The Cyclone-4M is a Ukrainian carrier rocket which is being developed for commercial satellite launches.
 | |
| Function | Carrier rocket |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer |
|
| Country of origin | Ukraine |
| Project cost | $304M (projection, $148M spaceport included)[1] |
| Cost per launch | $45M[2]-$60M[1] (projections) |
| Size | |
| Height | 38.7 m (127.0 ft)[3] |
| Diameter | 4.0 m (13 ft)[3] |
| Stages | 2 |
| Capacity | |
| Payload to 200 km LEO (45.3°) | |
| Mass | 5,000 kg (11,000 lb)[4] |
| Payload to 500 km LEO | |
| Mass | 4,600 kg (10,100 lb)[3] |
| Payload to 1200 km LEO | |
| Mass | 3,900 kg (8,600 lb)[3] |
| Payload to 500 km polar LEO | |
| Mass | 3,600 kg (7,900 lb)[3] |
| Payload to 1200 km polar LEO | |
| Mass | 3,000 kg (6,600 lb)[3] |
| Payload to 500 km SSO | |
| Mass | 3,450 kg (7,610 lb)[3] |
| Payload to 1000 km SSO | |
| Mass | 3,000 kg (6,600 lb)[3] |
| Payload to 180×35,768 km) GTO (45.2°) | |
| Mass | 910 kg (2,010 lb)[4] |
| Associated rockets | |
| Family | Zenit / Tsyklon |
| Comparable | Tsyklon-2, -3, -4, Dnepr, Soyuz-2, PSLV, Long March 4B/C |
| Launch history | |
| Status | In development |
| Launch sites | Canso, Nova Scotia, Canada[1] |
| Total launches | 0 |
| First flight | 2025 (planned)[5] |
| First stage | |
| Diameter | 3.9 m (13 ft)[3] |
| Gross mass | 260,700 kg (575,000 lb)[3] |
| Propellant mass | 224,800 kg (496,000 lb)[4] |
| Powered by | 4 × RD-870 engines[4] |
| Maximum thrust | Sea level: 3,130 kN (319 tf) Vacuum: 3,498 kN (356.7 tf)[3] |
| Specific impulse | Sea level: 298 s (2.92 km/s) Vacuum: 332 s (3.26 km/s)[6] |
| Burn time | 200 seconds[6] |
| Propellant | LOX / RP-1 |
| Second stage | |
| Diameter | 3.98 m (13.1 ft)[3] |
| Gross mass | 14,000 kg (31,000 lb)[3] |
| Propellant mass | 10,700 kg (24,000 lb)[4] |
| Powered by | 1 × RD-861K |
| Maximum thrust | 77.63 kN (7.916 tf)[3] |
| Specific impulse | 325 s (3.19 km/s) |
| Burn time | 450 seconds |
| Propellant | N2O4 / UDMH |
History
editThe Cyclone-4M is derived from the Tsyklon-4, which started its life as an all-hypergolic three-stage-to-orbit expendable launch vehicle planned for launch from a proposed site at the Alcântara Launch Center in Brazil. However, Brazil backed out of the partnership with Ukraine in 2015, citing concerns over the project budget, the ongoing financial situation in both countries, and the future of the commercial launch market.[7] In March 2017, Canadian company Maritime Launch Services announced plans to begin launching a modified version, the Cyclone-4M, which features a Zenit-derived LOX / RP-1 first stage in place of the originally planned R-36 ICBM-based first- and second-stage.
In November 2021, Maritime Launch Services CEO Stephen Matier stated that Nanoracks was to be the first client to fly a payload on the Cyclone-4M.[8]
Design
editThis new first-stage design would use four kerolox engines derived from the RD-120 used on the second stage of the Zenit. The standard RD-120, however, while manufactured in Ukraine, uses a number of Russian-made components which would have to be replaced with Ukrainian-made equivalents. It is also planned to fit each of these engines with a gimballing mechanism for steering (in the Zenit second stage the RD-120 is fixed to the frame while an RD-8 four-nozzle vernier engine takes care of the steering).[4]
Cyclone-4M is planned for launch from a site in Canso, Nova Scotia. Construction was originally scheduled to begin in 2018,[9][1][10] but repeated delays have pushed the start of construction to no earlier than late 2021.[11] The second stage completed qualification tests in October 2019.[12] Construction at Canso finishes in 2024 or 2025;[11] as of December 2022, the maiden flight of Cyclone-4M will take place in 2025.[5] It is planned to launch up to 8 times per year.[13][1]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e Ruskin, Brett; Williams, Cassie (14 March 2017). "T-minus 1 year until rocket launch site construction starts in Nova Scotia". CBC News. Retrieved 18 March 2017.
- ^ "About". Maritime Launch Services. Retrieved 15 October 2017.
Cyclone 4M will be available for $45M USD per launch.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Cyclone-4M". Yuzhnoye Design Office. Archived from the original on 2018-07-04. Retrieved 15 October 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f Zak, Anatoly (19 March 2017). "Tsyklon-4M (Cyclone-4M) prepares a move to Canada". RussianSpaceWeb. Retrieved 22 March 2017.
- ^ a b "Precious Payload Partners With Maritime Launch, Adding Canada's First Commercial Spaceport, Spaceport Nova Scotia, to Launch.ctrl Marketplace". Business Wire (Press release). 8 December 2022. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
- ^ a b Zak, Anatoly (4 April 2017). "RD-870 could become Ukraine's first booster engine". RussianSpaceWeb. Retrieved 15 October 2017.
- ^ de Selding, Peter B. (16 April 2015). "Brazil Pulling Out of Ukrainian Cyclone-4 Launcher Project". SpaceNews. Retrieved 9 April 2016.
- ^ Doucette, Keith (22 November 2021). "Proposed N.S. spaceport announces payload client for 1st rocket launch". CBC News. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
- ^ Doucette, Keith (14 March 2017). "Small Nova Scotia fishing community picked as launch site for rockets". TheStar.com. The Canadian Press. Retrieved 15 October 2017.
- ^ Boucher, Marc (14 March 2017). "Exclusive: Maritime Launch Services Selects Nova Scotia Site for Spaceport Over 13 Other Locations". SpaceQ. Retrieved 18 March 2017.
- ^ a b Golubeva, Alena (9 April 2021). "Максим Дегтярев: "Спрос на выведение грузов на орбиту будет расти"" [Maxim Degtyarev: "The demand for placing cargo into orbit will grow"]. GMK Center (in Russian). Retrieved 11 May 2021.
Компания получила разрешение, оформляет документы на получение земельного участка и уже в текущем году рассчитывает начать строительные работы. Сколько времени уйдет на строительство космодрома? – Три-четыре года. [The company has received permission, and is preparing documents for obtaining a land plot and expects to start construction work this year. How long will it take to build the cosmodrome? – Three or four years.]
- ^ "Cyclone 4M fully integrated upper stage performs successful qualification test" (Press release). Yuzhnoye Design Office and Maritime Launch Services. 21 October 2019. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
- ^ Rochereuil, Chloé (20 March 2017). "Le Canada ouvrira sa première base de lancement spatiale d'ici 2020" [Canada will open its first space launch base by 2020]. France 24 (in French). Retrieved 3 June 2020.