The Rockot vehicle on the launch pad prior to liftoff. Photo: EUROCKOT

EUROCKOT Launch Services GmbH, Germany, and its parent companies Astrium GmbH, Germany, and Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center, Russia, today announced the successful Commercial Demonstration Flight of their ROCKOT launch vehicle from Plesetsk Cosmodrome in Northern Russia, using the new commercial BREEZE KM upper stage for the first time.

The goal of the Commercial Demonstration Flight CDF was the commissioning of the ROCKOT as an operational launch vehicle as well as the qualification of the dedicated EUROCKOT launch facilities at Plesetsk (40.5 degrees E, 62. 6 degrees N) following their recent completion.

ROCKOT simulated a commercial mission by successfully deploying two mass frequency simulator satellites SIMSAT-1 and -2 into an circular orbit of 540 km at an inclination of 86.4 degrees.

"With this successful launch, ROCKOT and our facilities at Plesetsk Cosmodrome, in which we invested approx. 35 Million US$, attained their full operational capability," Günter Stamerjohanns, CEO of Eurockot, said.

"This flight is not only a demonstration of the reliability of ROCKOT but also a proof of our partnership with Khrunichev. We are proud to be serving the LEO-satellite market with them so ably through Eurockot," Mr. Josef Kind, President, Astrium Space Infrastructure, adds.

An artist's concept of the upper stage and two simulation satellites in Earth orbit. Photo: EUROCKOT

Dr. Alexander Medvedev, First Deputy General Director of Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center, Russia: " The CDF confirmed once more our confidence in complete readiness of all technical facilities for utilisation of ROCKOT launch vehicle. I hope that today's success will attract a great attention of our potential clients to this new promising system."

The major goal of this launch, the commissioning of ROCKOT with the commercial BREEZE KM upper stage was achieved. In detail the CDF also comprised the operational verification of the LC133 launch complex as well as verifying the operations which include launch vehicle integration, fuelling for both the booster and upper stage, carrying-out of combined operations, verification of dynamic, thermal and acoustic loads as well as tracking and data processing operations.

The flight trajectory of the test flight was also designed to be as similar as possible to that of a commercial launch. The satellites SIMSAT-1 and -2 were successfully deployed into their final orbit and the mission was completed with the de-orbiting of the BREEZE KM.