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soyuz-2-1b








 

 

The Soyuz-2 rocket series

With the disintegration of the USSR in 1991, developers of the Soyuz rocket, along with the rest of the nation's space industry, wanted to consolidate its subcontractor network inside the Russian Federation. To accomplish the goal, TsSKB Progress in the city of Samara, developed a new version of its workhorse Soyuz launcher, under research and development plan dubbed Rus. In addition to a fully domestic production, the project envisioned a number of technical improvements to the rocket which became known as Soyuz-2. The future three-stage, 313-ton base vehicle could be used in combination with Ikar and Fregat upper stages.


Launch

A Soyuz-ST (Soyuz-2) rocket lifts off from Kourou on April 3, 2014, with Sentinel-1A satellite. Credit: ESA


The Soyuz-2 rocket at a glance:

Length (with payload section)
46.3 meters
Maximum diameter
10.3 meters
Liftoff mass
313 tons
Number of stages
3 or 4 depending on the variant
Launch sites
Upper (fourth) stage

 

According to the original plan, the Soyuz-2 (military designation - 14A14, industrial designation - 131KS), also known as Soyuz-2K and Soyuz-M) would sport a brand-new RD-0124 (14D23) closed-cycle engine on its third stage and all-digital flight control system with terminal guidance system. The first and second stage would be equipped with 14D21 and 14D22 engines with improved injection system.

All the upgrades combined would increase the payload of the vehicle by 1,200 kilogram in comparison with the base launcher.

Prospective payloads

If launched from Baikonur, the Soyuz-2 would be capable of delivering 8,500 kilograms into the low-Earth orbit and 2,350 kilograms toward the Moon. The Soyuz-2 could also fly from slightly upgraded launch pad in Plesetsk and from newly developed launch complex in Kourou, French Guiana. Launches from French Guiana could deliver as much as 9,000-9,200 kilograms to the low orbit.

The Soyuz-2 could be employed to launch a variety of traditional payloads of the Soyuz family, including reconnaissance satellites. Before the rocket could be "man-rated," it was considered as a carrier of the enlarged version of the Progress M1 cargo ships equipped with the assembly and protective block SZB (11S517A2), with a total mass of 8,350 kilograms and a maximum diameter of 3,000 millimeters.

Soyuz-2 could also launch prospective modules for the Russian segment of the International Space Station, ISS, with a total mass of 8,100 kilograms, a maximum diameter of 3,700 millimeters and a length of 14,100 millimeters.

Soyuz-2 development

To enable launches of the Soyuz-2 rocket toward the ISS, plans were made to upgrade processing facilities at Site 2 in Baikonur by the year 2000. However, collapsing funding of the Russian space industry during 1999 and 2000 forced Russian space officials to freeze plans for launching Soyuz-2 from Baikonur, as well as the development of its space station payloads. (164)

Financial problems of the industry also pushed the rest of the Rus program nearly a decade behind schedule, forcing developers to introduce upgrades in several phases. Since the development of the new RD-0124 engine was the most expensive and time-consuming part of the upgrade, it was deferred to a later time. At the time of the first Soyuz-2-1a launch in November 2004, Russian space officials said that the next upgrade -- the Soyuz-2-1b launch vehicle with the RD-0124 engine -- could fly in 2006.

Soyuz-2-1a

The initial version of the upgraded vehicle, known as Soyuz-2-1a, featured a four-meter payload fairing. It was capable of carrying 300 kilograms more payload thanks to the replacement of an old analog flight control system with a digital computer and the use of a more flexible launch trajectory. In 2012, KBKhA design bureau promised to develop the 11D55 steering engine specifically for the Soyuz-2-1a rocket.

New flight control system

The work on the digital flight control system for the Soyuz-2 rocket started at NPO Avtomatika of Yekaterinburg as early as 1993. The system included three independent processing units and two gyroscopes, which drastically improved the reliability of the flight control system.

