Success
Kosmos 2568 (EO MKA-4)
Government/Top Secret
Russian Space Forces(VKS)Government
Soyuz 2.1v Volga
SSOorbit
Note: Payload identity uncertain. Russian reconnaissance satellite of unknown purposes, possibly in the same series as Kosmos 2551, 2555 and 2560.
Wednesday, March 29, 2023 at 7:57 PM
Mission details
Orbital Attempt
#6,418
VKS Mission
#134
Pad Launch
#315
Location Launch
#1,661
Designator
2023-045
Launch Window
NET
Mar 29, 2023, 7:57 PM
Precision
Second
Schedule Changes
1 update
Lift Off
7:00 PM
Window Open
9:00 PM
Window Close
Social Flight Log
- Mar 29, 2023, 11:07 PM
Launch success.
Source - Mar 29, 2023, 8:19 PM
Liftoff confirmed.
Source - Mar 21, 2023, 4:17 PM
Moved launch period to one as indicated by another NOTAM; March 23 one is for another launch.
Source - Mar 16, 2023, 2:54 AM
Added launch per NOTAMs and insider reports. Launch vehicle and payload identities are uncertain.
Source
Soyuz 2.1v Volga Specs
The Soyuz-2.1v is a Russian expendable carrier rocket. It was derived from the Soyuz-2.1b, and is a member of the R-7 family of rockets.
Length
44 m
Diameter
3 m
Launch Mass
158 t
LEO Capacity
2,850 kg
Reusable
No
Maiden Flight
2013
Fastest Turnaround
2mo 20d
Total Launches
9
Successful
8
Failed
1
Consecutive Success
7
Maiden flight: Dec 28, 2013
Russian Space Forces
The Russian Space Forces are a branch of the Russian Aerospace Forces, that provides aerospace warning, air sovereignty, and protection for Russia. Having been reestablished following August 1, 2015 merger between the Russian Air Force and the Russian Aerospace Defence Forces after a 2011 dissolving of the branch. The Russian Space Forces were originally formed on August 10, 1992 and the creation of the Russian Armed Forces.
Founded
1992
Administrator
Commander: Aleksandr Golovko
Total Launches
156
Successful
148
Failed
8
Pending
1
Consecutive Success
68
Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation
Plesetsk Cosmodrome is a Russian spaceport located in Mirny, Arkhangelsk Oblast, about 800 km north of Moscow and approximately 200 km south of Arkhangelsk. Originally developed as an ICBM site for the R-7 missile, it also served for numerous satellite launches using the R-7 and other rockets. Its high latitude makes it useful only for certain types of launches, especially the Molniya orbits, so for much of the site's history it functioned as a secondary location, with most orbital launches taking place from Baikonur, in the Kazakh SSR. With the end of the Soviet Union, Baikonur became a foreign territory, and Kazakhstan charged $115 million usage fees annually. Consequently, Plesetsk has seen considerably more activity since the 2000s.
Timezone
Europe/Moscow
Local Launch Time
Mar 29, 2023, 10:57 PM
Total Launches
1,685
Total Landings
0
Coordinates
62.9256, 40.5778