By Viktor Voroniuk, The Day
Ukraine and Russia presented to the world their first space conversion project on April 16
The modernized carrier rocket Dnipro, converted from SS-18 strategic missile, will be launched from Baikonur Space Center in Kazakhstan on April 16.
Borys Vasylenko, Deputy Director General of the National Space Agency of Ukraine, told The Day that the project took about two years, involving experts from the Kosmotras Ukrainian-Russian joint venture comprising the Rosobshchemash group of Russian enterprises and the Ukrainian Southern Design Bureau, Pivdenmash, and Hartron.
“What we know today as the Dnipro space vehicle is a converted version of the SS-18 missile known as the Satan,” explains Mr. Vasylenko. “This modernized carrier rocket can lift up to four tons to lower circular earth orbits.”
People at the National Space Agency stressed that the first launch would be without payload. Space control and ground services would practice coordination and test their computations.
If the test flight is successful the Dnipro will be offered for use in several commercial projects, including bringing 840 communication satellites to orbit under the Teledesik program.
Even though Russia is expected to discard about 200 SS-18 missiles, their conversion will depend on commercial demand, The Day was told by the Ukrainian NASA.
Photo by Leonid Bakka, The Day:
Satan transferred to earthly rails