In 2006, Lef Belskiy, Deputy Director of NPO Avtomatika for rocket and space systems told ITAR-TASS news agency that the work on the flight control system for the Soyuz-2 became a lifesaver for his organization. At the time, 400 employees of NPO Avtomatika have been involved in this development. Modest federal funding for the project started coming during 1994-1995 and the money flow increased substantially at the beginning of the following decade.

Soyuz-2-1b status

On January 4, 2005, Arianespace announced that the Soyuz-2-1b vehicle with the new RD-0124 engine would fly its first test mission from Site 31 at Baikonur, launching a 630-kilogram Corot astronomy satellite in a 850-kilometer polar orbit. In January 2006, the launch was expected in September 2006, given successful tests of the RD-0124 engine then planned for March and April 2006. The first test firing did take place on April 5, 2006, at the IS-102 facility of NIIKhimMash center in Sergiev Posad. Another test took place on October 20, 2006, at 17:20 Moscow Time.

According to the deputy head of Roskosmos Viktor Ramishevskiy, quoted by RIA Novosti, it was the final test firing of the RD-0124 engine, thus clearing the way for the first launch of the Soyuz-2-1b rocket, then scheduled for December 21, 2006.

In 2012, KBKhA design bureau promised to develop the 14D23 steering engine specifically for the Soyuz-2-1b rocket.

Soyuz-2 in Kourou (Soyuz-ST)

The version of the Soyuz-2 vehicle known as Soyuz ST was adapted to fly from its launch complex at the European launch site in French Guiana. It featured a number of upgrades, including additional avionics supplied by European contractors. On June 22, 2006, French company Alcatel Alenia Space announced that it would provide subsystems for the complete safeguard chain of Soyuz-Fregat rockets to be launched from the Guiana Space Center in Kourou.

The contract included the development and manufacturing of the BCA ("Boîtier de Commutation et d'Alimentation", the switching & power feeder unit), as well as electronic ground equipment for tests and the reception of the safeguard subsystem onboard Soyuz-2 rockets. In case of a botched launch, the BCA will ensure the emergency engine shutdown, leaving the vehicle on a ballistic trajectory.

According to postings on the Novosti Kosmonavtiki forum, receivers on all stages were upgraded for S-band functionality. Four boosters of the first stage were upgraded with an additional system designed to breach their sealed compartments in order to prevent floating of the stages, after their splashdown in the Atlantic. It would achieved by a pyrotechnical device opening a pneumatic valve on the fuel tank. The oxidizer tank would be unsealed in any case, by opening a nozzle used to break the booster during the separation from the core stage. The second and third stage required no upgrades, since it was proven that they would loose integrity as they hit the ocean surface.

To certify the rocket for operation in the tropical climate of French Guiana, developers evaluated all unsealed interior volumes onboard the vehicle and certified that all holes and cavities in its structure were adequately protected from insects and small rodents. The rocket's ability to withstand dust and humidity was also reconfirmed.

Some upgrades included a special covering on the core stage and booster stages to reduce icing, as well as modified systems, which enabled the integration of the third stage and its payload module in vertical position.

Unlike the standard Soyuz-2 rocket, chemical ignition was not expected to be used onboard Soyuz-ST, until the accumulation of reliable statistics on its performance with the "Russian" version of the rocket.

On February 14, 2006, Jean-Yves Le Gall, Chief Executive Officer of Arianespace, and Anatoly Perminov, Director General of Roskosmos, signed the supply contract for the first four Soyuz launch vehicles to be launched from Kourou. A signing ceremony in Moscow was attended by the French and Russian prime ministers. At the time the first launch of the Soyuz from Kourou was expected in November 2008. On Sept. 20, 2008, in Sochi, Russia, Roskosmos and Arianespace signed another agreement for the supply of additional 10 Soyuz-ST launch vehicles with the reported price tag of between $300-400 million. The Soyuz-ST vehicles ordered within first two contracts would be based on both Soyuz-2-1a and 2.1b versions, and they were unofficially designated as Soyuz-STA and Soyuz-STB respectively. At the time of the second contract, the first launch from Kourou was promised in September 2009.

