Angara Launch Pad Arrives at Vostochny Cosmodrome
VOSTOCHNY COSMODROME, Russia (Roscosmos PR) — On September 3, 2020, the Angara space rocket complex launch pad and vacuum unit arrived at Amur Gas Processing Plant.
The operations to unload and transport the equipment from the temporary berth to the Vostochny Cosmodrome will be performed stage by stage and take four days. The vacuum unit of more than 9 meters in diameter, as well as the launch pad bulky parts will be moved on seven hauling rigs.
The transportation process will be done mostly at night not to interfere with road traffic. The convoy will cover the 60-kilometer route under escort. The launch pad elements will be unloaded at the storage site and will be installed in November 2020 in accordance with the schedule adopted by Roscosmos. The vacuum unit will be transported to the technical unit depot where it will be installed for future operation.
The launch pad and vacuum unit for Angara were sent to Vostochny on the Barents vessel from Severodvinsk on July 17, 2020. The bulky equipment weighing over 2,000 tons was delivered to the cosmodrome via the Northern Sea Route for the first time.
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Well that raises more questions than it answers.
What the heck is this “vacuum unit” and what is it used for in terms of launching rockets? The fact that it’s “more than 9 meters in diameter” makes it cylindrical and bigger around than a SpaceX Starship. The fact that it was delivered from Severodvinsk – the site of Russia’s nuclear sub shipyard with suitable equipment and long experience in making big metal cylinders – suggests it’s of heavy steel construction. Is it some sort of test chamber for rocket components/payloads? Is it part of the production equipment for Angara? Most curious.