Now after nearly 36 years and more than 1,500 launches, the Starsem group is offering new versions of the booster to commercial clients. Derived from the upper stage rocket flown on Russian Mars missions, the unit will boost the Soyuz s lifting power by nearly 20 percent. A second advanced version, called the Soyuz-ST, is also being developed. It will feature a new digital control system, new payload covers, and redesigned rocket engines in the vehicle s first and second stages. The Soyuz, like its competitors, uses all-liquid rocket engines and stages.
Soyuz vehicles have a perfect flight record on commercial launches.
Rockets flew on February 9, March 15, and April 15 carrying Globalstar small communications satellites. The new Soyuz-Fregat will get its first commercial test carrying European Cluster satellites on a pair of flights between May and August of next year. Another launch contract was announced last month at the Paris Air Show, for the Mars Express mission by Europe s space agency. Yuri Gagarin might not recognize his old booster, but the upgrades will likely keep it flying well into the 21 century.