In 2010, a total of 24 Soyuz-ST missions from Kourou were reported as ordered and in 2012, the head of Roskosmos said that 23 such launches had been planned until 2019. The shipment of two additional Soyuz-ST rockets to Kourou was scheduled during the summer of 2012.

On Sept. 9, 2013, Arianespace announced that 11 Soyuz rockets had been under contract for near-term missions and the company was "in contact" with its Russian partners for (production) of between 7 and 10 additional launchers to be used from 2016. Probably hinting at some potential production conflict with Russia's internal needs, Arianespace said that it has been still enough time "to work out details in the production flow for Arianespace’s own requirements." Following a series of negotiations from February 20 and 24, 2014, Roskosmos secured a $400-million order from Arianespace for seven Soyuz-ST rockets.

Soyuz-2 in Vostochny

Specifically for its use in Vostochny, the Soyuz-2 family was expected to get modest internal updates to enable the fueled rocket to remain on the launch pad for up to 100 hours and withstand the rigors of transportation up to 10,000 kilometers from its manufacturing plant in Samara to the Russian Far East. Soyuz rockets built for launches from Vostochny would also be equipped with special valves to drain excess propellant outside of the Mobile Service Tower, MBO, to prevent dangerous concentration of oxygen vapors in its interior.

 

 

Key contractors in the Soyuz-2 project:

Organization
Location
Head
Role
TsSKB Progress
Samara
Kozlov (formerly), Aleksandr Kirilin
Prime manufacturer
NPO Avtomatiki
Yekaterinburg
Semikhatov (formerly), Aleksandr Murashkin (head of development)
Malakhit flight control system
TsKB TM
Tver
-
Launch hardware for the ELS launch pad in Kourou, French Guiana
KBKhA
Voronezh
-
11D55 (Soyuz-2-1a), 14D23 (Soyuz-2-1b) steering engines

 

 

Commercial prices for the Soyuz-2 rocket as of October 2018:

Soyuz-2/Fregat
$48.5 million
Soyuz-2-1b (without upper stage)
$35 million
Approximate cost per kilogram of payload (depending on the configuration)
$20,000 - 30,000

 

 

Soyuz-2 payload capabilities (in kilograms):

Orbit
Plesetsk Kourou
200-km, 5 degrees
-
-
9,000-9,200
200-km, 51.6 degrees
1a: 7,020
1b: 8,250
-
9,000-9,200
220-km, 62.8 degrees
-
1a: 6,830
1b: 7,850
-
190-km, 64.9 degrees
1a: 6,710
1b: 7,930
-
-
190-km, 67.1 degrees
-
1a: 6,690
1b: 7,880
-
200-km, 70.4 degrees
1a: 6,660
1b: 7,790
-
200-km, 81.4 degrees
-
1a: 6,360
1b: 7,470
-
200-km, 95.4 degrees
1a: 5,500
1b: 6,500
 
-
200-km, 98.3 degrees
-
1a: 5,900
1b: 6,900
-
1,500-km (with Fregat upper stage)
4,400
-
-
Sun-sunchronous orbit
-
-
4,350
Toward the Moon (with Fregat upper stage)
2,350
-
-
Geostationary transfer orbit, GTO, (with Fregat upper stage)
-
-
2,720
Geostationary orbit, GSO, (with Fregat upper stage)
500
-
1,360

 

 

A complete list of Soyuz-2 missions*:

