Soyuz 2 rocket

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Soyuz 2 (Soyuz FG/ST/2.1)

The launch of Soyuz TMA-9 atop a Soyuz FG rocket.
Fact sheet
Function	Orbital carrier rocket
Manufacturer	OKB-1
Country of origin	Russia
Size
Height	46.1 m (151.2 ft)
Diameter	2.95 m (9.67 ft)
Mass	305,000 kg (672,000 lb)
Stages	2 or 3
	Capacity
Payload to LEO	7,800 kg (17,100 lb)
Payload to 800km SSO (With Fregat)	4,500 kg (9,900 lb)
Launch History
Status	Active
Launch Sites	LC-1 & LC-31, Baikonur LC-43 Plesetsk ELS, Centre Spatial Guyanais* * = Under construction
Total launches	22 (FG: 13, ST: 6, 2.1a: 2, 2.1b: 1)
Successes	22
Maiden flight	FG: 20 May 2001 ST: 2 June 2003 2.1a: 8 November 2004 2.1b: 27 December 2006
Boosters (Stage 0)
No boosters	4
Engines	1 RD-117
Thrust	1,021.097 kN
Specific Impulse	310 sec
Burn time	120 seconds
Fuel	LOX/RP-1
First Stage
Engines	1 RD-118
Thrust	999.601 kN (224,719 LBf)
Specific Impulse	311 sec
Burn time	286 seconds
Fuel	LOX/RP-1
Second Stage
Engines	1 RD-0124
Thrust	294 kN (66,093 LBf)
Specific Impulse	359 sec
Burn time	300 seconds
Fuel	LOX/RP-1
Third Stage (Optional) - Fregat
Engines	1 S5.92
Thrust	19.6 kN (4,406 LBf)
Specific Impulse	327 sec
Burn time	877 seconds
Fuel	N2O4/UDMH
Third Stage (Optional) - Ikar
Engines	1 17D61
Thrust	2.94 kN (66,093 LBf)
Specific Impulse	326 sec
Burn time	600 seconds
Fuel	N2O4/UDMH

Soyuz 2 is the collective designation for the current generation versions of the Russian Soyuz rocket. In its basic form, it is a carrier rocket for placing payloads into low Earth orbit, however it is often flown with an upper stage, which allows it to lift payloads into higher orbits, such as Molniya and Geosynchronous orbits. The Soyuz FG is mainly used to launch the manned Soyuz TMA spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS). On early test flights, Progress cargo spacecraft were launched to the space station as well.

The boosters and two core stages feature uprated engines with improved injection systems, compared to the Soyuz-U. The Starsem manufactured Fregat is the most commonly used upper stage, however the Ikar can also be used.

Soyuz 2 rockets are currently launched from LC-1 and LC-31 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, and LC-43 at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, launch facilities shared with earlier R-7 derived rockets, including the Soyuz-U and Molniya. A new launch site at the Centre Spatial Guyanais (Kourou) is currently being built.

Commercial Soyuz 2 flights are contracted by Starsem, and are currently launched from LC-31 at Baikonur. These will move to Kourou when the launch site is completed in 2008.

The designation Soyuz FG applies to Russian government launches, and the designation Soyuz ST applies to commercial (Starsem) launches. Otherwise, they are the same rocket. The Soyuz 2.1 is a more advanced version with upgraded digital flight control and telemetry systems. These improvements allow it to be launched from a fixed launch platform, and adjust its heading in flight, whereas the launch platforms for earlier R-7 derived rockets had to be rotated as the rocket could not perform a roll to change its heading in flight.

The Soyuz 2 has a higher performance rating, and higher payload capacity than the previous versions of the Soyuz. It is expected to eventually replace the Soyuz-U and Molniya-M rockets which are currently in service alongside it.

