Details on the Launch Vehicle
The Soyuz rocket
was first launched in November 1963 and has since flown more than
1,500 times. A manned version carries crews to the International
Space Station, while an unmanned version is used to launch satellites and
Progress cargo craft. It is one of the most reliable launch vehicles in the world,
with a 98% success rate.
The Soyuz launch vehicle typically has three stages:
Stage 1 |
four conical boosters
grouped around the central core stage |
Stage 2 |
a cylindrical core |
Stage 3 |
an upper stage
with a payload adapter and fairings (the protective shells that protect
the spacecraft during launch) |
The launch vehicle for Mars Express will also have:
|
Stage 4 |
an additional
fourth stage called Fregat that will place the spacecraft on the proper
trajectory for its journey to Mars |
|