-
Date
Payload
Launch site
Version
Fairing
Notes
1
2004 Nov. 8
Soyuz-2-1a (14A14)
17S13
A suborbital mission without Fregat
2
2006 Oct. 19
Soyuz-2-1a/Fregat
ST (81KS)
First orbital mission; first carrying Fregat and ST payload fairing
3
2006 Dec. 24
Soyuz-2-1a/Fregat
14S737
First orbital mission with a Fregat upper stage from Plesetsk
4
2006 Dec. 27
Soyuz-2-1b (14A15) /Fregat
Short, Russian
Valve depressurization onboard Fregat
5
2008 July 26
Soyuz-2-1b
ST (81KS)
Without Fregat
6
2009 May 22
Soyuz-2-1a/Fregat
14S737
Third stage underperformed, leaving payload in lower orbit
7
2009 Sept. 17
Meteor-M No. 1
Sterkh-2
BLITS
SumbandilaSat (ZA-002)
Universitetsky-Tatyana-2
UGATUSAT
Iris
Soyuz-2-1b/Fregat
ST (81KS)
-
8
2010 Oct. 19
Soyuz-2-1a/Fregat
ST (81KS)
-
9
2010 Nov. 2
Soyuz-2-1a/Fregat
14S737
-
10
2011 Feb. 26
Kosmos-2471 (GLONASS-K1 (No. 11))
Soyuz-2-1b/Fregat
14S737
-
11
2011 May 4
Soyuz-2-1a/Fregat
14S737
-
12
2011 July 13
Soyuz-2-1a/Fregat
ST (81KS)
-
13
2011 Oct. 3
Soyuz-2-1b/Fregat
14S737
-
14
2011 Oct. 21
Soyuz-ST-B/Fregat-MT
ST (81KS)
First Soyuz mission from French Guiana
15
2011 Nov. 28
Soyuz-2-1b/Fregat
14S737
 
