The debut launch of the new Russian rocket Soyuz 2.1v took place at the Plesetsk cosmodrome at 16:30, Moscow time, on December 28th. The new launch vehicle is developed to loft small satellites to the final orbit. Soyuz 2.1v can carry a load up to 3000kg and weighs 160 ton. The first stage is powered by a special version of NK-33-1 liquid fuel engine, and the second stage - by RD-0124 engine. The additional insertion stage Volga is able to bring the load even higher above Earth.
The NK-33 engine was at work for 300 seconds.
The insertion stage Volga paired with Soyuz-2.1v rocket ensures maximum efficiency in launching usable loads to medium circular orbits up to 1500 km and solar synchronous orbits up to 850 km.
The spacecraft AIST was developed by Samara State Aerospace University and TsSKB Progress. The spacecraft's purpose is to help in resolving several educational, research and experimental problems. Those include development and testing of geomagnetic field measurement methods, low frequency microacceleration compensation on board of spacecraft, study of high-speed natural and artificial mechanical particles, as well as reception, storage and transmission of data from research equipment to Earth. Its weight is 50 kg.
