Russia's New Soyuz 5 Rocket Arrives — What It Means for Space Launches in 2024
Video from the channel Chuông Chùa Tịnh Tâm about Soyuz-5, linked on its Above Ten Thousand entry. Duration: 6:03. Language: English. Video type: News.
What's announced
The video notes that the Soyuz-5 has finally reached its launch pad after a decade of development. It is also called Irtysh, after the river that runs through Russia and Kazakhstan. The first flight was expected in the following weeks.
Context
The first stage carries a single RD-171MV engine. It belongs to a family of liquid-propellant engines considered the most powerful in the world, and the entire rocket is built with Russian components. It was also conceived as a booster stage for the super-heavy Yenisei, intended for crewed Moon missions, a project that remains stalled. With about 18 tonnes to low orbit, the Soyuz-5 sits between the Soyuz-2, which has roughly half its capacity, and the Angara family.
What it means
The video asks who will contract the new launcher, for three reasons. The geostationary satellite market, which the Proton used to rely on, has shrunk. Sanctions following the invasion of Ukraine are keeping Western operators away. And competition is strong: China, India with the PSLV and GSLV, and SpaceX's cheaper, reusable Falcon 9.