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The Vostok-2 (Russian: Восток meaning "East"), GRAU index 8A92 was an expendable carrier rocket used by the Soviet Union between 1962 and 1967.[1] Forty five were launched, of which five failed.[2][1] It was derived from the earlier Vostok-K, with uprated engines. It was a member of the Vostok family of rockets.[3]
 Vostok-2 rocket | |
| Function | Carrier rocket |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | OKB-1 |
| Country of origin | USSR |
| Size | |
| Stages | Two |
| Capacity | |
| Payload to LEO | |
| Mass | 4,730 kilograms (10,430 lb) |
| Associated rockets | |
| Family | R-7 |
| Derivative work | Vostok-2M |
| Launch history | |
| Status | Retired |
| Launch sites | Baikonur Site 1/5 & 31/6 Plesetsk Site 41/1 |
| Total launches | 45 |
| Success(es) | 40 |
| Failure(s) | 5 |
| First flight | 1 June 1962 |
| Last flight | 12 May 1967 |
| Type of passengers/cargo | Zenit |
| Boosters | |
| No. boosters | 4 |
| Powered by | 1 RD-107-8D74K |
| Maximum thrust | 995.3 kilonewtons (223,800 lbf) |
| Burn time | 118 seconds |
| Propellant | RP-1/LOX |
| First stage | |
| Powered by | 1 RD-108-8D75K |
| Maximum thrust | 940 kilonewtons (210,000 lbf) |
| Burn time | 301 seconds |
| Propellant | RP-1/LOX |
| Second stage | |
| Powered by | 1 RD-0109 |
| Maximum thrust | 54.5 kN |
| Burn time | 365 seconds |
| Propellant | RP-1/LOX |
The Vostok-2 switched to the newer 8K74 core and featured the 8D74K first stage engines from the Molniya 8K78 booster which gave it improved performance over the older Vostok 8K72K.
The Vostok-2 made its maiden flight on 1 June 1962, from Site 1/5 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome. One of the booster engines shut down 1.8 seconds after launch, and the rocket came down 300 metres (980 ft) away from the pad. The resulting explosion damaged the launch complex, and necessitated delays to several other launches that had been scheduled from that complex, including Vostok 3 and Vostok 4.[2] Thirteen months later, on 10 July 1963, an almost identical failure occurred. The other three failures were caused by a second stage malfunction, a second stage guidance problem, and a problem with the first stage.
The Vostok-2 was used exclusively to launch Zenit-2 reconnaissance satellites. Launches occurred from sites 1/5 and 31/6 at Baikonur, and Site 41/1 at Plesetsk. In 1967, it was retired in favour of the Voskhod due to the growing mass and complexity of the Zenit satellites.
Launches
editVostok-2 was launched forty five times.[2][1]
| Date | Serial No. | Site | Payload | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01.06.1962 | E15000-01 | Baikonur LC-1/5 | Kosmos (6) (Zenit-2 #3) | Failure |
| 28.07.1962 | T15000-07 | Baikonur LC-1/5 | Kosmos 7 (Sputnik 17) (Zenit-2 #4) | Success |
| 27.09.1962 | T15000-06 | Baikonur LC-1/5 | Kosmos 9 (Zenit-2 #5) | Success |
| 17.10.1962 | T15000-03 | Baikonur LC-1/5 | Kosmos 10 (Zenit-2 #6) | Success |
| 22.12.1962 | T15000-10 | Baikonur LC-1/5 | Kosmos 12 (Zenit-2 #7) | Success |
| 21.03.1963 | T15000-01 | Baikonur LC-1/5 | Kosmos 13 (Zenit-2 #8) | Success |
