MISSION NAME
Gonets-M27, Gonets-M28, Gonets-M29 & others 29
Status
Success
DATE
28 SEP 2020
LAUNCH PROVIDER
Russian Space Forces
Launch Pad
43/4 (43R)
Description
Gonets-M are an upgraded version of Gonets satellites, derived from military communications system Strela-3. Gonets-M constellation is tasked with monitoring ecological and industrial objects, providing communication and data transmission services, covering also the remote areas like the Far North region. This launch also carries 22 small satellites as a rideshare payloads. These are cubesats for commercial companies such as Spire and Kepler Communications, as well as cubesats for various international universities.
Soyuz 2.1b Fregat-M
Rocket Description
Soyuz-2, GRAU index 14A14, is the collective designation for the 21st-century version of the Russian Soyuz rocket. In its basic form, it is a three-stage carrier rocket for placing payloads into low Earth orbit. The first-stage boosters and two core stages feature uprated engines with improved injection systems, compared to the previous versions of the Soyuz. Digital flight control and telemetry systems allow the rocket to be launched from a fixed launch platform, whereas the launch platforms for earlier Soyuz rockets had to be rotated as the rocket could not perform a roll to change its heading in flight.