February 11, 2013 6:41pm (Moscow time) Soyuz-U space rocket with Progress M-18 M cargo spaceship was launched from Gagarin Launch Pad in Baikonur (Kazakhstan).

Launch of the space rocket with the cargo ship was performed nominally. This was 180th launch of a carrier built on the basis of R-7. Launch vehicles of R-7 family are developed and manufactured by TsSkb-Progress. They demonstrate one of the highest safety factors in the world 0.958.

Launch Vehicles of Soyuz type (Soyuz-U, Soyuz-FG, Soyuz-2) created on the basis of R-7 LV, play the key role in middle-class carriers segment of the world space market. Share of LV of TsSKB-Progress design in 2011 is 61%. In the Russian market of launch services TsSKB-Progress is ne of the leaders as well: 14 out of 29 rockets launched in 2012 were manufactured by TsSKB-Progress. Up to 24 launches of Soyuz LV – designed and manufactured in Samara - are scheduled for 2013.