[FPSPACE] Proton launch rates

[Phillip Clark]

It's true that this is the first time that the Russians managed 14
launches of the Proton-K (in its various 3- and 4- stage versions) in
a single calendar year, although they came close a few times in the
past.   During the "Soviet" era there were 13 launches in 1984, 1987
and 1988 and in the post-Soviet era there were 13 in 1994.

What is even more impressive has been the "rapid-fire" launch
capability demonstrated during the summer of 2000, echoing the
activity in mid-1973 when four Mars missions were launched:-

                                       2000 Jun  6  -  Gorizont 33
                                          (gap - 18 days)
1973 Jul 21  -  Mars 4                 2000 Jun 24  -  Express-A 3
   (gap -  4 days)                        (gap -  6 days)
1973 Jul 25  -  Mars 5                 2000 Jun 30  -  Sirius 1
   (gap - 11 days)                        (gap -  4 days)
1973 Aug  5  -  Mars 6                 2000 Jul  4  -  Cosmos 2371
   (gap -  4 days)                        (gap -  8 days)
1973 Aug  9  -  Mars 7                 2000 Jul 12  -  Zvezda

   4 launches in 19 days                  4 launches in 18 days
                                          5 launches in 36 days

I usually describe this in "US" terms, saying it's the equivalent of
the same launch rate for Saturn-1B or Titan-3/4 vehicles - a launch
rate which was never possible for the US vehicles because of the long
on-the-pad time which they required.

The Russians are to be congratulated on this year's launches and their
successes.   Sadly, the media only becomes interested when things
fail.

Phillip Clark

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Phillip S Clark                                     22 Winterbourne Close
Molniya Space Consultancy                           Hastings
Compiler/Publisher, Worldwide Satellite Launches    E Sussex  TN34 1XG
                                                    U.K.

Specialist in "space archeology" - the older and more obscure the more 
interesting it is !
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