UEC Engines Ensured Rocket Launch With a GLONASS-M Satellite

UEC Engines Ensured Rocket Launch With a GLONASS-M Satellite

Photo by Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation

The RD-107A/108A serial rocket engines produced at the Samara’s Kuznetsov enterprise of the United Engine Corporation, ensured a successful launch of the Soyuz-2.1b space launch vehicle with the Fregat upper stage rocket from the Plesetsk cosmodrome. The GLONASS-M navigation satellite was launched into the Earth orbit.

The launch took place from the State test cosmodrome Plesetsk in the Arkhangelsk region on May 27th, at 09:23 Moscow time. The engines installed on the I and II stages of the Soyuz-2.1b space rocket of the carrier, have operated in a regular mode.

Three minutes after the launch, the Soyuz-2.1b launch vehicle was taken to escort by means of the ground-based automated control complex of the German Titov Main Test Space Center. At the estimated time, the GLONASS-M spacecraft was launched into the target orbit by the Fregat upper stage rocket and accepted for control by ground-based facilities of the Space Forces VKS (Russian Aerospace Forces). A stable telemetric connection is established and maintained with the spacecraft. The on-board systems of the GLONASS-M spacecraft are functioning normally.

This launch was the 30th for the Soyuz-2.1b launch vehicle and the first for a space rocket from the Plesetsk cosmodrome in 2019.

Modifications of the RD-107A/RD-108A propulsion systems have been equipped with I and II stages of all launch vehicles of the R-7 type (including the Soyuz type LV) since 1958. These engines are mass-produced at PJSC Kuznetsov with design support from the NPO Energomash developer. Statistical reliability of products exceeds 99.9%.