Soyuz rocket on launch pad.

The Soyuz launch vehicle (Western designation: A-2) is an expendable launch system manufactured by TsSKB-Progress in Samara, Russia. It is used as the launcher for the manned Soyuz spacecraft as part of the Soyuz program. It is now also used to launch unmanned Progress supply spacecraft to the International Space Station and for commercial launches marketed and operated by TsSKB-Progress and the Centre Spatial Guyanais in French Guiana. Soyuz-U rockets are fueled with kerosene, but the Soyuz-U2 rocket used a variant called Syntin. Apollo Soyuz Test Project Soyuz booster on launch pad. ... Apollo Soyuz Test Project Soyuz booster on launch pad. ... An expendable launch system or expendable launch vehicle, ELV, is a single-use launch vehicle usually used to launch a payload into space. ... The Progress State Research and Production Rocket Space Center (also known as TsSKB-Progress) is a Russian Federal State Unitary Enterprise under the jurisdiction of Roscosmos, the Russian Federal Space Agency responsible for space science and aerospace research. ... Samara (Russian: ) (from 1935 to 1991—Kuybyshev ()) is the sixth-largest city in Russia. ... Soyuz (Russian: Союз, pronounced sah-YOUS, meaning union) is a series of spacecraft designed by Sergey Korolyov for the Soviet Unions space program. ... The Soyuz human spaceflight programme was initiated in the early 1960s as part of the Luna programme that was intended to put a Soviet cosmonaut on the Moon. ... ISS Progress cargo spacecraft The Progress is a Russian expendable freighter spacecraft. ... “ISS” redirects here. ... The Guiana Space Centre (French: Centre Spatial Guyanais) is a French/European spaceport near Kourou in French Guiana. ... The Soyuz-U or 11A511U rocket in the Soviet rocket designation series was a version of the Soyuz launch vehicle first introduced in 1973. ... Kerosene or kerosine, also called paraffin oil or paraffin in British usage (not to be confused with the waxy solid also called paraffin wax or just paraffin) is a flammable hydrocarbon liquid. ...

History

The launcher was introduced in 1966, deriving from the Vostok launcher, which in turn was based on the 8K74 or R-7a intercontinental ballistic missile. It was initially a three-stage rocket with a Block I upper stage. Later a Molniya variant was produced by adding a fourth stage, allowing it to reach the highly elliptical molniya orbit. A later variant was the Soyuz-U.^[1] Year 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. ... The Vostok rocket (Russian Восток, translated as East) was a derivative of the Soviet R-7 ICBM designed for the human spaceflight programme but later used for other satellite launches. ... R-7 with Sputnik 2 The R-7 (Semyorka) was the worlds first ICBM and was deployed by the Soviet Union. ... A Minuteman III ICBM test launch from Vandenberg AFB, California, United States. ... Molniya orbit is a class of a highly elliptic orbit with inclination of +/-63. ... The Soyuz-U or 11A511U rocket in the Soviet rocket designation series was a version of the Soyuz launch vehicle first introduced in 1973. ...

The production of Soyuz launchers reached a peak of 60 per year in the early 1980s. It has become the world's most used space launcher, flying over 1700 times, far more than any other rocket. It is a very old basic design, but is notable for low cost and very high reliability, both of which appeal to commercial clients. The 1980s refers to the years from 1980 to 1989. ...

