Government/Top Secret
Film-return reconnaissance satellite
Orbital Attempt
#4,201
RVSN RF Mission
#6
Pad Launch
#115
Location Launch
#1,493
Designator
1997-080
Dec 15, 1997, 3:40 PM
1 update
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
Dec 15, 1997, 6:40 PM
Total Launches
1,685
Total Landings
0
Coordinates
62.9256, 40.5778
A Russian orbital launch vehicle. A version of the Soyuz-U with safety modifications to prevent and resist fires in all stages and the upper stage avionics compartment.
Length
51 m
Diameter
3 m
Launch Mass
313 t
LEO Capacity
6,900 kg
Reusable
No
Maiden Flight
1984
Fastest Turnaround
19h 30m
Total Launches
74
Successful
72
Failed
2
Consecutive Success
12
Maiden flight: Mar 21, 1984
The Strategic Rocket Forces of the Russian Federation are a separate-troops branch of the Russian Armed Forces that control Russia's land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).
Founded
1959
Total Launches
15
Successful
12
Failed
3
Pending
0
Consecutive Success
1