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Proton Rocket Company Conflicts with Russian Military over launch pad
By Anatoly Zak
Staff Writer
posted: 11:16 am ET
21 June 2000
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Proton_pad_conflict_000621 The maker of the Proton rocket is fighting a last-ditch battle with the Russian military over which spacecraft will ride into space at the end of the month. Although a total of three launch pads for the Proton currently are available at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, a crowded schedule at the end of this month left a commercial and a military mission competing for the same complexes. The Proton booster is a workhorse of the Russian space program, which launches civilian, military and commercial satellites. 
The Proton rocket Khrunichev Enterprise, Proton's manufacturer, planned to launch a Sirius 1 satellite for a U.S.-based radio broadcasting company between June 28 and July 3. The conditions of the contract for this commercial mission required the use of pad 24 at Baikonur. Meanwhile, the Russian Ministry of Defense is set to launch its Geyzer satellite on June 30 and has made a claim for the same launch pad, since neither of the other two Proton launch complexes will be available in time for this launch. The Russian Aviation and Space Agency, Rosaviacosmos, has reserved the second Proton pad -- number 23 -- for the launch of the Zvezda service module, a critical element of the International Space Station. That liftoff is scheduled for July 12.Finally, the remaining operational Proton pad -- number 39 -- will be used this Thursday for the launch of the Russian Express A-3 communications satellite. The complex cannot be turned around for another Proton takeoff until July 7.According to well-informed sources in the Russian space industry, Khrunichev pushed the military to use pad 39 on July 7 after it has been restored. However, during the latest meeting with the Khrunichev management on Monday, military officials said "nyet" to that proposal. Normally, military and federal launches in Russia take priority over commercial missions. As a result, the launch teams in Baikonur are now preparing two rockets in parallel. The decision on which goes first is not expected until it is time to roll out the vehicles to the launch pad, the sources said. The rollout of the Proton rocket usually takes place five days prior to the launch date. If the military refuses to delay its launch, the Sirius 1 will have to wait until the second half of July. Michelle Lyle, the representative of the International Launch Services (ILS), a joint venture that markets Proton rockets internationally, said that as of Tuesday the preparations for the Sirius launch on June 30 (July 1, Baikonur Time) are proceeding on schedule. "Nothing has changed as far as we know right know," Lyle said. According to ILS data, the military Proton launch will take place on July 7.
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