SOYUZ-2 Launch Vehicle

Soyuz-2, equipped with a Fregat or Volga upper stage, is able to inject spacecraft into all possible orbits: low, medium, high elliptical, sun-synchronous, geotransfer, and geostationary.

Based on the Soyuz launch vehicle, Soyuz-2 was developed in two phases (Phase 1A and Phase1B).

Phase1A:

· Engines of the 1-st and 2-nd stages use nozzle heads with improved mixture formation;

· Based on a high-performance computer, a single control system is developed for all the three stages;

· A digital radio-telemetering system is installed;

· The structure of the 3-rd stage is unified as much as possible.

Phase 1B:

Additionally to the Phase-1A improvements, a new engine with higher performance is used for the 3-rd stage. This improved the accuracy of injection, launch vehicle stability and controllability and allowed using an assembly-protective unit with the 11.43-m nose fairing of 4.11-m diameter.

The first test launch of the Soyuz-2.1A launch vehicle was successfully performed on 8 November 2004 from the Plesetsk cosmodrome.

The first commercial launch of Soyuz-2.1A with the European MetOp meteorological satellite atop was performed in 2006.

The Soyuz-2.1B flight tests were started on 27 December 2006 with a launch of the French CoRoT research satellite from the Baikonur cosmodrome. At present, flight tests of Soyuz-2.1A and Soyuz-1.B are finished and their serial production is about to begin.


 
 

SOYUZ-2 Launch Vehicle

Number of stages

3

Maximal length

46 m

Nose Fairing diameter

3,0 m; 3,3 m; 3,715 m; 4,11 m

 
 

SOYUZ-2 Launch Vehicle

Lifting capacity of "Soyuz-2" launch vehicle

(with 3,715 m nose fairing)

Launch site

Inclination (degree)

Circular orbit average altitude (km)

Circular orbit average altitude (km)

Phase 1A

Phase 1B

Plesetsk

62,8

220

6830

7850

67,1

190

6690

7880

81,4

200

6360

7470

98,3

200

5900

6900

Baikonur

51,8

200

7020

8200

64,9

200

6400

7400

95,4

200

5500

6300

Vostochny 51,7
200 7150 8320
64,8
200 6770 7950
98,0
200 5750 6950

Number of

Launch Vehicles Launched

1
9
9
2


 
         

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