Soyuz rocket engines

In the early 1990s plans were made for a redesigned Soyuz with a Fregat upper stage. The Fregat engine was developed by NPO Lavochkin from the propulsion module of its Phobos interplanetary probes. Although endorsed by the Russian Space Agency and the Russian Ministry of Defence in 1993 and designated "Rus" as a Russification and modernisation of Soyuz, and later renamed Soyuz 2, a funding shortage prevented implementation of the plan. The creation of Starsem in July 1996 provided new funding for the creation of a less ambitious variant, the Soyuz-Fregat or Soyuz U/Fregat. This consisted of a slightly modified Soyuz U combined with the Fregat upper stage, with a capacity of up to 1,350 kg to geostationary transfer orbit. In April 1997, Starsem obtained a contract from the European Space Agency to launch two pairs of Cluster 2 plasma science satellites using the Soyuz-Fregat. Before the introduction of this new model, Starsem launched 24 satellites of the Globalstar constellation in 6 launches with a restartable Ikar upper stage, between September 22, 1999 and November 22, 1999. After successful test flights of Soyuz-Fregat on February 9, 2000 and March 20, 2000, the Cluster 2 satellites were launched on July 16, 2000 and August 9, 2000. Another Soyuz-Fregat launched the ESA's Mars Express probe from Baikonur in June 2003. Now the Soyuz-Fregat launcher is used by Starsem for commercial payloads. It is due to be replaced by the new launcher, now named Soyuz/ST (or Soyuz 2), which will have a new digital guidance system and a strongly modified third stage with a new engine. The first development version of Soyuz 2 called Soyuz-2-1a, which is already equipped with the digital guidance system, but is still propelled by an old third stage engine, started on November 4, 2004 from Plesetsk on a suborbital test flight, followed by an orbital flight on October 23, 2006 from Baikonur. The fully-modified launcher (version Soyuz-2-1b) flew first on December 27, 2006 with the COROT satellite from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (3000x1926, 1424 KB) Soyuz rocket engines Description: The Soyuz TMA-5 spacecraft is mated to its booster rocket in a processing hangar at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan October 11, 2004, in preparation for its rollout to the launch pad October... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (3000x1926, 1424 KB) Soyuz rocket engines Description: The Soyuz TMA-5 spacecraft is mated to its booster rocket in a processing hangar at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan October 11, 2004, in preparation for its rollout to the launch pad October... For the band, see 1990s (band). ... Fregat is a rocket stage developed in the NPO im. ... NPO Lavochkin is a Russian satellite manufacturer. ... The Russian Federal Space Agency, formerly the Russian Aviation and Space Agency (RKA) (in Russian: Российское авиационно-космическое аге&#1085... The Defense Ministry of the Russian Federation exercises operational leadership of the armed forces of Russia. ... Starsem is a European-Russian company that was created in 1996 to commercialise the Soyuz launcher. ... A geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) is a Hohmann transfer orbit around the Earth between a low Earth orbit (LEO) and a geostationary orbit (GEO). ... “ESA” redirects here. ... For other uses, see Satellite (disambiguation). ... Globalstar is a low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation for telephone and low-speed data communications, similar to (and competing with) the Iridium satellite system. ... is the 265th day of the year (266th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... is the 326th day of the year (327th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... is the 40th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 79th day of the year (80th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 197th day of the year (198th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 221st day of the year (222nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ... Concept model of the Mars Express spacecraft Main Engine Thrust for braking manouevre on Venus Express. ... This article is about the carrier rocket. ... is the 308th day of the year (309th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... December 27 is the 361st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (362nd in leap years). ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot (portrait by Nadar) Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot (July 26, 1796 – February 22, 1875) was a French landscape painter. ... Map showing the location of Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan The Baikonur Cosmodrome (Kazakh: Байқоңыр ғарыш айлағы, Bayqoñır ÄŸarış aylağı; Russian: Космодром Байконур, Kosmodrom Baykonur), also called Tyuratam, is the worlds oldest and largest operational space launch facility. ...

A long string of successful Soyuz launches was broken on October 15, 2002 when the unmanned Soyuz U launch of the Photon-M satellite from Plesetsk fell back near the launch pad and exploded 29 seconds after lift-off. One person from the ground crew was killed and eight injured. Another failure occurred on June 21, 2005, during a Molniya military communications satellite launch from the Plesetsk launch site, which used a four-stage version of the rocket called Molniya-M. The flight ended six minutes after the launch because of a failure of the third stage engine or an unfulfilled order to separate the second and third stages. The rocket's second and third stages, which are identical to the Soyuz, and its payload (a Molniya-3K satellite) crashed in the Uvatski region of Tyumen (Siberia) [1]. However, under this designation of Molniya-M launcher, the other 274 unmanned Soyuz launches have been successful. is the 288th day of the year (289th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... is the 172nd day of the year (173rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Molniya (lightning) was a military communications satellite system used by the Soviet Union. ... U.S. military MILSTAR communications satellite A communications satellite (sometimes abbreviated to comsat) is an artificial satellite stationed in space for the purposes of telecommunications. ... Tymen in the 1680s Tyumen (Тюме́нь) is a city in Russia, administrative center of Tyumen Oblast in the Urals Federal District . ... This article is about Siberia as a whole. ...

