Editing Plesetsk Cosmodrome (section)

== Launch Sites ==

=== Site 16 (Inactive) ===
'''Site 16''', also known as '''SK-2''', is a [[launch complex]] at the Cosmodrome. It consists of a single pad, '''Site 16/2''', and has been used by [[R-7 (rocket family)|R-7]] derived rockets since 1960. It has launched a total of 136 rockets across its lifespan.

Site 16 was originally built for use by [[R-7A Semyorka]] missiles, however no launches were conducted from the complex whilst it was operational. After its retirement from service in 1966, it was cannibalised for parts which were needed to repair [[Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 31|Site 31/6]] at the [[Baikonur Cosmodrome]] following the explosion of a [[Soyuz-U]] rocket.

Work to rebuild the complex began in 1979, and was completed in 1981.<ref name="aePlesetsk"/> The first launch from Site 16 was conducted by a [[Molniya-M]] with an [[Oko]] satellite on 19 February 1981.

Site 16 was used for Soyuz-U and Molniya-M launches. It remained in use until 17 May 2012 when it saw its final launch, [[Kosmos 2480]], a reconnaissance satellite on a Soyuz-U rocket. 

=== Site 32 (Inactive) ===
'''Site 32''' at the Cosmodrome is a [[launch complex]]<ref name="Burleson2007">{{cite book |author=Daphne Burleson |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=T5BTAAAAMAAJ |title=Spacecraft Launch Sites Worldwide |publisher=McFarland |year=2007 |isbn=978-0-7864-2411-5}}</ref> formerly used by [[Tsyklon-3]] [[carrier rocket]]s. It consists of a two launch pads, Site 32/1 and Site 32/2, which were used between 1977 and 2009. It has the [[GRAU index]] '''11P868'''.<ref>{{cite web |last=Zak |first=Anatoly |title=Cosmodrome Plesetsk |url=http://www.russianspaceweb.com/plesetsk.html |accessdate=2009-03-17 |publisher=RussianSpaceWeb}}</ref>

In 1970, the building of a highly automated launch complex for Tsyklon-3 booster began at Site 32, which was designed by [[Omsk Transmash Design Bureau]] led by Chief Designer [[Vladimir Chelomey|Vladimir Nikolayevich Chelomey]].<ref name="Burleson2007" /> The first launch from Site 32 was conducted from pad 2 on 24 June 1977, with the first from Site 32/1 following on 23 January 1980. The last launch from Site 32/1 occurred on 28 December 2001. Site 32/2 was retired on 30 January 2009, along with the Tsyklon-3. All 122 Tsyklon-3 launches were conducted from the site. 57 launches were recorded as having been from pad 1 and 65 were recorded from pad 2.

=== Site 35 (Active – Angara) ===
{{Main|Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 35}}
'''Site 35''' at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome is a launch complex used by [[Russia]]'s [[Angara (rocket family)|Angara]] rocket. The complex has a single [[launch pad]], Site 35/1, which was first used for the [[Angara-1.2pp|maiden flight]] of the Angara in July 2014.

Site 35 was originally intended to support the [[Zenit (rocket family)|Zenit]] rocket, which the [[Soviet Union]] saw as a replacement for the [[R-7 (rocket family)|R-7 series]]. The construction of a Zenit launch complex at Plesetsk was authorised in 1976; however, development did not begin until the completion of [[Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 45|Site 45]] at the [[Baikonur Cosmodrome]], which was also constructed for Zenit. Construction at Site 35 began in the mid-1980s, but the programme was abandoned following the [[dissolution of the Soviet Union]].<ref name="NSF2">{{cite web |last=Graham |first=William |date=9 July 2014 |title=Angara rocket launches on maiden flight |url=http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2014/07/russias-angara-rocket-maiden-flight/ |accessdate=20 December 2014 |publisher=NASASpaceflight.com}}</ref>

Following the cancellation of Zenit launches from Plesetsk, Russia had originally planned to use parts constructed for Site 35 to repair one of the Zenit pads at Baikonur that had been heavily damaged when a rocket lost thrust and fell back into the flame trench seconds after launch. Instead, the parts were eventually used on [[Sea Launch]]'s ''[[Odyssey (launch platform)|Odyssey]]'' launch platform.<ref name="rsw2">{{cite web |last=Zak |first=Anatoly |title=Angara launch facility in Plesetsk |url=http://www.russianspaceweb.com/plesetsk_angara.html |accessdate=20 December 2014 |work=RussianSpaceWeb}}</ref>

When Russia began development of the Angara rocket, launch pads at both Plesetsk and Baikonur were planned. Several existing sites at Plesetsk were considered, including [[Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 41|Site 41/1]], [[Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 16|Site 16/2]], and [[Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 32|Site 32]]; Site 35/1 was determined to be the most suitable. Construction began in 2004 but was not completed until April 2014.<ref name="rsw2"/>