| 22.04.1963 | T15000-08 | Baikonur LC-1/5 | Kosmos 15 (Zenit-2 #9) | Success |
| 28.04.1963 | E15000-02 | Baikonur LC-1/5 | Kosmos 16 (Zenit-2 #10) | Success |
| 24.05.1963 | E15000-12 | Baikonur LC-1/5 | Kosmos 18 (Zenit-2 #11) | Success |
| 10.07.1963 | E15000-04 | Baikonur LC-1/5 | Kosmos (19b) (Zenit-2 #12) | Failure |
| 18.10.1963 | G15001-01 | Baikonur LC-1/5 | Kosmos 20 (Zenit-2 #13) | Success |
| 28.11.1963 | G15001-02 | Baikonur LC-1/5 | Kosmos (23) (Zenit-2 #14) | Failure |
| 19.12.1963 | G15001-03 | Baikonur LC-1/5 | Kosmos 24 (Zenit-2 #15) | Success |
| 04.04.1964 | G15001-04 | Baikonur LC-31/6 | Kosmos 28 (Zenit-2 #16) | Success |
| 25.04.1964 | R15001-01 | Baikonur LC-31/6 | Kosmos 29 (Zenit-2 #17) | Success |
| 10.06.1964 | R15001-02 | Baikonur LC-31/6 | Kosmos 32 (Zenit-2 #18) | Success |
| 23.06.1964 | G15001-05 | Baikonur LC-31/6 | Kosmos 33 (Zenit-2 #19) | Success |
| 15.07.1964 | R15001-03 | Baikonur LC-31/6 | Kosmos 35 (Zenit-2 #20) | Success |
| 14.08.1964 | R15001-04 | Baikonur LC-31/6 | Kosmos 37 (Zenit-2 #21) | Success |
| 24.09.1964 | R15001-05 | Baikonur LC-31/6 | Kosmos 46 (Zenit-2 #22) | Success |
| 14.10.1964 | R15002-01 | Baikonur LC-31/6 | Kosmos 48 (Zenit-2 #23) | Success |
| 28.10.1964 | R15002-02 | Baikonur LC-31/6 | Kosmos 50 (Zenit-2 #24) | Success |
| 11.01.1965 | R15002-03 | Baikonur LC-31/6 | Kosmos 52 (Zenit-2 #25) | Success |
| 25.03.1965 | G15001-06 | Baikonur LC-31/6 | Kosmos 64 (Zenit-2 #26) | Success |
| 07.05.1965 | R15002-04 | Baikonur LC-31/6 | Kosmos 66 (Zenit-2 #27) | Success |
| 15.06.1965 | U15001-01 | Baikonur LC-31/6 | Kosmos 68 (Zenit-2 #28) | Success |
| 13.07.1965 | R15002-05 | Baikonur LC-31/6 | Kosmos (71) (Zenit-2 #29) | Failure |
| 14.08.1965 | U15001-02 | Baikonur LC-31/6 | Kosmos 78 (Zenit-2 #30) | Success |
| 27.11.1965 | U15001-05 | Baikonur LC-31/6 | Kosmos 98 (Zenit-2 #31) | Success |
| 10.12.1965 | U15001-04 | Baikonur LC-31/6 | Kosmos 99 (Zenit-2 #32) | Success |
| 07.01.1966 | U15001-08 | Baikonur LC-31/6 | Kosmos 104 (Zenit-2 #33) | Partial Success |
| 22.01.1966 | U15001-10 | Baikonur LC-31/6 | Kosmos 105 (Zenit-2 #34) | Success |
| 10.02.1966 | U15001-06 | Baikonur LC-31/6 | Kosmos 107 (Zenit-2 #35) | Success |
| 17.03.1966 | U15001-09 | Plesetsk LC-41/1 | Kosmos 112 (Zenit-2 #36) | Success |
| 20.04.1966 | U15001-07 | Baikonur LC-31/6 | Kosmos 115 (Zenit-2 #37) | Success |
| 06.05.1966 | N15001-01 | Baikonur LC-31/6 | Kosmos 117 (Zenit-2 #38) | Success |
| 16.09.1966 | N15001-02 | Baikonur LC-31/6 | Kosmos (129) (Zenit-2 #41) | Failure |
| 14.10.1966 | U15001-05 | Plesetsk LC-41/1 | Kosmos 129 (Zenit-2 #42) | Success |
| 19.11.1966 | N15001-08 | Baikonur LC-31/6 | Kosmos 132 (Zenit-2 #43) | Success |
| 19.12.1966 | N15001-09 | Plesetsk LC-41/1 | Kosmos 136 (Zenit-2 #44) | Success |
| 19.01.1967 | N15001-05 | Plesetsk LC-41/1 | Kosmos 138 (Zenit-2 #45) | Success |
| 27.02.1967 | U15001-03 | Baikonur LC-1/5 | Kosmos 143 (Zenit-2 #46) | Partial Success |
| 13.03.1967 | N15001-06 | Plesetsk LC-41/1 | Kosmos 147 (Zenit-2 #47) | Success |
| 04.04.1967 | Ya15001-06 | Plesetsk LC-41/1 | Kosmos 153 (Zenit-2 #48) | Success |
| 12.05.1967 | Ya15001-02 | Baikonur LC-1/5 | Kosmos 157 (Zenit-2 #49) | Success |