16
2011 Dec. 17
Soyuz-ST-A/Fregat-Std (No. 1021)
ST (81KS)
-
17
2011 Dec. 23
Soyuz-2-1b/Fregat-M
-
First launch failure in the Soyuz-2 series
18
2011 Dec. 28
Soyuz-2-1a/Fregat-M
ST (81KS)
-
19
2012 Sept. 17
Soyuz-2-1a/Fregat
ST (81KS)
-
20
2012 Oct. 12
Soyuz-ST-B/Fregat-MT
ST (81KS)
Return to flight for the B-series of the Soyuz-2 family with an RD-0124 engine
21
2012 Nov. 14
Soyuz-2-1a/Fregat
14S737
-
22
2012 Dec. 1
Soyuz-ST-A/Fregat
ST (81KS)
-
23
2013 Feb. 6
Soyuz-2-1a/Fregat
ST (81KS)
-
24
2013 April 19
Soyuz-2-1a
Short, Russian
-
25
2013 April 26
Soyuz-2-1b/Fregat
14S737
-
26
2013 June 7
Soyuz-2-1b
14S737
-
27
2013 June 25
Soyuz-2-1b
Short, Russian
-
28
2013 June 25
Soyuz-ST-B/Fregat-MT
ST (81KS)
-
29
2013 Dec. 19
Soyuz-ST-B/Fregat-MT
ST (81KS)
Successful launch toward L2 point in Earth-Sun system
30
2014 March 24
Soyuz-2-1b/Fregat
14S737
-
31
2014 April 3
ST (81KS)
-
32
2014 May 6
Soyuz-2-1a
Short, Russian
-
33
2014 June 14
Soyuz-2-1b/Fregat
14S737
-
34
2014 July 8
Meteor-M No. 2, TechDemoSat-1, SkySat-2, M3MSat mass mockup, MKA-FKI (PN2) Relek, DX1, AISSAT-2, UKube-1
Soyuz-2-1b/Fregat
14S737
-
35
2014 July 10
Soyuz-ST-B/Fregat-MT
ST (81KS)
-
36
2014 July 19
Soyuz-2-1a
Short, Russian
-
37
2014 Aug. 22
Soyuz-ST-B/Fregat-MT
ST (81KS)
Payload released into wrong orbit due to Fregat failure
38
2014 Oct. 29
Soyuz-2-1a
Progress
-
39
2014 Oct. 30
Soyuz-2-1a / Fregat
14S737
-
40
2014 Dec. 1
Soyuz-2-1b / Fregat
Long, Russian
-
41
2014 Dec. 18
Soyuz-ST-B/Fregat-MT
ST (81KS)
-
42
2014 Dec. 25
-
-
43
2014 Dec. 26
-
-
44
2015 Feb. 27
Soyuz-2-1a
17S13A
-
45
2015 March 27
Soyuz-ST-B/Fregat-MT
ST (81KS)
-
46
2015 April 28
Soyuz-2-1a
Progress
Spacecraft lost due to third stage failure
47
2015 June 5
Soyuz-2-1a
Short, Russian
-
48
2015 June 23
Soyuz-2-1b
14S737
-
49
2015 Sept. 10
Soyuz-ST-B/Fregat-MT
ST (81KS)
-
50
2015 Nov. 17
Soyuz-2-1b/Fregat-M
14S737
-
51
2015 Dec. 17
Soyuz-ST-B/Fregat-MT
ST (81KS)
-
52
2015 Dec. 21
Soyuz-2-1a
Progress
-
53
2016 Feb. 7
Soyuz-2-1b/Fregat
-
-
54
2016 March 13
Soyuz-2-1b
17S13A
-
55
2016 March 24
Soyuz-2-1a
17S13A
-
56
2016 March 31
Soyuz-2-1a
Progress
-
57
2016 April 25
Sentinel-1B, MICROSCOPE
AAUSAT-4
OUFTI-1
e-st@r-2
Soyuz-ST-A/Fregat-M
ST (81KS)
-
58
Lomonosov, Aist-2D, SamSat-218
14S737
59
2016 May 24
Soyuz-ST-B/Fregat-MT
ST (81KS)
-
60
2016 May 29
Soyuz-2-1b
14S737
Third stage underperformed during the launch due to fuel leak; compensated by Fregat extended firing
61
2017 Jan. 27
Soyuz-ST-B/Fregat-MT
ST (81KS/GO 24/136) P15000-025
-
62
2017 May 18
Soyuz-ST-A/Fregat-M
ST
-
63
2017 May 25
Soyuz-2-1b/Fregat-M
14S737
-
