Published: 8/21/1998

The Design Bureau of Transport Machine-Building, Russia's leading enterprise producing space rocket launchers, marked its 50th anniversary. The enterprise was created in August 1948 and in its first ten years it specialised in the manufacture of land-based equipment for rocket complexes. The enterprise's specialists developed special autotrailers for transporting rockets, rocket refuelers, assembly and adjustment machinery and freight-carrying gadgets used for the assembly of rockets. In 1958, the enterprise moved to the production of overall complexes of land-based technological equipment ensuring the complete cycle of rocket servicing: from delivery to the launching. The Design Bureau has created launching complexes, which are widely used for the Kosmos, Zenith and Tsiklon launchers. The Bureau's specialists have been working on the development of launching complexes for the Angara and Rokot rockets. With the basic focus on safety, the enterprise is working to achieve maximum automation of the rocket preparation for the launching. The best results in this area have been achieved in the launching complex for the Tsiklon launchers, which is 90 percent automated and has no analogues worldwide. A specially improved Tsiklon launching complex will be used in the floating launching pad Marine Start, the first take off from which is scheduled for this October.(SP898.6) (VZ)  

Article ID: 269