P-303 (Сборник статей от Э1), страница 2

The MAKS-OS and MAKS-T versions and later MAKS-M version if exploited in common can perform wide range of missions, including:

• injection payloads into an orbit and their recovery;

• transport service maintenance of the space stations and platforms;

• emergency crew rescue from any orbital objects;

• scientific and technical experiments works in the orbit;

• international control of space usage;

• remote Earth sensing or probing;

• space cleaning against technological pollution;

• in-orbit assembling of large objects from modules injected separately.

The comparative characteristics of three MAKS system versions are shown in the following table.

Such multipurpose application results in a high intensity of launchings and corresponding operational cost per one launch decreasing for the same carrier-plane, ground infrastructure and control complex.

The MAKS system in comparison with the existing and developed launch systems has several advantages:

• low cost of payloads injection into an orbit;

• multipurpose application;

• possibility of a direct injection of objects into an orbit with any inclination and for a wide range of altitudes;

• operational efficiency;

• a possibility of landing on the airdrome placed at considerable distance from orbital plane;

• possibility of payloads recovery;

• pollution-free application (absence of alienated fields on the ground , non-toxic fuel, low acoustic impact of LR engines on the Earth surface).

The direct injection into an orbit of any inclination and operational efficiency are the principal advantages of the system with mobile launching from airplane in comparison with the vertical take-off launch systems.

A high reusability factor for the MAKS components, multipurpose application and high level of the second stages’ unification, while the ground infrastructure and the first stage are stayed the same, allow to decrease considerably transportation costs for payloads injection into an orbit.

The characteristics of the MAKS system versions

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