Plesetsk Cosmodrome

Plesetsk Cosmodrome () is a Russian spaceport located in Mirny, Arkhangelsk Oblast, near the town of Plesetsk, from which it takes its name. Until 2025 and the commissioning of the Andøya base in Norway, it was the only operational orbital spaceport in Europe and the northernmost spaceport in the world. Originally developed as an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) site for the R-7 missile, its strategic location approximately north of Moscow was key to its selection.

Due to its high latitude, Plesetsk is particularly suited for specific types of satellite launches, such as those into Molniya orbits, and historically served as a secondary launch facility. Most Soviet orbital launches were conducted from Baikonur Cosmodrome, located in the Kazakh SSR. However, following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Baikonur became part of Kazakhstan, which began charging Russia to lease the land for its use. As a result, Plesetsk has seen significantly increased activity since the 2000s, especially for launching military satellites.

Overview

Plesetsk () is used especially for military satellites placed into high inclination and polar orbits since the range for falling debris is clear to the north which is largely uninhabited Arctic and polar terrain. It is situated in a region of taiga, or flat terrain with boreal pine forests.

The Soyuz rocket, Cosmos-3M, Rokot, Tsyklon, and Angara

In May 2007, a new ICBM, called the RS-24 has been tested and launched there, and is seen as eventually replacing the aging RS-18/UR-100Ns (SS-19 Stiletto) and RS-20/R-36Ms (SS-18 Satan) that are the backbone of Russia's missile forces.

In September 2011, Space Forces spokesman Colonel Alexei Zolotukhin said Russia will spend over 5 billion rubles (US$170 million) on the development and expansion of the cosmodrome in 2011. This includes the reconstruction of a local motorway and modernising the energy supply system. New facilities will be built, including a dormitory and hospital.

PL-19 Nudol anti-ballistic missile systems are located at the Cosmodrome, at the former launch site of the Tsyklon-2 rocket.

Launch Sites

Site 16 (Inactive)

Site 16, also known as SK-2, is a launch complex at the Cosmodrome. It consists of a single pad, Site 16/2, and has been used by R-7 derived rockets since 1960. It has launched a total of 136 rockets across its lifespan.

Site 16 was originally built for use by R-7A Semyorka missiles, however no launches were conducted from the complex whilst it was operational. After its retirement from service in 1966, it was cannibalised for parts which were needed to repair Site 31/6 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome following the explosion of a Soyuz-U rocket.

Work to rebuild the complex began in 1979, and was completed in 1981. formerly used by Tsyklon-3 carrier rockets. It consists of a two launch pads, Site 32/1 and Site 32/2, which were used between 1977 and 2009. It has the GRAU index 11P868.

In 1970, the building of a highly automated launch complex for Tsyklon-3 booster began at Site 32, which was designed by Omsk Transmash Design Bureau led by Chief Designer Vladimir Nikolayevich Chelomey.

Following the cancellation of Zenit launches from Plesetsk, Russia had originally planned to use parts constructed for Site 35 to repair one of the Zenit pads at Baikonur that had been heavily damaged when a rocket lost thrust and fell back into the flame trench seconds after launch. Instead, the parts were eventually used on Sea Launch's Odyssey launch platform.

When Russia began development of the Angara rocket, launch pads at both Plesetsk and Baikonur were planned. Several existing sites at Plesetsk were considered, including Site 41/1, Site 16/2, and Site 32; Site 35/1 was determined to be the most suitable. Construction began in 2004 but was not completed until April 2014. A second orbital test flight of the Angara A5 took place almost six years later, on 14 December 2020.

Site 41 (Dismantled)

Site 41, also known as Lesobaza and SK-1, was a launch complex at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in Russia. It consisted of a single pad, Site 41/1, and was used by R-7 derived rockets between 1959 and 1989.

Site 41 was originally built for use by R-7A Semyorka missiles. During the Cuban Missile Crisis, an armed missile was placed on Site 41. It would have had a response time of 8–12 hours should an order have been given to launch it. No launches were conducted from Site 41 whilst it was operational.

In 1963, the complex was converted for use by carrier rockets. The first launch from the complex was a suborbital test of an R-7A Semyorka missile, on 14 December 1965. The first orbital launch from the complex occurred on 17 March 1966, when a Vostok-2 rocket launched Kosmos 112. In total, 308 orbital and two suborbital launches were conducted from the complex, using R-7A, Vostok-2, Vostok-2M, Voskhod and Soyuz-U rockets. The last launch to use the complex was of a Soyuz-U with Bion 9 on 15 September 1989. Since this launch, the pad has been disassembled.

Site 43 (Active – Soyuz)

Site 43, also known as SK-3 and SK-4, is a launch complex at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in Russia. It consists of a two pads, Sites 43/3 and 43/4, and has been used by R-7 derived rockets since the early 1960s.

The site was originally built for use by R-7A Semyorka missiles. The first launch to use the complex was an R-7A test on 21 December 1965, from Site 43/3. The first launch from 43/4 followed on 25 July 1967.

After its retirement from service as a missile base, it was converted for use as a space launch complex. The first orbital launch was of a Voskhod rocket with Kosmos 313 on 3 December 1969.

Both pads were damaged by explosions in the 1980s. At 16:01 UTC on 18 March 1980, 48 people were killed when a Vostok-2M exploded during fueling operations at Pad 4. The disaster injured dozens more, while damaging the pad so severely that it was not used again until 1984. On 18 June 1987, a Soyuz-U rocket exploded at liftoff on Pad 3. Both were rebuilt, and are in service as of 2009.

List of launchpads

Pad 16/2: R-7, Molniya, Soyuz-U –
Pad 32/1 (inactive since 2001): Tsyklon-3 –
Pad 32/2 (inactive since 2009): Tsyklon-3 –
Pad 35/1 (2014- ): Angara (previous development for Zenit) –
Pad 41/1 (1965–1989): R-7, Vostok-2, Vostok-2M, Voskhod, Soyuz-U –
Pad 43/3: R-7, Vostok-2M, Voskhod, Molniya-M, Soyuz-U –
Pad 43/4: R-7, Vostok-2M, Voskhod, Molniya-M, Soyuz-U, Soyuz-M, Soyuz-2, Soyuz-2-1v –
Pad 131/1 (1967–1969): Kosmos-3M, R-14 –
Pad 132/1: Kosmos-3, Kosmos-3M –
Pad 132/2: Kosmos-3, Kosmos-3M –
Pad 133/1: Kosmos-2I –
Pad 133/3: Kosmos-3M, Rokot –
Pad 167: mobile ICBM: Topol/Topol-M/RS-24 –
Pad 168: mobile ICBM: Topol –

List of active launch silos

Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site Yubileynaya: ICBM: Topol-M/RS-24 –
Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site Yuzhnaya: ICBM: Topol-M/RS-24 –

Accidents

thumb|[[Fire Information for Resource Management System|FIRMS imagery of the 20 and 21 September 2024 fire at a Plesetsk test site]]

On 26 June 1973, 9 people were killed by an explosion of Kosmos-3M rocket, ready for launch.
On 18 March 1980, 48 people were killed by an explosion of a Vostok-2M rocket with a Tselina satellite, during a fuelling operation.
On 15 October 2002, a Soyuz-U carrying the ESA Foton-M1 project failed to launch and exploded, killing one.
On 19 or 20 September 2024, a test of an RS-28 Sarmat failed destroying a launch silo with its surrounding facilities and causing a fire detected by NASA's FIRMS. Maxar imagery showed a wide crater where the launch silo had been.

References

External links

RussianSpaceWeb.com on Plesetsk
Plesetsk web site