Photo: Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation
The RD-107A/108A serial rocket engines manufactured by UEC-Kuznetsov, the Samara-based enterprise of the United Engine Corporation (Rostec), ensured the successful launch of a Soyuz-2.1b rocket carrying the GLONASS-K navigation satellite.
Liftoff occurred at 5:52 AM Moscow time on October 10 from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in the Arkhangelsk Region. The engines, manufactured by UEC-Kuznetsov, installed on stages I and II of the Soyuz-2.1b rocket performed normally. The navigation satellite was successfully put into orbit at the appointed time.
The GLONASS-K satellite, designed to develop the GLONASS orbital group, complemented the constellation of 25 satellites in orbit.
Modifications of the RD-107A/RD-108A propulsion systems have been fitted out stages I and II of all R-7 carrier rockets (including Soyuz carrier rockets) since 1958. Currently, these engines are mass-produced by JSC UEC-Kuznetsov with the design support of the developer JSC NPO Energomash named after academician V.P. Glushko. The statistical reliability of the products exceeds 99.9%.
