Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 31

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Coordinates: 45°59′46″N 63°33′51″E / 45.99611°N 63.56417°E / 45.99611; 63.56417

Site 31/6
Soyuz 2 metop.jpg
A Soyuz-2 rocket at LC-31/6
Launch siteBaikonur Cosmodrome
LocationKazakhstan
OperatorRVSN, VKS, Roscosmos
Total launchesTBC
Launch pad(s)1
Orbital inclination
range		49° – 99°
Launch history
StatusActive
Launches411
First launch14 January 1961
R-7A
Last launch21 August 2021
Soyuz 2.1b / OneWeb × 34
Associated
rockets		R-7A
Vostok
Voskhod
Polyot
Molniya
Soyuz
Soyuz-L
Soyuz-U
Soyuz-U2
Soyuz-FG/Fregat
Soyuz-2 (current)

Baikonur Site 31, also known as Site 31/6 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, in Kazakhstan, is a launch site used by derivatives of the R-7 Semyorka missile. From 2011 onwards, it was supposed to be the launch site for crewed Soyuz missions to the International Space Station, when launches switched from the Soyuz-FG launch vehicle to the Soyuz-2, which was unable to use the launch pad at Site 1/5. However, Site 1/5 has undergone modifications that allow the crewed ISS missions to be launched from it. Only a few crewed missions to the International Space Station (ISS) are launched from Site 31/6 (Soyuz TMA-06M, Soyuz TMA-15M, Soyuz MS-02), when Site 1/5 is unavailable.

It was first used on 14 January 1961, for an R-7A ICBM test mission. It is currently used for commercial Soyuz-FG/Fregat missions, and Soyuz-2 launches. In the 1970s and early 1980s, several crewed missions were launched from the site.

A panorama of the Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 31 taken from atop the Soyuz support structure. A Zenit facility can be seen in the distance.

See also[]

References[]

  • "Baikonur LC31". Encyclopedia Astronautica.

Further reading[]

  • J. K. Golovanov, "Korolev: Facts and myths", Nauka, 1994, ISBN 5-02-000822-2;
  • "Rockets and people" – B. E. Chertok, M: "mechanical engineering", 1999 ISBN 5-217-02942-0 (in Russian);
  • «A breakthrough in space» - Konstantin Vasilyevich Gerchik, M: LLC "Veles", 1994 - ISBN 5-87955-001-X;
  • "Testing of rocket and space technology - the business of my life" Events and facts - A.I. Ostashev, Korolyov, 2001 [1];
  • "Baikonur. Korolev. Yangel" - M. I. Kuznetsk, Voronezh: IPF "Voronezh", 1997, ISBN 5-89981-117-X;
  • "Look back and look ahead. Notes of a military engineer" - Rjazhsky A. A., 2004, SC. first, the publishing house of the "Heroes of the Fatherland" ISBN 5-91017-018-X.
  • "Rocket and space feat Baikonur" - Vladimir Порошков, the "Patriot" publishers 2007. ISBN 5-7030-0969-3
  • "Unknown Baikonur" - edited by B. I. Posysaeva, M.: "globe", 2001. ISBN 5-8155-0051-8
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