Soyuz-2 facts for kids
A MetOp spacecraft ready for the launch atop a Soyuz-2.1a rocket.
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| Function | Orbital launch vehicle |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | TsSKB-Progress (Samara) and Chemical Automatics Design Bureau (Voronezh) |
| Country of origin | Russia |
| Cost per launch | US$80 million (Arianespace) [1] US$35-48.5 million (Roscosmos) |
| Size | |
| Height | 46.3 m (152 ft) |
| Diameter | 2.95 m (9 ft 8 in) |
| Mass | 312,000 kg (688,000 lb) |
| Stages | 2 or 3 |
| Capacity | |
| Payload to LEO | 2.1a: 7,020 kg (15,480 lb) 2.1b: 8,200 kg (18,100 lb) |
| Payload to SSO | ST-A: 4,230 kg (9,330 lb) ST-B: 4,900 kg (10,800 lb) |
| Payload to GTO | ST-A: 2,810 kg (6,190 lb) ST-B: 3,250 kg (7,170 lb) |
| Payload to TLI | ST-B: 2,350 kg (5,180 lb) |
| Payload to GSO | ST-B: 1,360 kg (3,000 lb) |
| Associated rockets | |
| Family | R-7 (Soyuz) |
| Launch history | |
| Status | Active |
| Launch sites |
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| Total launches | 176 (+1 suborbital) (2.1a: 74 (+1 suborbital), 2.1b: 90, 2.1v: 12) |
| Successes | 169 (+1 suborbital) (2.1a: 71 (+1 suborbital), 2.1b: 87, 2.1v: 11) |
| Failures | 4 (2.1a: 2, 2.1b: 2, 2.1v: 0) |
| Partial failures | 3 (2.1a: 1, 2.1b: 1, 2.1v: 1) |
| First flight |
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| Last flight |
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| Notable payloads |
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| Boosters – Blok-B, V, G, D | |
| No. boosters | 4 |
| Length | 19.6 m (64 ft) |
| Diameter | 2.68 m (8 ft 10 in) |
| Empty mass | 3,784 kg (8,342 lb) |
| Gross mass | 44,413 kg (97,914 lb) |
| Propellant mass | 39,160 kg (86,330 lb) |
| Engines | RD-107A |
| Thrust | Sea level: 839.48 kN (188,720 lbf) Vacuum: 1,019.93 kN (229,290 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | Sea level: 263.3 s (2.582 km/s) Vacuum: 320.2 s (3.140 km/s) |
| Burn time | 118 seconds |
| Fuel | LOX / RP-1 |
| First stage – Blok-A | |
| Length | 27.10 m (88.9 ft) |
| Diameter | 2.95 m (9 ft 8 in) |
| Empty mass | 6,545 kg (14,429 lb) |
| Gross mass | 99,765 kg (219,944 lb) |
| Propellant mass | 90,100 kg (198,600 lb) |
| Engines | RD-108A |
| Thrust | Sea level: 792.41 kN (178,140 lbf) Vacuum: 921.86 kN (207,240 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | Sea level: 257.7 s (2.527 km/s) Vacuum: 320.6 s (3.144 km/s) |
| Burn time | 286 seconds |
| Fuel | LOX / RP-1 |
| Second stage – Blok-I | |
| Length | 6.70 m (22.0 ft) |
| Diameter | 2.66 m (8 ft 9 in) |
| Empty mass | 2,355 kg (5,192 lb) |
| Gross mass | 27,755 kg (61,189 lb) |
| Propellant mass | 25,400 kg (56,000 lb) |
| Engines | 2.1a / STA: RD-0110 2.1b / STB: RD-0124 |
| Thrust | RD-0110: 298 kN (67,000 lbf) RD-0124: 294.3 kN (66,200 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | RD-0110: 326 seconds RD-0124: 359 seconds |
| Burn time | 270 seconds |
| Fuel | LOX / RP-1 |
| Upper stage (optional) – Fregat / Fregat-M / Fregat-MT | |
| Length | 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) |
| Diameter | Fregat / Fregat-M: 3.35 m (11.0 ft) Fregat-MT: 3.80 m (12.5 ft) |
| Empty mass | Fregat: 930 kg (2,050 lb) Fregat-M: 980 kg (2,160 lb) Fregat-MT: 1,050 kg (2,310 lb) |
| Propellant mass | Fregat: 5,250 kg (11,570 lb) Fregat-M: 5,600 kg (12,300 lb) Fregat-MT: 7,100 kg (15,700 lb) |
