# Soyuz-FG

The Soyuz-FG launch vehicle was an improved version of the Soyuz-U from the R-7 family of rockets, designed and constructed by RKTs Progress in Samara, Russia. The rocket's guidance, navigation, and control system was developed and manufactured by the Polisvit Special Design Bureau in Kharkiv, Ukraine.
Soyuz-FG made its maiden flight on 20 May 2001, carrying a Progress cargo spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS). It was retired after the 25 September 2019 launch of Soyuz MS-15 to the ISS; the analog control system significantly limited its capabilities and prompted its replacement by the Soyuz 2. From 30 October 2002 to 25 September 2019, the Soyuz-FG was the only vehicle used by the Russian Federal Space Agency to launch Soyuz TMA, Soyuz TMA-M and Soyuz MS crewed spacecraft to the ISS.
For uncrewed flights, Soyuz-FG optionally flew with a Fregat upper stage, developed and produced by Lavochkin Association in Khimki. The maiden flight of this configuration occurred on 2 June 2003, the first of ten such launches. Launches of the Soyuz-FG/Fregat configuration were marketed by a European-Russian company called Starsem.
Soyuz-FG was launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, from Gagarin's Start (Site 1/5) for crewed missions, and from Site 31/6 for satellite launches with the Fregat upper stage.
The Soyuz-FG performed 64 successful launches until its first failure on 11 October 2018 with the Soyuz MS-10 mission. A video recording of the spaceflight released several weeks later suggested a faulty sensor, resulted in the destruction of the rocket. The crew, NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksey Ovchinin, escaped safely.
The FG designation stands for forsunochnaya golovka, Russian for injector head, the main component which received significant improvements. The previous RD-107 and RD-108 engines on the first and second stages, respectively, used 260 two-component centrifugal injectors. The improved RD-107A and RD-108A engines each had more than a thousand one-component injectors. These new injectors allowed finer aeration of propellant for more thorough burning and reduced the probability of high-frequency vibrations inside the combustion chambers. The result was increase in specific impulse by about 5 seconds (0.049 km/s), or about five percent, which allowed the rocket to lift another 250 to 300 kilograms (550 to 660 lb) of payload to orbit.
The Soyuz-FG was an interim upgrade designed to bridge the gap between the venerable Soyuz-U, in use since the 1970s, and the heavily modernized Soyuz-2, which was still under development when the FG was introduced. Although Progress initially planned to use the RD-107A and RD-108A engines on the Soyuz-2, the availability of flight-ready engines led to the decision to introduce the Soyuz-FG. This strategy allowed the Soyuz-U to remain in service, utilizing the existing stock of older engines, while the Soyuz-FG served as a transitional solution until the Soyuz-2 became fully operational.

## Launch history

| Date and time (UTC) | Configuration | Serial number | Launch site | Result | Payload | Remarks |
| 20 May 2001 22:32 | Soyuz-FG | К15000-001 | Baikonur, Site 1/5 | Success | Progress M1-6 | ISS resupply |
| 26 November 2001 18:24 | Soyuz-FG | Ф15000-002 | Baikonur, Site 1/5 | Success | Progress M1-7 | ISS resupply Kolibri 2000 |
| 25 September 2002 16:58 | Soyuz-FG | Э15000-003 | Baikonur, Site 1/5 | Success | Progress M1-9 | ISS resupply |
| 30 October 2002 16:58 | Soyuz-FG | Э15000-004 | Baikonur, Site 1/5 | Success | Soyuz TMA-1 | Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS escape craft |
| 26 April 2003 03:53 | Soyuz-FG | Э15000-006 | Baikonur, Site 1/5 | Success | Soyuz TMA-2 | Crewed flight with 2 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 7 |
| 2 June 2003 18:24 | Soyuz-FG/Fregat | Э15000-005/ ST-11 | Baikonur LC-31/6 | Success | Mars Express | Mars orbiter |
| 2 June 2003 18:24 | Soyuz-FG/Fregat | Э15000-005/ ST-11 | Baikonur LC-31/6 | Success | Beagle 2 | Mars lander Spacecraft failed after landing |
| 18 October 2003 05:38 | Soyuz-FG | Д15000-007 | Baikonur, Site 1/5 | Success | Soyuz TMA-3 | Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 8 |
| 27 December 2003 21:30 | Soyuz-FG/Fregat | Д15000-008/ ST-12 | Baikonur, Site 31/6 | Success | AMOS-2 | Communications satellite |
| 19 April 2004 05:19 | Soyuz-FG | Ж15000-009 | Baikonur, Site 1/5 | Success | Soyuz TMA-4 | Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 9 |
| 14 October 2004 03:06 | Soyuz-FG | Ж15000-012 | Baikonur, Site 1/5 | Success | Soyuz TMA-5 | Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 10 |
