"This can be explained by the fact that when launches are made from Baikonur, situated in latitude 46, the carrying out of energy-demanding maneuvers is unavoidable to turn the launch plane to the equator plane," he said.
The farther from the equator the launching site is, the less the effect from Earth rotation may be used. The Zenit carrier rocket, when launched from the equatorial area, can put into the geostationary orbit a satellite weighing twice as much as if it were be launched from Baikonur. "That's why an idea appeared to create a floating rocket space complex and carry out launches from the area located in longitude 152 West," the expert said.
In his words, the Sea Launch complex makes it possible to put into the geosynchronous orbit satellites weighing up to three metric tons, to the geotransfer orbit - ones weighing up to 6 tons, and to low orbits with the inclination of up to 90 degrees - satellites weighing up to 11 tons.
