OAO Rocket and Space Corporation Energia after S.P. Korolev

Open joint-stock company S.P. Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation Energia - is a strategically important company in Russia, the prime contractor for manned space systems. A good deal of attention is focused on the development of new space technologies including development of specialized unmanned space systems for various purposes, rocket systems for inserting spacecraft into orbits. It is active on the international market of rocket and space services. It is a leader in introducing space high technologies to the manufacturing of non-space products.

Structure:
• Prime design bureau;
• Baikonur branch office;
• ZAO Experimental Machine-building Plant of RSC Energia;
• ZAO Volzhskoye Design Bureau;
• ZAO PO Kosmos, RSC Energia;
• Developed social infrastructure.

38% of the corporate stock are owned by the government.

Historical background

The company got its present name in 1994. Before that it was known as Special Design Bureau 1 (OKB-1), Central Design Bureau of Experimental Machine-building (TsKBEM), Scientific and Production Association (NPO) Energia.

In mid-1940s - early 1950s the company built our country's first ballistic missiles of various types ranging from mobile land-based tactical complexes to ballistic rockets for submarines and strategic intercontinental missiles designed to carry nuclear weapons. Developed here were 14 strategic missile complexes, out of which 11 have been accepted for service and handed over to other companies for serial production, including complexes of first liquid and solid propulsion missiles, among them rockets that used high- and low-boiling liquid propellant components. The first space launch vehicle R-7 to this day remains one of the most reliable space launch vehicles in the world.

These projects laid the foundation for further development of missile armaments in our country.

Since early 1950s the company has been initiating work and was the leader in virtually all the fields of space flight technology. The first artificial satellite of Earth (1957) and the first space launch vehicle of the R-7 type (Speutnik), which put it into orbit, the first manned mission into space, accomplished by the citizen of our country Y.A.Gagarin (1961), first automatic probes launched to the Moon and planets of the Solar system - Venus and Mars (1959-1969), first satellites for scientific research (since 1957), the first sorf landing on the Moon (1966) - all of these have been developed and accomplished owing to the genius and initiative of the talented engineer and manager, chief designer of our country's rocket and space systems, the founder of practical cosmonautics, academician S.P. Korolev.

The company played a leading role in development and operation of:

• our country's manned spacecraft Vostok (1960-1963), on one of which Y.A.Gagarin accomplished his mission, Voskhod (1964-1968), Soyuz (1966-1981), Soyuz T (1979-1986), Soyuz TM (1986-2002);
• our country's cargo transportation spacecraft Progress (1978-1989), Progress M (since 1989);
• orbital stations Salyut (1971), Salyut 4 (1974-1977), Salyut 6 (1977-1982), Salyut 7 (1982-1991) and multi-modular space station Mir (1986-2001), which became the first International research center in space where Euromir, Mir-Shuttle and Mir-NASA projects were carried out;
• Orbital space observatory Gamma for astrophysical and geophysical research (1990-1992);
• spacecraft Zenit for detailed photographic imaging of the Earth surface (1962);
• our country's first communications satellites Molniya 1 (1965), advanced communications satellites Yamal-100 (1999), Yamal-200 (2003), developed on the basis of a multi-purpose satellite bus Victoria;
• reusable space system Energia-Buran with the world's largest launch vehicle Energia (1987), which is still technologically unparalleled in the world to this day, and with the reusable Orbiter Buran (1988);
• Also developed have been other projects aimed at developing advanced rocket and space hardware (manned lunar systems L1, L3, super-heavy launch vehicle N1, multi-purpose orbital complex, Martian manned complex, Earth remote sensing satellite BelKA, etc.).

The company was an active participant in international space programs Apollo-Soyuz, Intercosmos. In 1991-1998, for the first time in history, a Sea Launch complex was developed within the framework of a transnational company.

