Launch of an Soyuz-2.1v carrying Kosmos 2525 military satellite on 28 March 2018. | |
| Function | Light carrier rocket |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | TsSKB Progress |
| Country of origin | Russia |
| Size | |
| Height | 44 m (144 ft) |
| Diameter | 3 m (9.8 ft) |
| Mass | 158,000 kg (348,000 lb) |
| Stages | 2 |
| Capacity | |
| Payload to 200 km x 51.8° LEO | |
| Mass | 2,850 kg (6,280 lb) |
| Payload to 200 km x 62.8° LEO | |
| Mass | 2,800 kg (6,200 lb) |
| Associated rockets | |
| Family | R-7 / Soyuz-2 |
| Comparable | Long March 2C PSLV |
| Launch history | |
| Status | Active |
| Launch sites | Plesetsk, Site 43 |
| Total launches | 9 |
| Success(es) | 8 |
| Failure(s) | 0 |
| Partial failure(s) | 1 |
| First flight | 28 December 2013 |
| Last flight | 21 October 2022 |
The Soyuz-2.1v (Russian: Союз 2.1в, Union 2.1v), GRAU index 14A15,[1] known earlier in development as the Soyuz-1 (Russian: Союз 1, Union 1), is a Russian expendable launch vehicle. It was derived from the Soyuz-2.1b, and is a member of the R-7 family of rockets. It is built by TsSKB Progress, at Samara in Russia. Launches are conducted from existing facilities at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in Northwest Russia, with pads also available at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan,[2] and new facilities at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Eastern Russia.[3]
The Soyuz-2.1v represents a major departure from earlier Soyuz rockets. Unlike the Soyuz-2.1b upon which it is based, it does away with the four boosters used on all other R-7 vehicles. The first stage of the Soyuz-2.1v is a heavily modified derivative of the Soyuz-2 second stage, with a single-chamber NK-33 engine replacing the four-chamber RD-107 used on previous rockets along with structural modifications to the stage and lower tanking. Since the NK-33 is fixed, the RD-0110R engine is used to supply thrust vector control. It also supplies an extra 230.5 kN (51,800 lbf) of thrust and heats the pressurization gases.[4]
The NK-33 engine, originally built for the N1 programme, offers increased performance over the RD-107; however, only a limited number of engines are available. Once the supply is exhausted, the NK-33 will be replaced by the RD-193. In April 2013, it was announced that the RD-193 engine had completed testing. The RD-193 is a lighter and shorter engine based on the Angara's RD-191, which is itself a derivative of the Zenit's RD-170.[5]
The second stage of the Soyuz-2.1v is the same as the third stage of the Soyuz-2.1b;[6] powered by an RD-0124 engine. For most missions a Volga upper stage will be used to manoeuvre the payload from an initial parking orbit to its final destination. The Volga is derived from the propulsion system of the Yantar reconnaissance satellite, and was developed as a lighter and cheaper alternative to the Fregat.
The Soyuz-2.1v was designed as a light-class carrier rocket, and has a payload capacity of 2,850 kg (6,280 lb) to a 200 km (120 mi) circular low Earth orbit with an inclination of 51.8° from Baikonur, and 2,800 kg (6,200 lb) to a 200 kilometre orbit at 62.8° from Plesetsk.[2][7]
| Flight number | Date (UTC) | Launch site | Upper stage | Payload | Orbit | Remarks | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 28 December 2013
13:30 |
Plesetsk Site 43/4 | Volga | Aist 1, SKRL-756 #1/2 | LEO | Maiden flight of Soyuz-2.1v | Success |
| 2 | 5 December 2015 15:08 | Plesetsk Site 43/4 | Volga | Kosmos 2511 and 2512 | LEO | Earth observation Radar calibration | Partial failure |
| 3 | 23 June 2017
18:04 |
Plesetsk Site 43/4 | Volga | Kosmos 2519 | LEO | Military satellite, possibly geodesy project Nivelir-ZU | Success |
| 4 | 29 March 2018 17:38 | Plesetsk Site 43/4 | None | Kosmos 2525 (EMKA) | SSO | Military Satellite | Success |
| 5 | 10 July 2019
17:14 |
Plesetsk Site 43/4 | Volga | Kosmos 2535 to 2538 | LEO | Geodesy | Success |
| 6 | 25 November 2019 17:52 | Plesetsk Site 43/4 | Volga | Kosmos 2542 & 2543 | LEO | Satellite inspection | Success |
| 7 | 9 September 2021 19:59 | Plesetsk Site 43/4 | Volga | Kosmos 2551 (EMKA No.2) | SSO | Reconnaissance | Success |
| 8 | 1 August 2022 20:25 | Plesetsk Site 43/4 | Volga | Kosmos 2558 (Nivelir No.3) | PO | Surveillance | Success |
| 9 | 21 October 2022 19:20 | Plesetsk Site 43/4 | Volga | Kosmos 2561 & 2562[8] | SSO | Surveillance | Success |
Russia exhibited a model of the Soyuz-2.1v during the 2011 Paris Air Show at Le Bourget.
