Meridian 6

43/4 (43R)

Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation

43/4 (43R) has witnessed the launch of 320 rockets, including 320 orbital launch attempts, while Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation, has been the site for 1669 rocket launches.

Progress Rocket Space Center Soyuz 2.1a Fregat-M

The 2.1a version includes conversion from analog to digital flight control system and uprated engines on the booster and the first stage with improved injection systems. The new digital flight control and telemetry systems allow the rocket to launch from a fixed rather than angled launch platform and adjust its heading in flight. A digital control system also enables the launch of larger commercial satellites with wider and longer payload fairings such as the ST-type fairing. These fairings introduce too much aerodynamic instability for the old analog system to handle.