Posted on 06/23/2010 10:02:27 PM PDT by ErnstStavroBlofeld
A converted Russian intercontinental ballistic missile took Germany's TanDEM-X satellite into orbit on Monday, a military spokesman said. The RS-20B carrier rocket lifted off from the Baikonur space center in Kazakhstan at 6:14 Moscow time [2:14 GMT].
This is the 16th launch of an international satellite under the Dnepr program involving Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, which converts RS-20 ICBMs (classified by NATO as the SS-18 Satan) into carrier rockets to put satellites into low Earth orbit. Around 50 satellites have been put into orbit so far.
"The RS-20B rocket took the TanDEM-X satellite into orbit," Col. Vadim Koval said.
The 1,350-kg TanDEM-X satellite, with a life span of five years, will survey the land surface of the Earth several times during its mission. The primary objective of the mission is to generate a consistent, highly-accurate global digital elevation model.
Russian-Ukrainian joint venture Kosmotras uses launch pads at the Baikonur space center in Kazakhstan and Russia's Strategic Missile Forces facilities equipped for RS-20 launches.
The RS-20 is the most powerful ICBM in the world. It was first launched in 1973 and is still in service with Russia's Strategic Missile Forces
(Excerpt) Read more at spacedaily.com ...
Or so they say...
If you can get it to boost Pelosi into orbit, i’ll buy a round of vodka shots for everyone here.
(classified by NATO as the SS-18 Satan)
Loral helped?
More space junk.
Hard to believe 0zero would sign a nuke deal with the Ruskies, huh?
The SS-18 was developed in the 1970s.
The SS-18 was designed for only a 22 year lifespan. As we already know, it has exceeded its design lifespan
There has been 16 launches. The money for thw launches goes directly into the pockets of the Strategic Rocket Forces.Technically, the launches of SS-18 missiles are conducted as part of the effort to liquidate these missiles, which is part of strategic arms reductions
Didn’t the USA pay for that?
I do not think so. I did not read about it in any of the reports or from my sources
I thought we paid them to disarm. Sent our people over there to help them due to the mass quantity that needed attention. That was the deal. Could be wrong.
All I know that the missile used was in storage since 2005.
Just curious, sometimes you ask a question on this site and end up with an extraordinary amount of information. My understanding is that these are not legal. Not like the media cares, but it popped into my head.
The information is out there and legal. I belong to many organizations that deal with these subjects.
They are allowed. We are launching decommissioned Peacekeepers and Minuteman missiles under the Minotaur rocket program.
I was not aware that treaty enforced missiles could be ‘reinstated’ under a different guise. I appreciate the information, do you have a link?
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