Strela (rocket)

Strela

The Strela carrier rocket
Function	Orbital carrier rocket
Manufacturer	NPO Mashinostroyeniya, JSC "Khartron" (control system)
Country of origin	Russia
Size
Height	24.3 metres (80 ft)
Diameter	2.5 metres (8.2 ft)
Mass	104,000 kilograms (230,000 lb)
Stages	2
Capacity
Payload to LEO	1,700 kilograms (3,700 lb)
Associated rockets
Family	Universal Rocket
Launch history
Status	Active
Launch sites	Baikonur Cosmodrome
Total launches	1
Successes	1
First flight	5 December 2003

Strela (Russian: Стрела, arrow) is a Russian orbital carrier rocket, derived from the Soviet/Russian UR-100NU missile. It conducted its maiden launch on 5 December 2003.

It was originally planned to be launched from the Svobodny Cosmodrome, with test launches being conducted from existing UR-100 silos at the Baikonur Cosmodrome. Svobodny was closed in 2007, without seeing any Strela launches. It is unclear whether a Strela launch complex will be incorporated into the Vostochny Cosmodrome, which is being built on the site of Svobodny.

Strela differs from the Rockot, which is also derived from the UR-100, in that it has undergone fewer modifications, such as the absence of an additional upper stage, as used on the Rockot. It is also launched from silos, whereas the Rockot is launched from flat pads.

See also

• Comparison of orbital launchers families
• Comparison of orbital launch systems
• UR-100
• Dnepr rocket
• Rockot