Soyuz-2 launch vehicle / Fregat upper stage

 

Target orbits:

• Sun-synchronous orbit
• Low Earth orbit
• Polar orbit

Advantages of the rideshare mission for the customer:

• opportunity of regular access to space for small spacecraft
• competitive cost
• unique opportunity to form the spacecraft’s own orbit

Fregat multi-purpose upper stage has been used since 2000 as a part of the launchers for delivering the spacecrafts to various orbits. It is manufactured by NPO Lavochkin.

Key features:

• Multi-purpose conception. It provides the delivery of satellites to different orbits within one mission. The upper stage is used in medium-class (Soyuz) and heavy-class (Zenit) launchers.
• Accuracy. It provides the highest accuracy in delivering satellites to their target orbits.
• Reliability. Fregat upper stage has a flight proven record of high reliability.

As of May 2016, 58 launches of various Fregat modifications were executed with orbital insertion of more than 100 Russian and foreign satellites.

 

 

The Soyuz-2 family launch vehicles were designed on the basis of the Soyuz-U serial launch vehicle. Advanced propulsion systems and modern control and measurement systems are introduced on Soyuz-2 launch vehicles, which significantly increased the technical and operational characteristics of the launch vehicle. The prime developer and producer is Progress Space Rocket Center (Samara, part of Roscosmos).

The work was carried out in two phases:

• At phase 1a , a unified Soyuz 2.1a launch vehicle for various types of head payload blocks with nose fairing diameters up to 4.11 m was created. The launch vehicle is characterized by improved injection accuracy and increased mass of payloads deliverable in low orbits due to the improvement of the control and propulsion systems of the 1st and 2nd stages.
• At phase 1b (Soyuz 2.1b launch vehicle), the 3rd stage was equipped with a modern 14D23 engine (RD-0124), which further increased the performance of the launch vehicle.

The Soyuz-2 launch vehicles, depending on the purpose, can use the Fregat upper stage.

The new generation of the legendary launch vehicle uses environmentally friendly propellant components - kerosene and liquid oxygen. In the very near future, naphthyl will replace kerosene, which will increase the environmental friendliness of the launch vehicle. The increased power-to-weight ratio and up-to-date control system have created new capacities for spacecraft orbiting.

The Soyuz-2 launch vehicles in combination with the Fregat upper stage are used for spacecraft injection into near-Earth orbits of various altitudes and inclinations, including geostationary Earth orbit and geostationary transfer orbit, as well as interplanetary orbits.

Structurally, the Soyuz-2 launch vehicles, like all Soyuz family rockets, are made according to the scheme of lateral-tandem launch vehicle stages:

• at the first phase of the flight, the engines of the four side boosters and the core stage work;
• at the second phase, after the separation of the side boosters, only the engine of the core stage works.

«Soyuz-2» launchers

Soyuz-2 is a new generation of medium-class launchers based on the world’s longest operating civil Soyuz launcher. It incorporates innovative solutions and national achievements in launch vehicle building. Soyuz-2 features an increased power capacity, modern control system and eco-friendly propellant.

 

ACCESS TO VARIOUS ORBITS

Soyuz-2 launcher with the Fregat upper stage provides payload injection into the most demanded orbits today: a low-Earth orbit, a sun-synchronous orbit, a geostationary transfer orbit, a geostationary orbit, and interplanetary orbits.

 

THE OPTIMUM SOLUTION FOR SATELLITE CONSTELLATION LAUNCHING

Soyuz-2 / Fregat launch system provides launching of satellite constellations and their further delivery to various orbits.