Soyuz-2-1A launch with Meridian satellite - November 14, 2012

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Per Andrey, liftoff confirmed. (http://novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/forum/messages/forum12/topic13215/message1005945/#message1005945)

I guess with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu visiting the launch site for the launch, this launch would probably not fail, given the consequence of doing so...... 

Edit: article from RIA Novosti: http://ria.ru/defense_safety/20121114/910731807.html

[Chris Bergin]

Cool. Just want to hear of successful S/C Sep now. (1400 UTC)

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Cool. Just want to hear of successful S/C Sep.

That won't happen until a couple of hours after launch:

As per NK forum, Soyuz-2-1A launch is planned at 11:42 UTC, Fregat-M separation - at 11:51, Meridian separation - at 14:00.

[Chris Bergin]

William Graham's overview for this launch:
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2012/11/soyuz-2-1a-launches-meridian-satellite-russian-military/

[Galactic Penguin SST]

And here comes spacecraft separation!

(http://novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/forum/messages/forum12/topic13215/message1005976/#message1005976)

[Artyom.]

My congratulations!

And  ....

[Chris Bergin]

Cool. Glad that one worked!

[Stan Black]

William Graham's overview for this launch:
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2012/11/soyuz-2-1a-launches-meridian-satellite-russian-military/

Good article… but minor, minor issue…
launch site photograph not relevant to launch?

[Nicolas PILLET]

I have serial numbers, and a picture of the dry run, here :

http://www.kosmonavtika.com/lancements/2012/14112012/14112012.html

[Satori]

I have serial numbers, and a picture of the dry run, here :

http://www.kosmonavtika.com/lancements/2012/14112012/14112012.html

Thank you!

[Galactic Penguin SST]

TV news reports:

-at the launch site: http://www.tvzvezda.ru/news/forces/content/201211141827-6yla.htm

-at the Russian Armed Space Forces control center: http://www.vesti.ru/videos?vid=462289&cid=1

[jacqmans]

TV image 

[Nicolas PILLET]

Pictures from Ministry of Defense :

http://structure.mil.ru/structure/forces/cosmic/news/more.htm?id=11463172@egNews

[Stan Black]

I have serial numbers, and a picture of the dry run, here :

http://www.kosmonavtika.com/lancements/2012/14112012/14112012.html

Thank you!

And I thank you!

 The long serial numbers gives us a clue about the year of release. The fifth digit of the rocket’s serial number 77046267 is new so I suppose that it was released in 2012.

 However for the Meridian long serial number 80029116, by the way suggesting a short serial number of 16Л, starts the same as last years GLONASS Kosmos-2478. So this Meridian was available last year?

[input~2]

USSTRATCOM has catalogued 2 objects (first elset data)

38995/2012-063A in 978.4 x 39724.9 km x 62.84° (presumably Meridian-6)

38996/2012-063B in 869.1 x 39558.8 km x 62.80° (presumably Fregat)

[anik]

Photos of preparation to launch: http://stat.multimedia.mil.ru/multimedia/photo/gallery.htm?id=8082@cmsPhotoGallery

[jcm]

Any idea why the Soyuz-2-1A was used rather than the -1B used on the previous (failed) launch? The Galileo launch last month used the -1B in its Soyuz ST-B version, yes?

[anik]

Any idea why the Soyuz-2-1A was used rather than the -1B used on the previous (failed) launch?

Obviously, after Meridian failure, Ministry of Defence does not want to risk by launching a serial spacecraft on the rocket which had not finished flight tests for now.

The Galileo launch last month used the -1B in its Soyuz ST-B version, yes?

Yes.

[Stan Black]

Any idea why the Soyuz-2-1A was used rather than the -1B used on the previous (failed) launch?

Obviously, after Meridian failure, Ministry of Defence does not want to risk by launching a serial spacecraft on the rocket which had not finished flight tests for now.

The Galileo launch last month used the -1B in its Soyuz ST-B version, yes?

Yes.

I wonder if it is because they had ordered a 1B for Luch-5A? The 1B rocket used for Meridian was at least four years old.

http://www.rosspending.ru/fk/contract/0025908000043/

[jcm]

Any idea why the Soyuz-2-1A was used rather than the -1B used on the previous (failed) launch?

Obviously, after Meridian failure, Ministry of Defence does not want to risk by launching a serial spacecraft on the rocket which had not finished flight tests for now.

The Galileo launch last month used the -1B in its Soyuz ST-B version, yes?

Yes.

So what you're saying is the Ministry of Defense is more conservative that the Europeans - fair enough