[edit] Launch history

Date and Time (GMT)	Configuration	Serial Number	Launch Site	Outcome	Payload	Remarks
20 May 2001 22:32	Soyuz FG	F15000-001	LC-1, Baikonur	Successful	Progress M1-6	ISS Logistics
26 November 2001 18:24	Soyuz FG	F15000-002	LC-1, Baikonur	Successful	Progress M1-7	ISS Logistics
					Kolibri
25 September 2002 16:58	Soyuz FG	E15000-003	LC-1, Baikonur	Successful	Progress M1-9	ISS Logistics
30 October 2002 16:58	Soyuz FG	E15000-004	LC-1, Baikonur	Successful	Soyuz TMA-1	Manned flight with 3 Cosmonauts ISS escape craft
26 April 2003 03:53	Soyuz FG	15000-006	LC-1, Baikonur	Successful	Soyuz TMA-2	Manned flight with 2 Cosmonauts ISS Expedition 7
2 June 2003 18:24	Soyuz ST/Fregat	E15000-005/ST-11	LC-31, Baikonur	Successful	Mars Express	Mars orbiter
					Beagle 2	Mars lander Launched successfuly but later failed
18 October 2003 05:38	Soyuz FG	D15000-007	LC-1, Baikonur	Successful	Soyuz TMA-3	Manned flight with 3 Cosmonauts ISS Expedition 8
27 December 2003 21:30	Soyuz ST/Fregat	D15000-008/ST-12	LC-31, Baikonur	Successful	Amos-2	Communications satellite
19 April 2004 05:19	Soyuz FG	D15000-009	LC-1, Baikonur	Successful	Soyuz TMA-4	Manned flight with 3 Cosmonauts ISS Expedition 9
14 October 2004 03:06	Soyuz FG	Zh15000-012	LC-1, Baikonur	Successful	Soyuz TMA-5	Manned flight with 3 Cosmonauts ISS Expedition 10
8 November 2004 18:30	Soyuz 2.1a		LC-43, Plesetsk	Successful	Zenit-8	Suborbital test
15 April 2005 00:46	Soyuz FG	Zh15000-014	LC-1, Baikonur	Successful	Soyuz TMA-6	Manned flight with 3 Cosmonauts ISS Expedition 11
13 August 2005 23:28	Soyuz ST/Fregat	Zh15000-011/ST-13	LC-31, Baikonur	Successful	Galaxy 14	Communications Satellite
1 October 2005 03:54	Soyuz FG	Zh15000-017	LC-1, Baikonur	Successful	Soyuz TMA-7	Manned flight with 3 Cosmonauts ISS Expedition 12
9 November 2005 03:33	Soyuz ST/Fregat	Zh15000-010/ST-14	LC-31, Baikonur	Successful	Venus Express	Venus orbiter
28 December 2005 05:19	Soyuz ST/Fregat	Zh15000-016/ST-15	LC-31, Baikonur	Successful	GIOVE-A	Navigation satellite
30 March 2006 02:30	Soyuz FG	P15000-018	LC-1, Baikonur	Successful	Soyuz TMA-8	Manned flight with 3 Cosmonauts ISS Expedition 13
18 September 2006 04:08	Soyuz FG	?15000-023	LC-1, Baikonur	Successful	Soyuz TMA-9	Manned flight with 3 Cosmonauts ISS Expedition 14
19 October 2006 16:28	Soyuz ST/Fregat		LC-31, Baikonur	Successful	METOP-A	Weather satellite
24 December 2006 08:34	Soyuz 2.1a/Fregat		LC-43, Plesetsk	Successful	Meridian	Communications Satellite
27 December 2006 14:28	Soyuz 2.1b/Fregat		LC-31, Baikonur	Successful	COROT	Astronomy satellite
7 April 2007 17:31	Soyuz FG		LC-1, Baikonur	Successful	Soyuz TMA-10	Manned flight with 3 Cosmonauts ISS Expedition 15
Scheduled launches
TBD	Soyuz 2.1b/Fregat		Baikonur		Meteor-M
TBD	Soyuz 2.1a/Fregat				RadarSat 2
April 2007	Soyuz ST/Fregat		LC-31, Baikonur		GIOVE-B	Navigation satellite
NET: May 2007	Soyuz ST/Fregat		LC-31, Baikonur		Globalstar XX	Communications Satellite
					Globalstar XX	Communications Satellite
					Globalstar XX	Communications Satellite
					Globalstar XX	Communications Satellite
NET 14 May 2007	Soyuz ST/Fregat		LC-31, Baikonur		Globalstar XX	Communications Satellite
					Globalstar XX	Communications Satellite
					Globalstar XX	Communications Satellite
					Globalstar XX	Communications Satellite
June 2007	Soyuz FG/Fregat				GLONASS-K1	Navigation satellite
					GLONASS-K2	Navigation satellite
July 2007	Soyuz 2.1a/Fregat				Uragan-K1	Boilerplate spacecraft
					Uragan-K2	Boilerplate spacecraft
6 October 2007	Soyuz FG		LC-1, Baikonur		Soyuz TMA-11	Manned flight with 3 Cosmonauts ISS Expedition 16

[edit] See also

• Soyuz rocket
• Soyuz spacecraft
• Soyuz programme
• Starsem
• R-7

[edit] External links

• Encyclopedia Astronautica article on Soyuz FG/ST (Note - Both rockets are incorrectly called Soyyz FG)
• Encyclopedia Astronautica article on Soyuz 2.1 (Note - Rocket is mistakenly called Soyuz ST)
• Encyclopedia Astronautica article on Soyuz 2.1/Fregat (Note - Rocket is mistakenly called Soyuz ST)