64
2017 June 14
Soyuz-2-1a
Progress
-
65
2017 July 14
Soyuz-2-1a/Fregat
14S737
-
66
2017 Sept. 22
Soyuz-2-1b/Fregat-M
14S737
-
67
2017 Oct. 14
Soyuz-2-1a
Progress
-
68
2017 Nov. 28
Meteor-M No. 2-1, Baumanets-2, LEO Vantage, AISSat-3, IDEA OSG-1, SEAM, Landmapper-BC-1, Landmapper-BC-2, Lemur-2 (1-10), D-Star One
Soyuz-2-1b/Fregat
14S737
Failed to reach orbit
69
2017 Dec. 2
Soyuz-2-1b
14S737
Rumored third stage underperformance due to a fuel leak
70
2018 Feb. 1
Kanopus-V No. 3, Kanopus-V No. 4, S-Net-1, S-Net-2, S-Net-3, S-Net-4, Lemur-2-Kadi, Lemur-2-Thenickmolo, Lemur-2-Jin-Luen, Lemur-2-Uramchansol, D-StarOne
Soyuz-2-1a/Fregat
14S737
-
71
2018 Feb. 13
Soyuz-2-1a
Progress
-
72
2018 March 9
Soyuz-ST-B/Fregat-MT
ST 81KS
-
73
2018 June 17
Soyuz-2-1b/Fregat
14S737
-
74
2018 July 10
Soyuz-2-1a
Progress
-
75
2018 Oct. 25
Soyuz-2-1b
14S737
-
76
2018 Nov. 3
Soyuz-2-1b/Fregat
14S737
-
77
2018 Nov. 6
Soyuz-ST-B/Fregat
ST 81KS
-
78
2018 Dec. 19
Soyuz-ST-A/Fregat-M
ST 81KS
-
79
2018 Dec. 27
Kanopus-V No. 5, Kanopus-V No. 6, Flock-3k Dove-1-12, ZACube-2, Lume-1, D-Star ONE (iSat), D-Star ONE (Sparrow), Lemur-2-30-Remy-Colton, Lemur-2-31-Gustavo, Lemur-2-32-Christina-Holt, Lemur-2-33-Zo, Lemur-2-34-Tinkyev, Lemur-2-35-Sarah-Betty-Boo, Lemur-2-36-Natalie-Murray, Lemur-2-37-Daisy-Harper, UWE-4
Soyuz-2-1a/Fregat
14S737
-
80
2019 Feb. 21
Soyuz-2-1b/Fregat
14S737
Premature cutoff of Stage III was compensated for by Fregat
81
2019 Feb. 27
Soyuz-ST-B/Fregat-M
ST 81KS
-
82
2019 April 4
Soyuz-2-1a
Progress
-
83
2019 April 4
Soyuz-ST-B/Fregat-MT
ST 81KS
-
84
2019 May 27
Soyuz-2-1b/Fregat
14S737
-
85
2019 June 5
Meteor-M No. 2-2, Momentus X1, NSLSat-1, Lemur-2 (100-108), JAISAT-1, EXOCONNECT, D-Star One (Lightsat), Lucky-7, SEAM-2.0, MTCube, SONATE, Beesat-9, Beesat-10, Beesat-11, Beesat-12, Beesat-13, MOVE-2b, TTU-100, Ecuador-UTE, ICEYE-X4, ICEYE-X5, DoT-1, MKA Sokrat, VDNKhA-80, AmurSat (AmGU-1)
Soyuz-2-1a/Fregat
ST 81KS
-
86
2019 July 30
Plesetsk , Site 43, Pad 4
Soyuz-2-1a/Fregat
14S737
-
87
2019 July 31
Soyuz-2-1a
Progress
-
88
2019 Aug. 22
Soyuz-2-1a
Soyuz
-
89
2019 Sept. 26
Soyuz-2-1b/Fregat
14S737 No. 112-04
-
90
2019 Dec. 6
Soyuz-2-1a
Progress
-
91
2019 Dec. 11
Soyuz-2-1b/Fregat
14S737
-
92
2019 Dec. 18
Soyuz-ST-A/Fregat-M
ST 81KS
-
93
2020 Feb. 7
Soyuz-2-1b/Fregat
ST 81 KS
-
94
2020 Feb. 20
Soyuz-2-1b/Fregat
14S737
Third stage's underperformance compensated for by Fregat's extended firing
95
2020 March 16
Soyuz-2-1b/Fregat
14S737
-
96
2020 March 21
Soyuz-2-1b/Fregat
ST 81KS
-
97
2020 April 9
Soyuz-2-1a
Soyuz
-
98
2020 April 25
Soyuz-2-1a
Progress
-
99
2020 May 22
