COSMOS LAUNCH VEHICLE

Launch of the first artificial Earth satellite October 4, 1957 marked a new space era in the human progress. It boosted the interest in launching the spacecraft worldwide and in Soviet Union alike. The only available Soviet rocket R-7 at that time (two-stage version dubbed Sputnik and three-stage version dubbed Vostok) was quite sophisticated and expensive. Developing another simpler, lighter and cheaper launcher became the question of the day.
Yuzhnoye DO suggested transforming the already proven missile into a launcher. The suggestion was supported by industry's decision-makers.
Cosmos LV was the first Yuzhnoye launcher developed on the basis of single-stage missile R-12, adding additional stage. It is light class launcher to place up to 450 kg payloads into LEOs. Second stage fuel and dry compartments are similar in structure to those of Stage 1. Tubular interstage truss was used to join stages. Stages were separated in “hot state” (second stage separates from interstage truss at the same time when first-stage braking solid-fuel rocket engine starts simultaneously with second-stage main liquid propellant engine). Spacecraft was located atop second stage under the fairing, jettisoned after the re-entry. Second stage was fueled with UDMH and liquid oxygen.
On March 16, 1962 Cosmos LV successfully delivered first Yuzhnoye-developed satellite DS-2 (Cosmos-1) into low Earth orbit. Until June 18, 1977 Cosmos LV was operated in Kapustin Yar and Plesetsk launch sites. Out of total of 165 launches 143 launches were successful.

COSMOS-2 LAUNCH VEHICLES

Increasing demand for regular orbiting of various-purpose satellites prompted the development of the new launcher. It was either economically unsound or having no sufficient payload capability to use the available performances of R-7 launcher (Sputnik, Vostok, Voskhod) or light class Cosmos launcher.
Missile R-14 was transformed into launcher, partially modifying its first stage and developing second stage from scratch. Both stages were fueled with the same self-inflammable fuel components: UDMH and nitric acid. For the first time in Soviet Union , second stage propulsion system featured double burn of the main engine, resulting in lifting spacecraft onto high near-Earth orbits.
Specific quality of the launcher was that second-stage engine had three modes of operation.
1 – basic mode. This mode featured double-burn of engine in flight.
2 – mode of tail rudders operation. Used to stabilize the rocket before, in the process and after the engine burn in mode 1.
3 – low thrust mode. Used to orient the rocket and to slightly accelerate it, ensuring engine's second burn in basic mode.
Cosmos-2 launch-vehicle allowed launching of multiple satellites weighing total of 1500 kg at one time.
Busy with development of R-36 and R-56, Yuzhnoye DO had to shift the completion of Cosmos-2 development onto OKB-10 (Krasnoyarsk).
Starting from 1970, PO Polyot (Omsk) has been manufacturing these launch vehicles, though the latest modification of the rocket is referred to as Cosmos-3M.
Maiden flight of Cosmos-2 was August 18, 1964. This was the only launcher in the USSR to be operated from three launch sites: Baikonur, Plesetsk and Kapustin Yar. These days Cosmos-3M rocket is launched from Plesetsk and Kapustin Yar. In 2008 more than 700 rockets were launched, orbiting more than 1000 spacecraft, achieving the best result of all USSR-developed launch vehicles.