Between February 1, 2003 and July 26, 2005 with the grounding of the US Space Shuttle fleet, Soyuz was the only means of transportation to and from the International Space Station. This included the transfer of supplies, via Progress spacecraft, and crew changeovers. is the 32nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 207th day of the year (208th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Motto: (traditional) In God We Trust (official, 1956–present) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City Official language(s) None at the federal level; English de facto Government Federal Republic  - President George W. Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence - Declared - Recognized... NASAs Space Shuttle, officially called Space Transportation System (STS), is the United States governments current manned launch vehicle. ...

Soyuz (in the new version Soyuz/ST) is also planned to be brought into ESA service in 2008 under a Russo-European joint venture. A new launch pad is being built at the Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana. “ESA” redirects here. ... 2008 (MMVIII) will be a leap year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Guiana Space Centre (French: Centre Spatial Guyanais) is a French/European spaceport near Kourou in French Guiana. ...

Stages

Soyuz rocket assembly: the first and second stages are in the background, already joined together; the third stage is in the lower left corner of the image. The Soyuz spacecraft, covered by its launch shroud, is in the lower right corner. Note that the rocket is assembled horizontally, as opposed to the vertical assembly of, for example, the Saturn V - one of the features which makes it cheaper to prepare for launch.

Image File history File links Download high resolution version (3000x1954, 1435 KB) Soyuz rocket assembly (NASA) original image caption: JSC2004-E-45198 (11 October 2004) --- The Soyuz TMA-5 spacecraft is mated to its booster rocket in a processing hangar at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan October 11, 2004, in... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (3000x1954, 1435 KB) Soyuz rocket assembly (NASA) original image caption: JSC2004-E-45198 (11 October 2004) --- The Soyuz TMA-5 spacecraft is mated to its booster rocket in a processing hangar at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan October 11, 2004, in... For the moon designated Saturn V, see Rhea. ...

First stage

The first stage of Soyuz rockets consists of four identical conical liquid booster rockets, strapped to the second stage core. Each booster has a single rocket motor with four combustion chambers, two vernier combustion chambers, and one set of turbopumps.

Statistics (each of 4 boosters)

• Gross mass: 44.5 t (98,100 lbm)
• Propellant: 39.2 t (86,400 lbm)
• Dry mass: 3,784 kg (8,342 lbm)
• Diameter: 2.68 m (8 ft 10 in)
• Length: 19.6 m (64 ft 4 in)
• Burn time: 118 s
• Engines:
  • Soyuz and Soyuz-U models
    • RD-107
      • Thrust 813 kN (183 klb_f) at liftoff
      • Thrust 991 kN (223 klb_f) in vacuum
      • Specific impulse 245 kgf·s/kg (2.40 kN·s/kg) at liftoff
      • Specific impulse 310 kgf·s/kg (3.04 kN·s/kg) in vacuum
      • Chamber pressure 5.85 MPa (848 psi)
  • Soyuz-ST models
    • RD-117 (11D511)
      • Thrust 838 kN (188 klb_f) at liftoff
      • Thrust 1021 kN (230 klb_f) in vacuum
      • Specific impulse 245 kgf·s/kg (2.40 kN·s/kg) at liftoff (est)
      • Specific impulse 310 kgf·s/kg (3.04 kN·s/kg) in vacuum (est)
      • Chamber pressure 5.85 MPa (848 psi)
  • Soyuz-FG
    • RD-117A (14D22)
      • Thrust 775 kN (174 klb_f) at liftoff
      • Specific impulse 320.2 kgf·s/kg (3.14 kN·s/kg) in vacuum

A tonne or metric ton (symbol t), sometimes referred to as a metric tonne, is a measurement of mass equal to 1,000 kilograms. ... The RD-107 is a type of rocket engine that was initially used to launch R-7 Semyorka missiles. ... The kilonewton, symbol kN, is an SI unit of force. ... The pound-force is a non-SI unit of force or weight (properly abbreviated lbf or lbf). The pound-force is equal to a mass of one pound multiplied by the standard acceleration due to gravity on Earth (which is defined as exactly 9. ... The deprecated unit kilogram-force (kgf) or kilopond (kp) is the force exerted by one kilogram of mass in standard Earth gravity (defined as exactly 9. ... The kilonewton, symbol kN, is an SI unit of force. ... The pound-force is a non-SI unit of force or weight (properly abbreviated lbf or lbf). The pound-force is equal to a mass of one pound multiplied by the standard acceleration due to gravity on Earth (which is defined as exactly 9. ...

