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Antonov 124 left the Emmen military airfield for the last time. Also on board are rocket parts from Ruag that will be transported to the US.
(sda) The Russian plane is almost 70 meters long, its wingspan extending to more than 73 meters. The Volga Dnepr Airlines Antonov took off at 12:45 pm heading east, then turned north and disappeared into the clouds just seconds after takeoff.
In the hold, the Antonov carried a 20-meter rocket tip for the American Atlas V launch vehicle. The so-called payload fairing was manufactured by Ruag Space in Emmen and filled almost the entire cargo area of the aircraft. Ruag.
The payload fairing represents about a third of the total length of a launcher. It consists of two half-shells made of carbon fiber composite materials that are shared in space. It protects satellites, which are carried into orbit with rockets, from the sun and rain before takeoff and from the enormous frictional heat that is produced during the first minutes of flight.
Last order
The transport involved the last payload fairing produced in Emmen for Atlas missiles. In the future, these rocket tips will be manufactured at a Ruag plant in Alabama. This was the last time Antonov stood up from Emmen on behalf of the United Launch Alliance (ULA), Ruag said.
The ULA is a merger of several companies and is responsible for launching the Atlas rockets. Ruag Space has been working with the ULA for more than ten years. By relocating production of the payload fairing to the US, Ruag was able to strengthen the strategic partnership with ULA, it said.
Emmen will continue to be the center of competence for the European Ariane and Vega launch vehicles, Ruag announced. European rockets have been flying into space with Ruag payload fairings since 1979.
Antonov is ready for take off at Emmen airport – Video:
