnyi kompleks «Amur-SPG» [Amur-SPG space rocket complex]. JS RSC «Progress». Available at: https://www.samspace.ru/about/programs/540/19679/ (accessed July 5, 2025).
[31] TsENKI: stroitelstvo ploschadki dlya mnogorazovoy rakety «Amur SPG» mozhno nachat v 2026 godu [TsENKI: construction of a site for the reusable Amur-LNG rocket could begin in 2026]. Roskosmos. Available at: https://www.roscosmos.ru/40403/ (accessed July 5, 2025).
[32] Bezotkaznaya, kak avtomat Kalashnikova: metanovaya raketa «Amur» [As reliable as a Kalashnikov assault rifle: the methane rocket “Amur”]. Roskosmos. Available at: https://www.roscosmos.ru/29357/ (accessed July 5, 2025).
[33] Soyuz-5 i Amur-SPG s odnogo startovogo stola na Vostochnom [Soyuz-5 and Amur-SPG from the same launch pad at Vostochny]. Novosti kosmonavtiki. Available at: https://forum.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/index.php?topic=25141.0 (accessed July 5, 2025).
[34] Kommercheskiy Khaynan otkryvayet schet [Commercial Hainan Opens Account]. Novosti kosmonavtiki. Available at: https://novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/articles/206204/ (accessed July 5, 2025).
[35] Igritsky V.A., Igritskaya A.Yu. Razrabotka tekhnologii transportirovki i podgotovki k pusku perspektivnogo malogo razgonnogo bloka [Development of technology for transportation and preparation for launch of a promising small upper stage]. In: XLVIII Akademicheskie chteniya po kosmonavtike, posvyashhennye pamyati akademika S.P. Korolyova i drugikh vydayuschikhsya otechestvennykh uchenykh — pionerov osvoeniya kosmicheskogo prostranstva (Moskva, 23–26 yanvarya 2024 goda): sbornik tezisov [XLVIII Academic Readings on Cosmonautics, dedicated to the memory of Academician S.P. Korolev and other outstanding Russian scientists — pioneers of space exploration (Moscow, January 23–26, 2024): collection of abstracts]. In 3 vols. Moscow, BMSTU-Press, 2024, vol. 2, pp. 93–95.
[36] Nesterov V.E. Kosmicheskiy raketnyy kompleks «Angara». Istoriya sozdaniya [The Angara space rocket complex. History of its creation]. Moskva, Remarko Publ., 2018, 1008 p.
[37] Igritsky V.A. Otsenka vozmozhnosti sozdaniya startovykh kompleksov raket kosmicheskogo naznacheniya sverkhtyazhelogo klassa s ispolzovaniyem plavuchikh i naplavnykh tekhnologicheskikh sooruzheniy i agregatov [Evaluation of the feasibility of creating launch complexes for super-heavy-duty space rockets using floating and pontoon-based technological structures and units]. In: XLIII Akademicheskie chteniya po kosmonavtike, posvyashhennye pamyati akademika S.P. Korolyova i drugikh vydayuschikhsya otechestvennykh uchenykh — pionerov osvoeniya kosmicheskogo prostranstva (Moskva, 29 yanvarya – 1 fevralya 2019 goda): sbornik tezisov. [XLIII Academic Readings on Cosmonautics, dedicated to the memory of Academician S.P. Korolev and other outstanding Russian scientists — pioneers of space exploration (Moscow, January 29 – February 1, 2019): collection of abstracts]. In 4 vols. Moscow, BMSTU-Press, 2019, vol. 1, pp. 331–332.
[38] Kuznetsov Yu.L. Proektno-ballisticheskiy analiz perspektiv primeneniya odnostupenchatoy rakety-nositelya dlya snabzheniya orbitalnoy stantsii na solnechno-sinkhronnoy orbite [Design and ballistic analysis of the prospects of using a single-module launch vehicle to supply an orbital station in a sun-synchronous orbit]. Trudy MAI, 2023, no. 129. DOI: 10.34759/trd-2023-129-25
[39] Badikov G.A., Falko S.G. Ekonomicheskoe modelirovanie zatrat na zapusk kosmicheskoy sistemy [Economic modeling of the costs of launching a space system]. Ekonomika kosmosa — Space Economics, 2022, no. 2, pp. 66–74. DOI: 10.48612/agat/space_economics/2022.01.02.09
[40] Stahl H.P., Hopkins R.C., Schnell A., Smith D.A., Jackman A., Warfield K.R. Designing astrophysics missions for NASA’s Space Launch System. Journal of Astronomical Telescopes, Instruments, and Systems, 2016, 2(4), 041213. DOI: 10.1117/1.JATIS.2.4.041213
[41] Donahue B.B. Future Missions for the NASA Space Launch System AIAA Propulsion and Energy 2021 Forum. AIAA 2021-3266, 2021. DOI: 10.2514/6.2021-3266
[42] Shkolniki otpravyatsya v besplatnye obrazovatelnye tury [Schoolchildren will go on free educational tours]. Rossiyskaya gazeta. Available at: https://rg.ru/2024/09/26/letim-na-kosmodrom.html (accessed July 5, 2025).