Ukrainian Space Activities and Industries

Launch of Zenit3 from Oddessy Platform

Courtesy of NASU

National Space Agency of Ukraine, Kiev

2006-07(C) Seiji Yoshimoto

Major Cities of Ukrainian Space Industries

History of Space Industry 1950's

Ukrainian Space Industries

have been playing very important roles in space activities in the world. Today nearly 20% of space launches in the world are by using rockets made in Ukraine, such as Zenit, Cyclone and Dnepr.

Since 1951 Ukrainian Space Industries have been developing and producing about 60% of launch vehicles and strategic missiles of USSR. They also produced and launched more than 400 satellites.

National Space Agency of Ukraine (NSAU)

was established in February 1992 in order to implement state space activities policy after the disintegration of USSR. About 30 production enterprises, research organizations and design offices are in the contol sphere of NASU.

The high performance and high reliability technology of Ukrainian rockes is based on a large amount of theoretical and experimental works on the dynamics of rockets accummulated during past 50 years.

In spite of the economical and political difficulties after the disintegration of USSR, major experienced specialists and veterans who had developed the rockets managed to survive in the industry. Many of them are still taking leaderships of conversion programs, and key technologies are inherited from them.

Another important advantage of Ukrainian Space Industries is their cost effectiveness due to low living and labor cost in major industrial areas in Ukraine.

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Space Museum

Energia

Zvezda

Korolev

Dnepropetrovsk

Russia

Moscow

St. Petersburg

Zheleznogorsk

Yasny

Baikonur

Ukraine

Kiev

Dnepropetrovsk

Odessa

Eupatoria

Japan

Tokyo

Yokohama

Kyoto

Kamakura

Nikko

Himeji

History of Ukrainian Space Industry 1950's

SS-4 (R-12)

Courtesy of Yuzhnoye

Michael Yangel

Courtesy of Yuzhnoye

Special Design Office 586 (SDO Yuzhnoye)

Courtesy of SDO Yuzhnoye

Production Line in Kommnar

Courtesy of NSAU

Kommnar

Courtesy of NSAU

The History of Ukrainian Space Industry starts back in 1937 when a team of scientists from Kharkov Aviation Institute lead by Georgy Proskura launched a large stratospheric rocket near Kharkov.

1950's

In 1951 a large automobile plant "Machine Building Plant" in Dnepropetrovsk in central Ukraine was renamed as "Machine-Building Plant No. 586" and started to produce SS-1 (R-1), SS-2 (R-2) and SS-3 (R-5M) missiles.

Three years later, "Special Design Office No.586," headed by Michael Yangel, was established and developed SS-4 (R-12), a new generation of missile with advanced combat performance. The SS-4 was the first strategic missile that used storable-fuel components and autonomous guidance system.

Ukrainian Space Industry played important roles in the launch of the world's first artificial satellite, Sputnik-1 on October 4, 1957. Ukrainian enterprises such as Arsenal, Kommunar, Monolit, Eupatoria Space Center, contributed to this world challenging event.

Based on the SS-4, a Cosmos satellite launch vehicle (SL-7) was developed in 1957. Cosmos eventually became the primary launch vehicle in the Soviet Union until 1977 and launched 140 satellites.

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SS-7 (R-16)

Courtesy of SDO Yuzhnoye

Cyclone-2 (SL-10/11)

Courtesy of SDO Yuzhnoye

Cyclone-3 (SL-14)

Courtesy of Yuzhnoye

SS-9-3 (R-36)

Courtesy of SDO Yuzhnoye

1960's

Intercosmos Launch Vehicle (SL-8)

Courtesy of SDO Yuzhnoye

Khartron

Courtesy of NSAU

DS-U2 Satellite

Courtesy of SDO Yuzhnoye

DS-2 Satellite (Cosmos-1)

Courtesy of SDO Yuzhnoye

Intercosmos Satellite

2006-07 (C) Seiji Yoshimoto

1960's

In order to develop the missile's control system OKB-692 was established in Kharkov. The OKB-692 was later renamed “Khartron”. Ukrainian space industry developed and produced control systems, on-board equipment, for spacecraft and launch vehicles.

Yuriy Gagarin was lifted into space on April 12, 1961 on a Russian Soyuz launch vehicle equipped with control system developed by Kommunar.

The Machine-Building Plant no. 586 was later renamed "Yuzhny Machine-Building Plant" and the Special Design Office was later designated as "Yuzhnoye State Design Office" or "SDO Yuzhnoye."

SDO Yuzhnoye developed a SS-5 (R-14) strategic missile and the first Inter Continentall Balistic Missile (ICBM) SS-7 (R-16) using high-boiling-point propellant UDMH enabling fully loaded long-term stay. The SS-5 was the basis for the SL-8 Intercosmos launch vehicle that successfully launched 1000 satelltes or other payloads and even currently launches satellites from the Kapustin Yar and Plesetsk sites.

