Uprated Soyuz booster designed for commercial customers. Upgraded engines, modern avionics, reduced non-Russian content. Uses Fregat upper stage.

Also known as the Soyuz 2, it was a modernisation of the Soyuz launcher that increased general performance. The basic launch vehicle design remained the same. Changes were limited to:

• The first and second stage engines featured improved performance with new injectors and mixture ratio.
• The third stage engine performance was increased.
• The launch vehicle was equipped with a new control system allowing in-flight orbital plane change (whereas all earlier R-7 derived vehicles flew a fixed trajectory, with the launch table rotated before launch to the appropriate azimuth).
• A new digital telemetry system provided for launch vehicle monitoring.
• A new, larger-diameter fairing (3.65 meters in diameter) was used.

The standard fourth stage was the Fregat orbital module.

The Fregat upper stage has a flight-proved propulsion subsystem that is based on a single-chamber Lavochkin engine. Four clusters of three 50-N hydrazine thrusters provide attitude control. The Fregat propulsion system powered the Fobos probe to Mars, and the main engine was fitted on nearly 30 interplanetary spacecraft. During its numerous missions, the engine demonstrated the highest reliability under extreme conditions, exceeding technical specifications. This application of proven, in-production hardware ensures high reliability and lower cost for the Fregat upper stage. Fregat operates on UDMH fuel and N2O4 oxidizer, and has a liftoff mass of up to 6,535 kg. The weight at burnout is 950-1,100 kg.. Vacuum thrust is 19.6 kN., and burn time is up to 877 sec. The engine can be restarted as many as 20 times.

Manufacturer: Korolev. LEO Payload: 5,500 kg (12,100 lb). to: 450 km Orbit. at: 51.80 degrees. Payload: 4,500 kg (9,900 lb). to a: Sun synchronous, 800 km, 98.5 deg orbital trajectory. Liftoff Thrust: 4,144.700 kN (931,766 lbf). Total Mass: 305,000 kg (672,000 lb). Core Diameter: 2.95 m (9.67 ft). Total Length: 46.10 m (151.20 ft). Launch Price $: 35.000 million. in: 1999 price dollars.

• Stage Number: 0. 4 x Stage: Soyuz ST-0. Gross Mass: 44,400 kg (97,800 lb). Empty Mass: 3,810 kg (8,390 lb). Thrust (vac): 1,021.097 kN (229,552 lbf). Isp: 310 sec. Burn time: 120 sec. Isp(sl): 264 sec. Diameter: 2.68 m (8.79 ft). Span: 2.68 m (8.79 ft). Length: 19.60 m (64.30 ft). Propellants: Lox/Kerosene. No Engines: 1. Engine: RD-117. Status: In production. Gross mass includes 1190 kg of hydrogen peroxide and 280 kg of liquid nitrogen expended during ascent but not contributing to propulsion.

• Stage Number: 1. 1 x Stage: Soyuz ST-1. Gross Mass: 105,400 kg (232,300 lb). Empty Mass: 6,875 kg (15,156 lb). Thrust (vac): 999.601 kN (224,719 lbf). Isp: 311 sec. Burn time: 286 sec. Isp(sl): 245 sec. Diameter: 2.95 m (9.67 ft). Span: 2.95 m (9.67 ft). Length: 27.80 m (91.20 ft). Propellants: Lox/Kerosene. No Engines: 1. Engine: RD-118. Status: In production. Gross mass includes 2600 kg of hydrogen peroxide and 520 kg of liquid nitrogen expended during ascent but not contributing to propulsion.

• Stage Number: 2. 1 x Stage: Soyuz ST-2. Gross Mass: 25,200 kg (55,500 lb). Empty Mass: 2,355 kg (5,191 lb). Thrust (vac): 294.000 kN (66,093 lbf). Isp: 359 sec. Burn time: 300 sec. Diameter: 2.66 m (8.72 ft). Span: 2.66 m (8.72 ft). Length: 6.74 m (22.11 ft). Propellants: Lox/Kerosene. No Engines: 1. Engine: RD-0124. Status: In production.

• Stage Number: 3. 1 x Stage: Fregat. Gross Mass: 6,535 kg (14,407 lb). Empty Mass: 1,100 kg (2,400 lb). Thrust (vac): 19.600 kN (4,406 lbf). Isp: 327 sec. Burn time: 877 sec. Diameter: 3.35 m (10.99 ft). Span: 3.35 m (10.99 ft). Length: 1.50 m (4.90 ft). Propellants: N2O4/UDMH. No Engines: 1. Engine: S5.92. Status: In production. Upper stage developed from propulsion bus for Lavochkin lunar and planetary probes (Luna Ye-8, Mars M1, Fobos 1F). 20 restarts.

2006 December 24 - 08:34 GMT - Launch Site: Military. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz ST / Fregat ST. LV Configuration: Soyuz 2.1a/Fregat.

• Meridian 1 Nation: Russia. Mass: 2,000 kg (4,400 lb). Class: Communications. Spacecraft: Meridian. Agency: VKS. Manufacturer: NPO-PM. COSPAR: 2006-061A. USAF Sat Cat: 29668. Launch rescheduled twice due to Soyuz 2 software problems. The Meridian satellite was designed to provide communication between vessels and airplanes involved in ice surveillance in the North Sea area, and coastal stations on the ground, as well as to expand a network of satellite communications in the northern regions of Siberia and the Russian Far East.

• Isakowitz, Steven J, Hopkins, Joshua B, and Hopkins, Joseph P, International Reference to Space Launch Systems, AIAA, Washington DC, 2004. ISBN: 156347591X. The best reference on launch vehicles ever produced. More at amazon.com...