Soyuz-FG

Soyuz FG (Soyuz-FG/Fregat)

The launch of Soyuz TMA-9 atop a Soyuz-FG rocket.
Function	Orbital carrier rocket
Manufacturer	TsSKB-Progress
Country of origin	Russia
Size
Height	49.5 m for Soyuz-FG and 42.5 m for Soyuz-FG/Fregat
Diameter	10.3 m
Mass	305,000 kg (672,000 lb)
Stages	2 (Soyuz FG) or 3 (Soyuz-FG/Fregat)
Capacity
Payload to LEO	7,100 kg for Soyuz-FG and 7,800 kg for Soyuz-FG/Fregat
Payload to 800km SSO (only for Soyuz-FG/Fregat)	4,500 kg (9,900 lb)
Associated rockets
Family	R-7 (Soyuz)
Launch history
Status	Active
Launch sites	LC-1 (Soyuz-FG) & LC-31 (Soyuz-FG/Fregat), Baikonur
Total launches	36 (FG: 27, FG/Fregat: 9)
Successes	36
Maiden flight	Soyuz-FG: May 20, 2001 Soyuz-FG/Fregat June 2, 2003
Notable payloads	Soyuz-TMA Progress spacecraft
Boosters (Stage 0)
No. boosters	4
Engines	1 RD-107А
Thrust	838.5 kN near surface (1021.3 kN in vacuum)
Burn time	118 seconds
Fuel	LOX/RP-1
First stage
Engines	1 RD-108А
Thrust	792.48 kN near surface (990.18 kN in vacuum)
Burn time	280 seconds
Fuel	LOX/RP-1
Second stage
Engines	1 RD-0110
Thrust	297.93 kN in vacuum
Burn time	230 seconds
Fuel	LOX/RP-1
Third stage (Optional) - Fregat
Engines	1 S5.92
Thrust	19.6 kN (4,406 LBf)
Specific impulse	327 Isp
Burn time	877 seconds
Fuel	N2O4/UDMH

The Soyuz-FG launch vehicle is an improved version of the Soyuz-U, from the R-7 family of rockets, designed and constructed by TsSKB-Progress in Samara. It made its maiden flight on May 20, 2001, carrying a Progress M1-6 cargo spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS).

Since October 30, 2002 the Soyuz-FG has been the only vehicle used by the Russian Federal Space Agency to launch Soyuz-TMA manned spacecraft to the ISS. As of October 2010, Soyuz-FG has performed 23 flights, bringing to the ISS three Progress-M1, 20 Soyuz-TMA spacecraft, and one Soyuz-TMA-M spacecraft, with its most recent launch on April 15, 2011. All launches have been successful thus far.

Another version of the Soyuz-FG is the Soyuz-FG/Fregat with Fregat as its 3rd stage, developed and produced by Lavochkin Association in Khimki. A European-Russian company Starsem owns all rights to launches using this version. As of April 2008 there have been nine launches of Soyuz-FG/Fregat with commercial payloads. Its maiden flight occurred on June 2, 2003.

The analog control system of this spacecraft significantly limits its capabilities, however, and it will eventually be replaced by the Soyuz-2 launch vehicle.

The Soyuz-FG is launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Launch site LC-1 for Soyuz-FG and LC-31, for Soyuz-FG/Fregat.

Launch history

A Soyuz-FG is rolled out to the launch pad at Baikonur Cosmodrome.