Major areas of activities

Manned Space Systems

• development (since 1993) and operation (since 1998) of the Russian Segment (RS) of the International Space Station (ISS), including coordination of activities on it between Russian and foreign companies, participation in development and operation of the functional cargo module Zarya, development and operation of the Service Module Zvezda (2000), docking module Pirs (2001), mini research modules Poisk (2009), Rassvet (2010);
• manufacturing of Progress M, Progress M1 and Soyuz TM (since 2000) and providing support for their missions under the ISS program. Development, manufacturing and operation under the ISS program of logistics spacecraft Progress M-M (since 2008) and manned spacecraft Soyuz TMA (since 2002), Soyuz TMA-M (since 2010);
• providing support for a program of basic and applied research experiments in space and research using ISS RS equipment, Soyuz and Progress spacecraft;
• development efforts to expand ISS RS, including projects of a multipurpose laboratory module, power and node modules with the maximum use of the latest achievements in robotics;
• development of an advanced new-generation transportation spacecraft using the latest achievements in cybernetics, nanotechnology, microelectronics, etc.;
• developing and supplying Russian systems for the European logistics spacecraft ATV (refueling system, docking system, docking assembly and the Russian equipment control system), supporting spacecraft integration with ISS RS.

Unmanned Space Systems
• development, manufacturing and operation (since 1999) of communications satellites based on the multi-purpose satellite bus Viktoria of Energia's own design;
• development, on the basis of this satellite bus, of specialized satellites to meet the needs of both governmental and commercial customers, including Earth remote sensing satellites.

Rocket Systems
• development and manufacturing of upper stages of the Block DM type (since 1969), and Block DM-SL type (since 1998), used as the upper stages on the launch vehicles of Proton and Zenit-3SL types, including development and manufacturing of state-of-the-art upgraded upper stages, including the upper stage Block DM-SLB for the Land Launch project;
• development and operation (since 1999), together with companies from USA, Ukraine, and Norway, of a sea based launcher system Sea Launch to put commercial satellites into high Earth orbits using Zenit-3SL launch vehicles, development of its rocket segment as a whole, its outfitting and integration into the system;
• participation in the development of a land-based launcher system Land Launch as an option for the development of the Sea Launch system adapting it to the capabilities of the Baikonur launch site;
• development of proposals on upgrading and improving the Russian launch vehicle performance in order to support Earth orbit insertion of various-purpose spacecraft.

Advanced Programs
• further space exploration based on the expansion of the ISS RS and its consumer properties, development of a new-generation manned transportation space system;
• development of manned space systems for interplanetary missions;
• development and construction of space telecommunications and power systems based on large space antennas and reflectors.

Provision of Services
• supporting technical training and missions of cosmonauts and astronauts under contracts with space agencies and organizations from abroad;
• accommodating payloads from foreign agencies and organizations onboard ISS RS, spacecraft of Soyuz and Progress type, and providing for them support from the Russian scientific equipment;
• design, manufacturing, testing and operation of rocket and space hardware for Russian governmental agencies and commercial customers from Russia and other countries in coordination with Roskosmos, including development of communications and Earth remote sensing satellites;
• engineering services, consultations on the development and operation of complex high technology space systems for orbital and ground infrastructure based on requests from third parties with the concurrence of Roskosmos.

Awards

The company has been awarded four orders of Lenin, an order of October Revolution, it has received two Commendations from Presidents of the Russian Federation.

Employees

At various periods in the history of the organization it was headed by academicians S.P. Korolev (1946-1966), V.P. Mishin (1966-1974), V.P. Glushko (1974-1989), Y.P. Semenov (1989-2005). At present, the Corporation is headed by corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences V.A. Lopota. Working in the Corporation are three full members and two corresponding members of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 197 candidates and 29 doctors of sciences. The leading scientists, along with being involved in production are also engaged in teaching, and 20 persons among them have an academic title of professor. For their outstanding achievements in developing unique rocket and space technology and space exploration, 25 employees of the company were awarded the title of the Hero of Socialist Labor, while S.P. Korolev and V.P. Glushko have been awarded this title twice. More than 200 employees of the company have become the winners of Lenin and State Prizes and the Prize of the Government of the Russian Federation. Many employees have been awarded orders and medals. 16 employees have become twice Heros of the Soviet Union, and seven employees (cosmonauts) have become Heroes of the Soviet Union. 17 employees of the Corporation (cosmonauts) have been given the title of the Hero of the Russian Federation.