| 15 April 2005 00:46 | Soyuz-FG | Ж15000-014 | Baikonur, Site 1/5 | Success | Soyuz TMA-6 | Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 11 |
| 13 August 2005 23:28 | Soyuz-FG/Fregat | Ж15000-011/ ST-13 | Baikonur, Site 31/6 | Success | Galaxy 14 | Communications satellite |
| 1 October 2005 03:54 | Soyuz-FG | П15000-017 | Baikonur, Site 1/5 | Success | Soyuz TMA-7 | Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 12 |
| 9 November 2005 03:33 | Soyuz-FG/Fregat | Ж15000-010/ ST-14 | Baikonur, Site 31/6 | Success | Venus Express | Venus orbiter |
| 28 December 2005 05:19 | Soyuz-FG/Fregat | П15000-015/ ST-15 | Baikonur, Site 31/6 | Success | GIOVE-A | Navigation satellite |
| 30 March 2006 02:30 | Soyuz-FG | П15000-018 | Baikonur, Site 1/5 | Success | Soyuz TMA-8 | Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 13 |
| 18 September 2006 04:08 | Soyuz-FG | Ц15000-023 | Baikonur, Site 1/5 | Success | Soyuz TMA-9 | Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 14 |
| 7 April 2007 17:31 | Soyuz-FG | Ц15000-019 | Baikonur, Site 1/5 | Success | Soyuz TMA-10 | Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 15 |
| 29 May 2007 20:31 | Soyuz-FG/Fregat | Ц15000-021 | Baikonur, Site 31/6 | Success | Globalstar × 4 | Communications satellites |
| 10 October 2007 13:22 | Soyuz-FG | Ц15000-020 | Baikonur, Site 1/5 | Success | Soyuz TMA-11 | Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 16 |
| 20 October 2007 20:12 | Soyuz-FG/Fregat | Ц15000-022 | Baikonur, Site 31/6 | Success | Globalstar × 4 | Communications satellites |
| 14 December 2007 13:17 | Soyuz-FG/Fregat | Ц15000-025 | Baikonur, Site 31/6 | Success | RADARSAT-2 | Earth observation |
| 8 April 2008 11:16 | Soyuz-FG | Ш15000-024 | Baikonur, Site 1/5 | Success | Soyuz TMA-12 | Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 17 First South Korean in space. |
| 26 April 2008 22:16 | Soyuz-FG/Fregat | П15000-016 | Baikonur, Site 31/6 | Success | GIOVE-B | Navigation satellite |
| 12 October 2008 07:01 | Soyuz-FG | Ш15000-026 | Baikonur, Site 1/5 | Success | Soyuz TMA-13 | Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 18 |
| 26 March 2009 11:49 | Soyuz-FG | Ю15000-027 | Baikonur, Site 1/5 | Success | Soyuz TMA-14 | Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 19 |
| 27 May 2009 10:34 | Soyuz-FG | Ю15000-030 | Baikonur, Site 1/5 | Success | Soyuz TMA-15 | Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 20 |
| 30 September 2009 07:14 | Soyuz-FG | Б15000-029 | Baikonur, Site 1/5 | Success | Soyuz TMA-16 | Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 21 |
| 20 December 2009 21:52 | Soyuz-FG | Б15000-031 | Baikonur, Site 1/5 | Success | Soyuz TMA-17 | Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 22 |
| 2 April 2010 04:04 | Soyuz-FG | Ю15000-028 | Baikonur, Site 1/5 | Success | Soyuz TMA-18 | Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 23 |
| 15 June 2010 21:35 | Soyuz-FG | Б15000-032 | Baikonur, Site 1/5 | Success | Soyuz TMA-19 | Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 24 |
| 7 October 2010 23:10 | Soyuz-FG | Б15000-035 | Baikonur, Site 1/5 | Success | Soyuz TMA-01M | Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 25 |
| 15 December 2010 19:09 | Soyuz-FG | Б15000-034 | Baikonur, Site 1/5 | Success | Soyuz TMA-20 | Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 26 |
| 4 April 2011 22:18 | Soyuz-FG | И15000-036 | Baikonur, Site 1/5 | Success | Soyuz TMA-21 | Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 27 |
| 7 June 2011 20:12 | Soyuz-FG | И15000-037 | Baikonur, Site 1/5 | Success | Soyuz TMA-02M | Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 28 |
| 14 November 2011 04:14 | Soyuz-FG | И15000-038 | Baikonur, Site 1/5 | Success | Soyuz TMA-22 | Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 29 |
| 21 December 2011 13:16 | Soyuz-FG | Л15000-039 | Baikonur, Site 1/5 | Success | Soyuz TMA-03M | Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 30/31 |
| 15 May 2012 03:01 | Soyuz-FG | Л15000-041 | Baikonur, Site 1/5 | Success | Soyuz TMA-04M | Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 31/32 |
| 15 July 2012 02:40 | Soyuz-FG | Л15000-042 | Baikonur, Site 1/5 | Success | Soyuz TMA-05M | Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 32/33 |
| 22 July 2012 06:41 | Soyuz-FG/Fregat | Б15000-033 | Baikonur, Site 31/6 | Success | Kanopus-V №1 BelKA-2 Zond-PP TET-1 exactView 1 | Earth observation and technology demonstration satellites |
| 23 October 2012 10:51 | Soyuz-FG | Л15000-044 | Baikonur, Site 31/6 | Success | Soyuz TMA-06M | Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 33/34 |
