Watch the Launch

Razbeg 1 (Kosmos 2551)

Overview

Destination: Sun-Synchronous Orbit
Mission: Government/Top Secret

Sun-Synchronous Orbit 43/4 (43R) Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation

The Russian Razbeg 1 is small military satellite optical reconnaissance satellite. It was built by NPP VNIIEM. It is likely the same satellite identified in earlier reports as Zvesda. The 250 kg satellite was reportedly inspired by the US American commercial Earth imaging satellites of the SkySat 1 series. It features a camera built by the Belarusian company OAO Peleng with a maximum ground resolution of 0.9 meters in panchromatic mode.

Updates

Cosmic_Penguin • July 25, 2021, 2:09 p.m.

Launch time now TBD.


spacevogel • July 24, 2021, 11:01 a.m.

Added launch based on insider report which is confirmed by multiple NOTAMs.


SwGustav • Sept. 9, 2021, 9 p.m.

Launch is successful at 19:59 UTC


Cosmic_Penguin • Sept. 4, 2021, 7:53 a.m.

New launch time.


Soyuz

Family:
Configuration: 2.1v

Specifications
  • Stages
    2
  • Length
    44.0 m
  • Diameter
    3.0 m
  • Fairing Diameter
  • Launch Mass
    158.0 T
  • Thrust
Family
  • Name
    Soyuz
  • Family
  • Variant
    2.1v
  • Alias
  • Full Name
    Soyuz 2.1v
Payload Capacity
  • Launch Cost
  • Low Earth Orbit
    2850.0 kg
  • Geostationary Transfer Orbit
  • Direct Geostationary
  • Sun-Synchronous Capacity

Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation

Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation

(MOD_RUS)

Minister: Gen. Sergey Shoygu Founded: 1717 Successes: 0 Failures: 0 Pending: 0

Agency Type:

The Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation is the governing body of the Russian Armed Forces.

INFO WIKI

Related News

Spaceflight Now

Russia launches classified military satellite

A classified Russian military satellite, possibly designed with a new miniature reconnaissance camera, launched Sept. 9 on a single-core version of the Soyuz rocket. The Soyuz 2-1v rocket lifted off from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in far nort…

NASA Spaceflight

Russia launches Soyuz 2.1v with Razbeg reconnaissance satellite

At 19:59 UTC on September 9, a Soyuz 2.1v rocket launched from Site 43/4 at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome carrying the Razbeg n°1 satellite for the Russian Ministry of Defense. The launch was originally scheduled for mid-July, but multiple launc…

Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation

43/4 (43R)


Kuaizhou 11
Success
21 hours, 37 minutes ago
8 satellites
Launch Area 95A - Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Ride-share launch of 8 satellites to sun-synchronous orbit. Details TBD.


Long March 6A
Success
1 day, 12 hours ago
Yaogan 50-02
Launch Complex 9A - Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

The Yaogan 50-02 is a Chinese military “remote sensing” satellite of unknown purposes.


Falcon 9
Success
2 days, 13 hours ago
Starlink Group 10-48
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

A batch of 29 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Falcon 9
Success
3 days, 10 hours ago
Starlink Group 17-31
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 25 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Long March 2D
Success
4 days, 3 hours ago
Shiyan 30 03-04
Launch Complex 3 (LC-3/LA-1) - Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

A pair of Chinese satellites reported to be for "Earth observation technological testing and validation" purposes. Actual usage not known.


Long March 8A
Success
4 days, 6 hours ago
SatNet LEO Group 20
Commercial LC-1 - Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of China

A batch of 9 Low Earth Orbit communication satellites for the Chinese state owned SatNet constellation operated by the China Satellite Network Group.…


Firefly Alpha
Success
5 days ago
Stairway to Seven
Space Launch Complex 2W - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

Firefly Alpha's Flight 7 is a test flight and return-To-Flight for the launch vehicle after its April 2025 launch failure. It will test and validate …


Falcon 9
Success
6 days, 21 hours ago
EchoStar 25
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

EchoStar 25 is a direct broadcast satellite, built on the proven Maxar 1300 series platform, which will deliver content across North America. It will…


Falcon 9
Success
1 week, 1 day ago
Starlink Group 17-18
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 25 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Electron
Success
1 week, 4 days ago
Insight At Speed Is A Friend Indeed (BlackSky Gen-3 4)
Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A - Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand

Note: Payload and customer identities were not publicly announced. 4th of the BlackSky Gen-3 high resolution Earth-imaging satellites.