Second stage

The second stage of the Soyuz booster is a single, generally cylindrical stage with one motor at the base. Like each of the first-stage rockets, it also has four combustion chambers and one set of turbopumps, but four (instead of two) vernier combustion chambers. The second stage tapers toward the bottom to allow the four first stage rockets to fit more closely together. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 398 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (2136 × 3216 pixel, file size: 919 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 398 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (2136 × 3216 pixel, file size: 919 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ...

• Gross mass: 105.4 t (232,400 lbm)
• Propellant: 95.4 t (210,000 lbm)
• Propellant (Soyuz-U2 with Syntin propellant): 96.4 t (212,000 lbm)
• Dry mass: 6,875 kg (15,160 lbm)
• Length: 28 m (91 ft 10 in)
• Diameter: 2.95 m (9 ft 8 in)
• Burn time: 290 s
• Engines:
  • Soyuz and Soyuz-U models
    • RD-108
      • Thrust 779 kN (175 klb_f) at liftoff
      • Thrust 997 kN (224 klb_f) in vacuum
      • Specific impulse 264 kgf·s/kg (2.59 kN·s/kg) at liftoff
      • Specific impulse 311 kgf·s/kg (3.05 kN·s/kg) in vacuum
      • Chamber pressure 5.1 MPa (740 psi)
  • Soyuz-U2 model with Syntin fuel
    • RD-108
      • Thrust 811 kN (182 klb_f) at liftoff
      • Thrust 1009 kN (227 klb_f) in vacuum
      • Specific impulse 264 kgf·s/kg (2.59 kN·s/kg) at liftoff
      • Specific impulse 311 kgf·s/kg (3.05 kN·s/kg) in vacuum
      • Chamber pressure 5.1 MPa (740 psi)
  • Soyuz-ST models
    • RD-118 (11D512)
      • Thrust 792 kN (178 klb_f) at liftoff
      • Thrust 990 kN (222 klb_f) in vacuum
      • Specific impulse 264 kgf·s/kg (2.59 kN·s/kg) at liftoff (est)
      • Specific impulse 311 kgf·s/kg (3.05 kN·s/kg) in vacuum (est)
      • Chamber pressure 5.85 MPa (848 psi)

Third stage

There are two variant upper stages in use, the Block I and Improved Block-I (used in Soyuz-2-1b).

• Gross mass: 25.2 t (55,600 lbm)
• Propellant: 21.4-22.9 t (47,200–50,500 lbm)
• Dry mass: 2355 kg (5190 lbm)
• Length: 6.7 m (22 ft 0 in)
• Diameter: 2.66 m (8 ft 9 in)
• Burn time: 240 s
• Engine:
  • Block I
    • RD-0110
    • Thrust 298 kN (67.0 klb_f)
    • Specific impulse 330 kgf·s/kg (3.24 kN·s/kg)
    • Chamber pressure 6.8 MPa (986 psi)
  • Improved Block I
    • RD-0124 (11D451)
    • Thrust 294 kN (66 klb_f)
    • Specific impulse 359 kgf·s/kg (3.52 kN·s/kg)
    • Chamber pressure 16.2 MPa (2350 psi)

Launch pad

The rocket is essentially suspended from 4 arms holding it upright. As the rocket begins to rise, counterweights on the arms pull them away.

The concept of suspending the rocket was one of the novelties introduced with R-7/Souyz. The rocket is supported by the side boosters. In turn, the boosters hold the central core of the rocket. This setup replicates the flight conditions, which push the centre core upwards.

At launch the first-stage boosters start first, then the second-stage core engines start. As the rocket lifts off, the arms are pulled out of the way by counterweights.

When the side boosters' engines stop, the boosters just fall away. There is no complex mechanical, electrical or hydraulic system to disengage the side boosters from the core.

References

1. ^ "Soyuz" - series launch vehicles. Samara Space Centre.

• International Reference Guide to Space Launch Systems, Third Edition, Iaskowitz, Hopkins, and Hopkins ed., 1999, Reston, Virginia, AIAA Publications. ISBN 1-56347-353-4

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Soyuz (rocket)

• R-7 missile family page
• Starsem
• Soyuz launch log at Starsem
• Soyuz U/Fregat
• Soyuz launch vehicle: The most reliable means of space travel
• Booster Family