Date and Time (UTC)	Configuration	Serial Number	Launch Site	Result	Payload	Remarks
May 20, 2001 22:32	Soyuz-FG	К15000-001	LC-1, Baikonur	Success	Progress M1-6	ISS Logistics
November 26, 2001 18:24	Soyuz-FG	Ф15000-002	LC-1, Baikonur	Success	Progress M1-7	ISS Logistics
					Kolibri 2000
September 25, 2002 16:58	Soyuz-FG	Э15000-003	LC-1, Baikonur	Success	Progress M1-9	ISS Logistics
October 30, 2002 16:58	Soyuz-FG	Э15000-004	LC-1, Baikonur	Success	Soyuz TMA-1	Manned flight with 3 Cosmonauts ISS escape craft
April 26, 2003 03:53	Soyuz-FG	Э15000-006	LC-1, Baikonur	Success	Soyuz TMA-2	Manned flight with 2 Cosmonauts ISS Expedition 7
June 2, 2003 18:24	Soyuz-FG/Fregat	Э15000-005/ ST-11	LC-31, Baikonur	Success	Mars Express	Mars orbiter
					Beagle 2	Mars lander Launched successfully but later failed
October 18, 2003 05:38	Soyuz-FG	Д15000-007	LC-1, Baikonur	Success	Soyuz TMA-3	Manned flight with 3 Cosmonauts ISS Expedition 8
December 27, 2003 21:30	Soyuz-FG/Fregat	Д15000-008/ ST-12	LC-31, Baikonur	Success	AMOS-2	Communications satellite
April 19, 2004 05:19	Soyuz-FG	Ж15000-009	LC-1, Baikonur	Success	Soyuz TMA-4	Manned flight with 3 Cosmonauts ISS Expedition 9
October 14, 2004 03:06	Soyuz-FG	Ж15000-012	LC-1, Baikonur	Success	Soyuz TMA-5	Manned flight with 3 Cosmonauts ISS Expedition 10
April 15, 2005 00:46	Soyuz-FG	Ж15000-014	LC-1, Baikonur	Success	Soyuz TMA-6	Manned flight with 3 Cosmonauts ISS Expedition 11
August 13, 2005 23:28	Soyuz-FG/Fregat	Ж15000-011/ ST-13	LC-31, Baikonur	Success	Galaxy 14	Communications satellite
October 1, 2005 03:54	Soyuz-FG	П15000-017	LC-1, Baikonur	Success	Soyuz TMA-7	Manned flight with 3 Cosmonauts ISS Expedition 12
November 9, 2005 03:33	Soyuz-FG/Fregat	Ж15000-010/ ST-14	LC-31, Baikonur	Success	Venus Express	Venus orbiter
December 28, 2005 05:19	Soyuz-FG/Fregat	П15000-015/ ST-15	LC-31, Baikonur	Success	GIOVE-A	Navigation satellite
March 30, 2006 02:30	Soyuz-FG	П15000-018	LC-1, Baikonur	Success	Soyuz TMA-8	Manned flight with 3 Cosmonauts ISS Expedition 13
September 18, 2006 04:08	Soyuz-FG	Ц15000-023	LC-1, Baikonur	Success	Soyuz TMA-9	Manned flight with 3 Cosmonauts ISS Expedition 14
April 7, 2007 17:31	Soyuz-FG	Ц15000-019	LC-1, Baikonur	Success	Soyuz TMA-10	Manned flight with 3 Cosmonauts ISS Expedition 15
May 29, 2007 20:31	Soyuz-FG/Fregat	Ц15000-021	LC-31, Baikonur	Success	Globalstar	Comsat
					Globalstar	Comsat
					Globalstar	Comsat
					Globalstar	Comsat
October 10, 2007 13:22 [1]	Soyuz-FG	Ц15000-020	LC-1, Baikonur	Success	Soyuz TMA-11	Manned flight with 3 Cosmonauts ISS Expedition 16
October 20, 2007 20:12	Soyuz-FG/Fregat	Ц15000-022	LC-31, Baikonur	Success	Globalstar	Comsat
					Globalstar	Comsat
					Globalstar	Comsat
					Globalstar	Comsat
December 14, 2007 13:17	Soyuz-FG/Fregat	Ц15000-025	LC-31, Baikonur	Success	RADARSAT-2	Earth observation
April 8, 2008 11:16	Soyuz-FG	Ш15000-024	LC-1, Baikonur	Success	Soyuz TMA-12	Manned flight with 3 Cosmonauts ISS Expedition 17 First South Korean in space.
April 26, 2008 22:16	Soyuz-FG/Fregat	П15000-016	LC-31, Baikonur	Success	GIOVE-B	Navigation satellite
October 12, 2008 07:01	Soyuz-FG	Ш15000-026	LC-1/5, Baikonur	Success	Soyuz TMA-13	Manned flight with 3 Cosmonauts ISS Expedition 18
March 26, 2009 11:49	Soyuz-FG	Ю15000-027	LC-1/5, Baikonur	Success	Soyuz TMA-14	Manned flight with 3 Cosmonauts ISS Expedition 19
May 27, 2009 10:34[2]	Soyuz-FG	Ю15000-030	LC-1/5, Baikonur	Success	Soyuz TMA-15	Manned flight with 3 Cosmonauts ISS Expedition 20
September 30, 2009 07:14	Soyuz-FG	Б15000-029	LC-1/5, Baikonur	Success	Soyuz TMA-16	Manned flight with 3 Cosmonauts ISS Expedition 21
December 20, 2009 21:52	Soyuz-FG	Б15000-031	LC-1/5, Baikonur	Success	Soyuz TMA-17	Manned flight with 3 Cosmonauts ISS Expedition 22
April 2, 2010 04:04	Soyuz-FG	Ю15000-028	LC-1/5, Baikonur	Success	Soyuz TMA-18	Manned flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 23
June 15, 2010 21:35	Soyuz-FG	Б15000-032	LC-1/5, Baikonur	Success	Soyuz TMA-19	Manned flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 24
October 7, 2010 23:10	Soyuz-FG	Б15000-035	LC-1/5, Baikonur	Success	Soyuz TMA-01M	Manned flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 25
December 15, 2010 19:09	Soyuz-FG	Б15000-034	LC-1/5, Baikonur	Success	Soyuz TMA-20	Manned flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 26
April 4, 2011 22:18	Soyuz-FG	И15000-036	LC-1/5, Baikonur	Success	Soyuz TMA-21	Manned flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 27
June 7, 2011 20:12	Soyuz-FG	И15000-037	LC-1/5, Baikonur	Success	Soyuz TMA-02M	Manned flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 28
November 14, 2011 04:14	Soyuz-FG	И15000-038	LC-1/5, Baikonur	Success	Soyuz TMA-22	Manned flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 29
December 21, 2011 13:16	Soyuz-FG	И15000-039	LC-1/5, Baikonur	Success	Soyuz TMA-03M	Manned flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 30 and Expedition 31

See also

The Soyuz TMA-13 spacecraft arrives at the launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan October 10, 2008.

• Soyuz (spacecraft)
• Soyuz programme
• Russian Federal Space Agency
• Starsem

External links

• Russian Federal Space Agency about Soyuz-FG (Russian)
• LV's manufacturer TsSKB-Progress about Soyuz-FG (Russian)