NEXT SPACEFLIGHT

Status

Success

Cosmos 2552

Launch Time
Thu Nov 25, 2021 01:09 UTC

Rocket

Soyuz 2.1b/Fregat
Image Credit: Roscosmos
VKS RF
Status: Active
Price: $25.0 million
Liftoff Thrust: 4,550 kN
Payload to LEO: 7,500 kg
Payload to GTO: 3,000 kg
Stages: 4
Strap-ons: 4
Rocket Height: 46.94 m
Fairing Diameter: 4.11 m
Fairing Height: 11.43 m

Mission Details

Tundra n°5L

The Tundra or EKS (Edinaya Kosmicheskaya Sistema) series of satellites is the next generation of Russian early warning satellites to replace the US-K and US-KMO early warning satellites of the Oko-1 system.

The development of the EKS started in 2000. The Russian Ministry of Defence awarded in 2007 a contract for the EKS system to RKK Energiya with a first test launch planned in 2009. Several problems, changing requirements and a court case led to long delays, postponing the first mission to the end of 2014.

Reportedly the Tundra satellites carry also a secure emergency communications payload to be used in case of a nuclear war.

Payloads: 1
Molniya Orbit

Location

Site 43/4, Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russia

Stats

2021

120th orbital launch attempt

Soyuz 2.1b

69th mission
12th mission of 2021
66th successful mission
33rd consecutive successful mission