Vostok (rocket family)

Vostok (Russian: Восток, translated as "East") was a family of rockets derived from the Soviet R-7 Semyorka ICBM and was designed for the human spaceflight programme. This family of rockets launched the first artificial satellite (Sputnik 1) and the first crewed spacecraft (Vostok) in human history. It was a subset of the R-7 family of rockets.

Vostok

Vostok 8K72K rocket on display in Moscow at the Exhibition of Achievements of National Economy
Function	Carrier rocket
Manufacturer	RKK Energia
Country of origin	Soviet Union
Size
Mass	280,000–290,000 kg (620,000–640,000 lb)
Stages	3
Capacity
Payload to LEO
Mass	4,725 kilograms (10,417 lb)
Associated rockets
Family	R-7
Comparable	Atlas Titan
Launch history
Status	Retired
Launch sites	Baikonur: LC-1/5, 31/6 Plesetsk: LC-41/1, 43/3, 43/4
Total launches	Vostok-L: 4 Vostok-K: 13 Vostok-2: 45 Vostok-2M: 94 Soyuz/Vostok: 2
Success(es)	Vostok-L: 3 Vostok-K: 11 Vostok-2: 40 Vostok-2M: 92 Soyuz/Vostok: 2
Failure(s)	Vostok-L: 1 Vostok-K: 2 Vostok-2: 5 Vostok-2M: 2
First flight	15 May 1960 (Vostok-L)
Last flight	29 August 1991 (Vostok-2M)
Carries passengers or cargo	Vostok Zenit Meteor
First stage (Block B, V, G, D)
Powered by	1 RD-107-8D74-1959
Maximum thrust	970.86 kN
Burn time	118 seconds
Propellant	Kerosene/LOX
Second stage (Block A)
Powered by	1 RD-108-8D75-1959
Maximum thrust	912 kN
Burn time	301 seconds
Propellant	RP-1/LOX
Third stage (Block E)
Powered by	1 RD-0109
Maximum thrust	54.5 kN
Burn time	365 seconds
Propellant	Kerosene/LOX

On March 18, 1980, a Vostok-2M rocket exploded on its launch pad at Plesetsk during a fueling operation, killing 48 people. An investigation into a similar – but avoided – accident revealed that the substitution of lead-based for tin-based solder in hydrogen peroxide filters allowed the breakdown of the H₂O₂, thus causing the resultant explosion.

Variants

The major versions of the rocket were:

• Luna 8K72 – used to launch the early Luna spacecraft^[1]
• Vostok-L 8K72 – Variant of the Luna, used to launch prototype Vostok spacecraft^[1]
• Vostok-K 8K72K – a refined version of the above. This was the version actually used for human spaceflight^[2]
• Vostok-2 8A92 – used for launching Zenit reconnaissance satellites throughout the 1960s^[3]
• Vostok-2M 8A92M – modified version for launching Meteor weather satellites into higher orbits.^[4]
• Soyuz/Vostok 11A110 – hybrid of Soyuz and Vostok rockets used as an interim for two launches^[5]

Vostok 8K72K^[2][1]

• First Stage — Block B, V, G, D (four strap-on boosters)
  • Gross mass: 43,300 kg
  • Empty mass: 3,710 kg
  • Thrust (vac): 4 x 99,000 kgf (971 kN) = 3.88 MN
  • Isp: 313 seconds (3.07 km/s)
  • Burn time: 118 s
  • Isp(sl): 256 seconds (2.51 km/s)
  • Diameter: 2.68 m
  • Span: 8.35 m
  • Length: 19.00 m
  • Propellants: Lox/Kerosene
  • Engines: 1 x RD-107-8D74-1959 per booster = 4
• Second Stage — Block A (core stage)
  • Gross mass: 100,400 kg
  • Empty mass: 6,800 kg
  • Thrust (vac): 912 kN
  • Isp: 315 seconds (3.09 km/s)
  • Burn time: 301 s
  • Isp(sl): 248 seconds (2.43 km/s)
  • Diameter: 2.99 m
  • Length: 28.00 m
  • Propellants: Lox/Kerosene
  • Engine: 1 x RD-108-8D75-1959
• Third Stage — Block E
  • Gross mass: 7,775 kg
  • Empty mass: 1,440 kg
  • Thrust (vac): 54.5 kN
  • Isp: 326 seconds (3.20 km/s)
  • Burn time: 365 s
  • Diameter: 2.56 m
  • Span: 2.56 m
  • Length: 2.84 m
  • Propellants: Lox/Kerosene
  • Engine: 1 x RD-0109

Gallery

• 
  Vostok rocket
• 
  Vostok rocket
• 
  Vostok Rocket, VDNKh, Moscow, Russia
• 
  Vostok Rocket, VDNKh, Moscow, Russia

See also

• Spaceflight portal
• Soviet Union portal

• Vostok 1
• Vostok programme
• Vostok spacecraft