Launches / Soyuz 2.1a

Past launch Launched successfully

Obzor-R No.1

Soyuz 2.1a, flown by Russian Federal Space Agency (ROSCOSMOS)

Soyuz 2.1a lifting off with the Obzor-R No.1 mission
Image via The Space Devs.

This was Russian Federal Space Agency (ROSCOSMOS)'s 8th launch of 2025, and its 337th in all.

Counting every operator, it was the 319th orbital launch attempt anywhere in 2025, and the third from 43/4 (43R).

Launched
Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, 2:11 p.m. UTC
Window
Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. UTC
Launch site
Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russia
Rocket
Soyuz 2.1a
Operator
Russian Federal Space Agency (ROSCOSMOS)

Watch the webcast →

The mission

The Russian Obzor-R satellite is a planned X-band radar earth observation satellite designed by TsSKB-Progress. In 2012, the development of the Arkon-2M radar satellite was stopped and instead the development of the Obzor-R was initiated. The satellite features the BRLK X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar as the imaging instrument with a ground resolution of 500 m.

Type
Earth science
Destination
Sun-synchronous orbit

The rocket

The Soyuz 2.1A converted the flight control system from analog to digital, which allowed launch from fixed platforms. It also allowed big fairings and payloads. It is currently used for crewed Soyuz and Progress flights to the ISS.

The operator

Russian Federal Space Agency (ROSCOSMOS)

The Roscosmos State Corporation for Space Activities, commonly known as Roscosmos, is the governmental body responsible for the space science program of the Russian Federation and general aerospace research. Soyuz has many launch locations the Russian sites are Baikonur, Plesetsk and Vostochny however Ariane also purchases the vehicle and launches it from French Guiana.

Sector
Government
Based in
Russia
Founded
1992
Run by
Yuri Borisov, Administrator

343 launches so far, 332 of them successful. The last 67 in a row went to plan.

en.roscosmos.ru → Wikipedia →

The launch site

It went up from 43/4 (43R) at Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russia.

See the pad on a map →

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