| Engines | S5.92 |
| Thrust | 19.85 kN (4,460 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | 333.2 seconds |
| Burn time | 1100 seconds |
| Fuel | N2O4 / UDMH |
| Upper stage (optional) – Volga | |
| Length | 1.025 m (3 ft 4.4 in) |
| Diameter | 3.2 m (10 ft) |
| Empty mass | 840 kg (1,850 lb) |
| Propellant mass | 300–900 kg (660–1,980 lb) |
| Engines | 17D64 |
| Thrust | 2.94 kN (660 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | 307 seconds |
| Fuel | N2O4 / UDMH |
Soyuz-2 (Russian: Союз-2, lit. 'Union-2') (GRAU index 14A14) is a modernised version of the Soviet Soyuz rocket. In its basic form, it is a three-stage launch vehicle for placing payloads into low Earth orbit. Compared to the previous versions of the Soyuz, the first-stage boosters and two core stages feature uprated engines with improved injection systems. Digital flight control and telemetry systems allow the rocket to be launched from a fixed launch platform, whereas the launch platforms for earlier Soyuz rockets had to be rotated as the rocket could not perform a roll to change its heading in flight.
Soyuz-2 is often flown with an upper stage, which allows it to lift payloads into higher orbits, such as Molniya and geosynchronous orbits. The upper stage is equipped with independent flight control and telemetry systems from those used in the rest of the rocket. The NPO Lavochkin manufactured Fregat is the most commonly used upper stage.
Soyuz-2 rockets were first launched from Site 31 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, and Site 43 at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, launch facilities shared with earlier R-7 derived rockets including the Soyuz-U and Molniya. Commercial Soyuz-2 flights are contracted by Starsem and have launched from Site 31 at Baikonur Cosmodrome and Ensemble de Lancement Soyouz (ELS), which has been built at the Centre Spatial Guyanais (CSG) on the northern coast of South America. The Soyuz-2 version ST-B can deliver 3,250 kg (7,170 lb) to geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) from this equatorial site. As of 2022 Soyuz-2 launches from CSG have been suspended.
In 2016, the new Vostochny Cosmodrome started operating Soyuz-2 flights as well, from its first launch pad called Vostochny Cosmodrome Site 1S.
The Soyuz-2 has replaced the Molniya-M, Soyuz-U and Soyuz-FG since 2010, 2017 and 2019 respectively. TsSKB-Progress halted production of Soyuz-U in April 2015; the final flight of a Soyuz-U rocket took place on 22 February 2017, carrying Progress MS-05 to the International Space Station (ISS).
Variants
The Soyuz-2 family includes 2.1a, 2.1b, and 2.1v. The first two variants are modifications to the Soyuz-U launcher. The latter is a "light" version without side boosters. When launched from the Centre Spatial Guyanais site, Soyuz-2 is always mated with the ST-type fairing; this version is called Soyuz-ST or Soyuz-STK, where additional "K" indicates special measures taken for preparing and launching the rocket in hot and humid conditions.
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Soyuz-2.1b (2018)
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From left Soyuz-2.1v, Soyuz-2.1a, Soyuz-2.1b and Soyuz-5)
See also
In Spanish: Soyuz 2 (cohete) para niños
- Soyuz programme
- List of R-7 launches
- Medium-lift launch vehicle