SDO Yuzhnoye started to develop spacecraft. The first Dnepropetrovsk-made satellite DS-2 was launched into orbit in 1962 and named Cosmos-1. Yuzhnoye continued to develop a series of Little Unified Earth Satellites for scientific research. Totally about 50 satellites were launched. Yuzhnoye initiated an international space program called "Intercosmos", and its first satellite Intercosmos-1, was launched in 1969.

In partnership with Yuzhny Machine-Building Plant Yuzhnoye designed and produced SS-9 (R-36) ICBM. Based on the SS-9 two types of Cyclone launch vehicles were developed: Cyclone-2 (SL-10/11), operated from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, and Cyclone-3 (SL-14), a three-stage launch vehicle operated from the Plesetsk test site. Cyclone is a fully automated, short pre-launch procedure and high reliability launch vehicle.

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1970's

SS17 (MR UR-100)

2006-07 (C) Seiji Yoshimoto

AUOS

Courtesy of SDO Yuzhnoye

SS18 (R-36MUTTH)

Courtesy of SDO Yuzhnoye

1970's

Around the end of the 60's to the beginning of 70's - many research institutes and design offices had developed miniature digital computing devices, high accuracy command instruments for control systems, advanced propulsion systems. A large amount of theoretical and experimental works were performed in the dynamics of rockets. These combined effects was a basis for creating the new generation ICBMs SS-17(MR UR-100) and SS-18 (R-36M and its follow-on R-36MUTTH).

Also the decade of the 70's saw increased emphasis on international team work. Between 1971 and 1982 a cooperation with the French Space Center made a number of launches of Dnepropetrovsk-made "Oreol" satellites. Also specialists of SDO Yuzhnoye assisted the development and launch of Indian Ariabhata and Bhaskara satellites.

The domestic space program saw the initiation of automated universal orbital stations (AUOS) .

SDO Yuzhnoye team headed by Volodymyr Utkin started to develop and test Zenit-series launch vehicles beginning in 1976.

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1980's

SS-18 (R-36M2)

Courtesy of SDO Yuzhnoye

Ocean-O1 Satellite

Courtesy of NSAU

SS-24

Courtesy of SDO Yuzhnoye

Zenit-2

Courtesy of SDO Yuzhnoye

1980's

Cosmos-1500 satellite was launched with an on-board side looking radar. Ocean satellites were designed for remote earth sensing and world ocean research, and their launches began in the early 80's.

Zenit-2LV(SL-16) with nontoxic propellant was successfully launched. Railway-based launch ICBM SS24 and latest version of SS-18 (R-36M2) were developed.

At the end of the 80's space and rocket technologies were in demand in civil sectors of the national economy of the USSR.

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1990's

Eupatoria National Space Facilities Control And Test Center

2005-01 (C) Seiji Yoshimoto

Yuzhnoye Civil Products

Courtesy of SDO Yuzhnoye

Leonid Kadenuk

Courtesy of NSAU

Sea Launch

Courtesy of SDO Yuzhnoye

Sich-1

Courtesy of SDO Yuzhnoye

Ocean-O Satellite

2006-07 (C) Seiji Yoshimoto

1990's

The disintegration of USSR at the end of 1991 impacted Ukrainain Space Industry seriously. The budget for rockets and satellites decreased drastically, and the space industry had painful restructurering. About half of empoyees had to leave, and the remaining specialists started civil projects such as production of electric buses and wind electric power generators.

The National Space Agency of Ukraine (NSAU) was established in 1992 after the breakdown of the USSR. Two years after Ukraine became an independent nation, it adopted its first state space program covering years 1993 through 1997.

Ukrainian space industry was on the way of recovery in the second half of 90's by coverting militaly technology for international commercial applications. Major achievements in the second half are:

Sea Launch project: a venture in cooperation with Russian, U.S., and Norwegian partners from1995. SDO Yuzhnoye and Yuzhny Machine-Building Plant play main roles in the international team.
The first Ukrainian satellite Sich-1 launch from the Plesetsk launch site in 1995.
The establishment in1996 of a National Academy of Science of Ukraine-National Space Agency of Ukraine (NASU-NSAU) Space Research Institute.
The establishment of Eupatoria National Space Facilities Control And Test Center in 1996.
The Law of Ukraine on Space Activities was adopted by the parliament in 1996.
SDO Yuzhnoye and Russian partners started to develop Dnepr launch vehicle in 1997. The Dnepr is based on SS-18 ICBM .
Leonid Kadenuk the first Ukrainian astronaut joined Columbia spacecraft crew on Mission STS-87 in November, 1997.
Launch of Ocean-O satellite in 1999 for ocean observation using optical and microwave sensors.