| 19 December 2012 12:12 | Soyuz-FG | Л15000-040 | Baikonur, Site 1/5 | Success | Soyuz TMA-07M | Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 34/35 |
| 28 March 2013 20:43 | Soyuz-FG | Е15000-043 | Baikonur, Site 1/5 | Success | Soyuz TMA-08M | Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 35/36 |
| 28 May 2013 20:31 | Soyuz-FG | Е15000-045 | Baikonur, Site 1/5 | Success | Soyuz TMA-09M | Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 36/37 |
| 25 September 2013 20:58 | Soyuz-FG | Е15000-046 | Baikonur, Site 1/5 | Success | Soyuz TMA-10M | Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 37/38 |
| 7 November 2013 04:14 | Soyuz-FG | Т15000-048 | Baikonur, Site 1/5 | Success | Soyuz TMA-11M | Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 38/39 |
| 25 March 2014 21:17 | Soyuz-FG | Т15000-047 | Baikonur, Site 1/5 | Success | Soyuz TMA-12M | Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 39/40 |
| 28 May 2014 19:57 | Soyuz-FG | Т15000-049 | Baikonur, Site 1/5 | Success | Soyuz TMA-13M | Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 40/41 |
| 25 September 2014 20:25 | Soyuz-FG | Т15000-050 | Baikonur, Site 1/5 | Success | Soyuz TMA-14M | Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 41/42 |
| 23 November 2014 21:01 | Soyuz-FG | T15000-051 | Baikonur, Site 31/6 | Success | Soyuz TMA-15M | Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 42/43 |
| 27 March 2015 19:42 | Soyuz-FG | G15000-053 | Baikonur, Site 1/5 | Success | Soyuz TMA-16M | Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 43/44 |
| 22 July 2015 21:03 | Soyuz-FG | G15000-052 | Baikonur, Site 1/5 | Success | Soyuz TMA-17M | Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 44/45 |
| 2 September 2015 04:38 | Soyuz-FG | G15000-054 | Baikonur, Site 1/5 | Success | Soyuz TMA-18M | Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 45/46 |
| 15 December 2015 11:03 | Soyuz-FG | G15000-055 | Baikonur, Site 1/5 | Success | Soyuz TMA-19M | Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 46/47 |
| 18 March 2016 21:26 | Soyuz-FG | R15000-057 | Baikonur, Site 1/5 | Success | Soyuz TMA-20M | Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 47/48 |
| 7 July 2016 01:36 | Soyuz-FG | R15000-056 | Baikonur, Site 1/5 | Success | Soyuz MS-01 | Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 48/49 |
| 19 October 2016 08:05 | Soyuz-FG | R15000-059 | Baikonur, Site 31/6 | Success | Soyuz MS-02 | Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 49/50 |
| 17 November 2016 20:20 | Soyuz-FG | R15000-060 | Baikonur, Site 1/5 | Success | Soyuz MS-03 | Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 50/51 |
| 20 April 2017 07:13 | Soyuz-FG | U15000-065 | Baikonur, Site 1/5 | Success | Soyuz MS-04 | Crewed flight with 2 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 51/52 |
| 28 July 2017 15:40 | Soyuz-FG | R15000-058 | Baikonur, Site 1/5 | Success | Soyuz MS-05 | Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 52/53 |
| 12 September 2017 21:17 | Soyuz-FG | U15000-063 | Baikonur, Site 1/5 | Success | Soyuz MS-06 | Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 53/54 |
| 17 December 2017 07:21 | Soyuz-FG | R15000-061 | Baikonur, Site 1/5 | Success | Soyuz MS-07 | Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 54/55 |
| 21 March 2018 17:44 | Soyuz-FG | N15000-066 | Baikonur, Site 1/5 | Success | Soyuz MS-08 | Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 55/56 |
| 6 June 2018 11:12 | Soyuz-FG | U15000-064 | Baikonur, Site 1/5 | Success | Soyuz MS-09 | Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 56/57 |
| 11 October 2018 08:40 | Soyuz-FG | N15000-062 | Baikonur, Site 1/5 | Failure | Soyuz MS-10 | Crewed flight with 2 cosmonauts Planned for ISS Expedition 57 Aborted during ascent, crew landed safely. |
| 16 November 2018 18:14 | Soyuz-FG | N15000-068 | Baikonur, Site 1/5 | Success | Progress MS-10 | ISS resupply |
| 3 December 2018 11:31 | Soyuz-FG | N15000-067 | Baikonur, Site 1/5 | Success | Soyuz MS-11 | Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 57/58/59 |
| 14 March 2019 19:14 | Soyuz-FG | N15000-070 | Baikonur, Site 1/5 | Success | Soyuz MS-12 | Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 59/60 |
| 20 July 2019 16:28 | Soyuz-FG | N15000-069 | Baikonur, Site 1/5 | Success | Soyuz MS-13 | Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 60/61 |
| 25 September 2019 13:57:43 | Soyuz-FG | N15000-071 | Baikonur, Site 1/5 | Success | Soyuz MS-15 | Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts ISS Expedition 61/62 Last flight of Soyuz-FG variant, to be replaced by Soyuz-2 for future crewed missions. |