Successful launch
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Historical mission record
This page records Soyuz 2.1a/Fregat-M | Neitron (Kosmos 2553) and its reported outcome: Launch Successful. The date above is a historical record.
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Mission status
Launch Successful
Status reported by the mission data provider.
LAUNCH SITEPlesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation
Mission
Payload suspected to be a new type of Russian military intelligence satellite called Neitron.
- Launch vehicle
- Soyuz 2.1a Fregat-M
- Mission type
- Government/Top Secret
- Destination orbit
- Low Earth Orbit
- Launch pad
- 43/4 (43R)
- Provider
- Russian Space Forces
The vehicle
Published configuration and flight history.
Launch vehicle
Soyuz 2.1a Fregat-M
The 2.1a version includes conversion from analog to digital flight control system and uprated engines on the booster and the first stage with improved injection systems. The new digital flight control and telemetry systems allow the rocket to launch from a fixed rather than angled launch platform and adjust its heading in flight. A digital control system also enables the launch of larger commercial satellites with wider and longer payload fairings such as the ST-type fairing. These fairings introduce too much aerodynamic instability for the old analog system to handle.
- Height
- 46.3 m
- Diameter
- 2.95 m
- Stages
- 3
- Recorded launches
- 19
- First flight
- 2010-10-19
Recorded timing
This is a mission record, not an upcoming calendar appointment.
Instantaneous windowPublished target
SCHEDULED MOMENT
A single scheduled moment. The schedule may change before launch.
Launch site & orbit
Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation
The mission in perspective
Launch site & orbit
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Coverage & sources
Links supplied by the mission data provider.
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Mission coverage
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Further reading
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