Soyuz-2-1b/Fregat
14S737
-
100
2020 July 23
Soyuz-2-1a
Progress
-
101
2020 Sept. 28
Gonets-M No. 27, 28, 29, Dekart, Iceye X-6 (2), Kepler-2 (2), LacunaSat-3, Lemur-2y (4), MeznSat, NetSat (4), Norbi, SalSat, Yarilo (2)
Soyuz-2-1b/Fregat
14S737 No. 122-06
-
102
2020 Oct. 14
Soyuz-2-1a
11S517A 3.1000A1-0 No. 15000-093
-
103
2020 Oct. 25
Soyuz-2-1b/Fregat
-
-
104
2020 Dec. 1
Soyuz ST-A
ST 81KS
-
105
2020 Dec. 3
Soyuz-2-1b/Fregat
14S737
-
106
2020 Dec. 18
Soyuz-2-1b/Fregat
81KS
-
107
2020 Dec. 29
Soyuz ST-A
ST 81KS
-
108
2021 Feb. 2
Soyuz-2-1b
14S737
-
109
2021 Feb. 15
Soyuz-2-1a
11S517A2 No. Ya15000-126
-
110
2021 Feb. 28
Soyuz-2-1b/Fregat
81KS 1000-0 No. G15000-028
-
111
2021 March 22
Soyuz-2-1a/Fregat
81KS
-
112
2021 March 25
Soyuz-2-1b/Fregat
81KS
-
113
2021 April 9
Soyuz-2-1a
11S517A 3.1000A1-0 No. 15000-095
-
114
2021 April 26
Soyuz-2-1b/Fregat
81KS
-
115
2021 May 28
Soyuz-2-1b/Fregat
81KS
-
116
2021 June 25
Soyuz-2-1b
-
-
117
2021 June 30
Soyuz-2-1a
11S517A2.1000A1-0 No. S15000-131
-
118
2021 July 1
Soyuz-2-1b/Fregat
81KS
-
119
2021 Aug. 22
Soyuz-2-1b/Fregat
81KS
-
120
2021 Sept. 14
Soyuz-2-1b/Fregat
81KS
-
121
2021 Oct. 5
Soyuz-2-1a
11S517A 3.1000A1-0 No. 15000-096
-
122
2021 Oct. 14
Soyuz-2-1b/Fregat
81KS
-
123
2021 Oct. 28
Soyuz-2-1a
11S517A2.1000A1-0
-
124
2021 Nov. 24
Soyuz-2-1b
81KS-UM
-
125
2021 Nov. 25
Soyuz-2-1b/Fregat
14S737
-
126
2021 Dec. 4
Soyuz ST-B/Fregat
ST 81KS
-
127
2021 Dec. 8
11S517A No. 15000-094
-
128
2021 Dec. 27
Soyuz-2-1b/Fregat
81KS
-
129
2022 Feb. 5
Soyuz-2-1a/Fregat
14S737
-
130
2022 Feb. 10
Soyuz ST-B/Fregat
ST 81KS
-
131
2022 Feb. 15
11S517A2
-
132
2022 March 18
11S517A No. 15000-097
-
133
2022 March 22
Soyuz-2-1a/Fregat
14S737
-
134
2022 April 7
81KS
-
135
2022 May 19
Soyuz-2-1a/Fregat
17S13A
-
136
2022 June 3
11S517A2
-
137
2022 July 7
14S737
-
138
2022 Aug. 9
Soyuz-2-1b/Fregat
81KS
-
139
2022 Sept. 21
11S517A
-
140
2022 Oct. 10
81KS
-
141
2022 Oct. 22
Soyuz-2-1b/Fregat
14S737
-
142
2022 Oct. 26
11S517A2
-
143
2022 Nov. 2
14S737
-
144
2022 Nov. 28
14S737
-
145
2022 Dec. 1
81KS
-
146
2023 Feb. 9
11S517A2
-
147
2023 Feb. 24
11S517A
-
148
2023 March 23
17S13A
-
149
2023 May 24
11S517A2
-
150
2023 May 27
14S737
-
151
2023 June 27
14S737
-
152
2023 Aug. 7
14S737
-
153
2023 Aug. 11
81KS
-
154
2023 Aug. 23
11S517A2
-
155
2023 Sept. 15
11S517A
-
156
2023 Oct. 27
81KS
-
157
2023 Nov. 25
17S13A
-
158
2023 Dec. 1
11S517A2
-
159
2023 Dec. 16
81KS
-
160
2023 Dec. 21
17S13A
-
161
2024 Feb. 15
11S517A2
-
162
2024 Feb. 29
Meteor-M2-4, Marafon-IoT mass mockup (IC), Zorky-2M No. 2, Pars-1, SITRO-AIS (16 satellites)
81KS
-

