Page 18 - Curriculum Visions Dynamic Book

Converting military launchers
Both the Soviet Union and the United States already had
considerable rocketry experience because they had both
been building intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) 5 so that they could launch atomic weapons at one
another in the event of an attack. Both countries used
modified ICBMs to launch their early spacecraft.
50
Sputnik launcher 1957
Vostok launcher
Payload
(Vostok spacecraft inside)
Soyuz launcher
0
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0 metres
Payload
1961 Final stage 1968
Payload
Booster pods
 Early Russian launchers were generally more powerful than their American counterparts. They were made bigger in order to launch heavier payloads into orbit.
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