The Angara made its maiden flight—in the one-off [[Angara-1.2pp]] configuration—from Site 35/1 on 9 July 2014, flying a successful suborbital test mission.<ref name="NSF2"/> The first orbital launch from the site was the inaugural launch of the Angara A5 on 23 December 2014, which carried a mass simulator.<ref>{{cite web |last=Clark |first=Stephen |date=19 November 2014 |title=Russia's new heavy-lifter rolled to launch pad |url=http://spaceflightnow.com/2014/11/19/russias-new-heavy-lifter-rolled-to-launch-pad/ |accessdate=20 December 2014 |publisher=Spaceflight Now}}</ref> A second orbital test flight of the Angara A5 took place almost six years later, on 14 December 2020.<ref>{{cite web |date=14 December 2020 |title=Second test launch of Angara-A5 heavy rocket carried out in Plesetsk |url=https://tass.com/science/1234599 |accessdate=14 December 2014 |publisher=TASS}}</ref>

=== Site 41 (Dismantled) ===
'''Site 41''', also known as '''Lesobaza''' and '''SK-1''', was a [[launch complex]] at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in [[Russia]]. It consisted of a single pad, Site 41/1, and was used by [[R-7 (rocket family)|R-7]] derived rockets between 1959 and 1989.

Site 41 was originally built for use by [[R-7A Semyorka]] missiles. During the [[Cuban Missile Crisis]], an armed missile was placed on Site 41. It would have had a response time of 8–12 hours should an order have been given to launch it.<ref name="aePlesetsk">{{cite web |last=Wade |first=Mark |title=Plesetsk |url=http://www.astronautix.com/sites/plesetsk.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071229175958/http://www.astronautix.com/sites/plesetsk.htm |archive-date=2007-12-29 |access-date=2009-03-18 |publisher=[[Encyclopedia Astronautica]]}}</ref> No launches were conducted from Site 41 whilst it was operational.

In 1963, the complex was converted for use by [[Launch vehicle|carrier rockets]]. The first launch from the complex was a [[Sub-orbital spaceflight|suborbital]] test of an R-7A Semyorka missile, on 14 December 1965. The first orbital launch from the complex occurred on 17 March 1966, when a [[Vostok-2 (rocket)|Vostok-2]] rocket launched [[Kosmos 112]]. In total, 308 orbital and two suborbital launches were conducted from the complex, using R-7A, Vostok-2, [[Vostok-2M]], [[Voskhod (rocket)|Voskhod]] and [[Soyuz-U]] rockets. The last launch to use the complex was of a Soyuz-U with [[Bion 9]] on 15 September 1989.<ref name="aePlesetsk" /><ref name="EA">{{cite web |last=Mark |first=Wade |title=Soyuz |url=http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/soyuz.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100107163113/http://astronautix.com/lvs/soyuz.htm |archive-date=2010-01-07 |access-date=2009-03-06 |publisher=Encyclopedia Astronautica}}</ref> Since this launch, the pad has been disassembled.

=== Site 43 (Active – Soyuz) ===
{{Main|Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 43}}
'''Site 43''', also known as '''SK-3''' and '''SK-4''', is a [[launch complex]] at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in [[Russia]]. It consists of a two pads, Sites 43/3 and 43/4, and has been used by [[R-7 (rocket family)|R-7]] derived rockets since the early 1960s.

The site was originally built for use by [[R-7A Semyorka]] missiles. The first launch to use the complex was an R-7A test on 21 December 1965, from Site 43/3. The first launch from 43/4 followed on 25 July 1967.

After its retirement from service as a missile base, it was converted for use as a space launch complex. The first orbital launch was of a [[Voskhod (rocket)|Voskhod]] rocket with [[Kosmos 313]] on 3 December 1969.

Both pads were damaged by explosions in the 1980s. At 16:01 UTC on 18 March 1980, 48 people [[1980 Plesetsk launch pad disaster|were killed]] when a [[Vostok-2M]] exploded during fueling operations at Pad 4. The disaster injured dozens more, while damaging the pad so severely that it was not used again until 1984. On 18 June 1987, a [[Soyuz-U]] rocket exploded at liftoff on Pad 3.<ref>{{cite web |last=Wade |first=Mark |title=Plesetsk |url=http://www.astronautix.com/p/plesetsk.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160820165221/http://www.astronautix.com/p/plesetsk.html |archive-date=August 20, 2016 |access-date=24 October 2017 |publisher=[[Encyclopedia Astronautica]]}}</ref> Both were rebuilt, and are in service as of 2009.