*This list does not include launches of the Soyuz-2-1v rockets, which were originally called Soyuz-1 and featured drastically different structural design and the main propulsion system.

 

 

This page is maintained by Anatoly Zak

Last update: March 1, 2024

 

insider content

 

RD-0110

Comparison of the RD-0110 engine from the Soyuz rocket (left) and the RD-0124 engine from Soyuz-2. Click to enlarge. Copyright © 2009 Anatoly Zak


Fregat upper stages at NPO Lavochkin's testing and checkout station, KIS. The development and test version is on the foreground, a demonstration copy is on the background. Copyright © 2001 Anatoly Zak


Engine

A full-scale mockup of an eight-chamber hydrogen engine proposed for future upper stages compatible with Soyuz-2-1b vehicle. Copyright © 2009 Anatoly Zak


The Soyuz-2 launcher on the refurbished launch pad in Plesetsk in 2004. Credit: Arianespace


The Soyuz-2-1a rocket with the Metop spacecraft on the launch pad at Site 31 in Baikonur on July 14, 2006. Credit: Roskosmos


Soyuz 2-1b rocket with the COROT satellite on the launch pad in Baikonur in December 2006. Credit: CNES/Starsem


Meridian-2

The Soyuz-2 rocket, apparently with the Persona military satellite, during pre-launch processing in Plesetsk in 2008. Credit: Vesti


Rollout

The rollout of the Soyuz-2-1a rocket with the third Meridian satellite in the fall of 2010. Credit: Zvezda TV channel


Soyuz

The Soyuz-2-1b rocket with the first GLONASS-K satellite on the launch pad in Plesetsk in February 2011. Credit: Roskosmos


Launch

The Soyuz-2-1a rocket with the fourth Meridian satellite lifts off from Plesetsk on May 4, 2011. Credit: Vesti TV channel

launch

The first Soyuz rocket to fly from a brand-new launch pad in Kourou, French Guiana, lifts off with a pair Galileo IOV satellites on Oct. 21, 2011. Credit: ESA


Metop

Soyuz-2-1a with MetOp-B on the launch pad in September 2012. Credit: TsENKI


launch

Soyuz-2-1a with MetOp-B lifts off on Sept. 17, 2012. Credit: TsENKI


launch

Soyuz lifts off with two Galileo satellites on Oct. 12, 2012. Credit: Arianespace


Launch

Soyuz-2 lifts off on Feb. 6, 2013, with fourth and final six Globalstar-2 satellites in a last commercial mission from Baikonur. Credit: TsENKI


Fairing

A payload fairing for the launch of the Bion-M No. 1 spacecraft in April 2013. Credit: TsENKI


Launch

A Soyuz-2.1a rocket lifts off on April 19, with Bion-M No. 1. Credit: Roskosmos


48

The Soyuz-2-1b rocket launches GLONASS-M No. 47 satellite on April 26, 2013. Credit: Zvezda TV channel


launch

On June 25, 2013, a pair of Soyuz-2 rockets delivered Resurs P1 and O3b satellites in a single day from two continents. Credit: Roskosmos/Arianespace


Foton-M4

A Soyuz-2-1a rocket shortly before launch with Foton-M4 satellite from Pad 31 in Baikonur. Click to enlarge. Credit: Roskosmos


Galileo FOC-1

Soyuz lifts off with the first pair operational Galileo satellites on Aug. 22, 2014. Credit: Arianespace


ProgressM25M

Soyuz-2-1a lifts off on Oct. 29, 2014, with Progress M-25M cargo ship. Click to enlarge. Credit: Roskosmos


Persona

Third Persona lifts off on June 23, 2015. Credit: Roskosmos


launch

Soyuz-ST-B/Fregat-MT rocket lifts off on Sept. 10, 2015, with a pair of Galileo FOC-M3 satellites. Click to enlarge. Credit: Arianespace


Ignition

Soyuz-2-1a lifts off with Progress-MS on Dec. 21, 2015. Click to enlarge. Credit: Roskosmos


liftoff

A Soyuz-2-1b rocket lifts off with the GLONASS-M-51 satellite on Feb. 7, 2016. Click to enlarge. Credit: Russian Ministry of Defense


flight

Launch of the Progress MS-07 spacecraft on Oct. 14, 2017, was an early step in transition of the Soyuz-MS series from the Soyuz-FG to the Soyuz-2-1a rocket variant. Click to enlarge. Credit: Roskosmos


launch

Soyuz ST-B lifts off with a sextuplet of OneWeb satellites on Feb. 27, 2019. Click to enlarge. Credit: Arianespace


launch

Soyuz-2-1a with Progress MS-13 lifts off from Site 31 in Baikonur on Dec. 6, 2019. Click to enlarge. Credit: Roskosmos


cluster

Soyuz-2-1b lifts off from Baikonur with 34 OneWeb satellites on February 7, 2020. Click to enlarge. Credit: Arianespace


cluster

Soyuz-2-1b lifts off from Baikonur with 34 OneWeb satellites on August 22, 2021. Click to enlarge. Credit: Roskosmos