he spacecraft is encapsulated into the fairing
and attached to the "Breeze" stage in the MIK clean room. At 23 days the booster
is delivered to launch pad 11P865PR at Launch Complex 133, a former "Kosmos"
launch facility. LC 133 includes a launch mount, a stationary umbilical mast, a mobile
service tower with an overhead crane, and a blockhouse roughly 100 m (300 ft) from the
launch mount. The booster is delivered in its transportation container and lifted into
vertical position. Two days before launch, the upper composite ("Breeze",
payload, and fairing) is lifted into place on the booster, and an extension to the
launch-transport container is put in place. On launch day, the booster is fueled through
interfaces in the launch container. Launch managers monitor the status of the launch
vehicle, payload, pad facilities, downrange tracking and communications networks, and the
weather before approving a launch. The service tower rolls back 10 min before launch. At
liftoff, the "Rockot" engines ignite, and the vehicle lifts off, guided out of
the launch container on rails. |