The Soyuz 2.1b rocket completes its last launch of the year
The Russian space agency Roscosmos closed its 2025 calendar with a successful launch from the Vostochniy cosmodrome. The Soyuz 2.1b launcher departed on December 28 to place a numerous payload of satellites into orbit. 🚀
A mission with multiple international participants
The main task of the flight was to deploy a constellation of more than 50 satellites. The payload combined Earth observation devices with others of a civil nature, demonstrating the diversity of current space applications. This shared launch allowed several nations to place their devices into space efficiently.
Countries that participated in the mission:- Iran: Placed observation and technology satellites.
- Belarus: Contributed units for monitoring tasks.
- Ecuador: Participated with its payload in this collective effort.
The shared launch demonstrates how international cooperation optimizes access to space for multiple actors.
Flight sequence and orbital deployment
After liftoff, the rocket executed all programmed maneuvers without incident. Mission controllers confirmed that the separation of all satellites was successfully carried out in the planned Earth orbit. The process to release the entire payload extended over several hours.
Key details of the operation:- The rocket used its Soyuz 2.1b configuration with the Fregat upper stage.
- It was confirmed that each satellite began operating independently.
- The ground team at Vostochniy supervised each phase of the deployment.
Year-end closure and prospects
This flight marked the end of Roscosmos' launch activities for 2025. The success of the mission, which included the Aist 2T observation satellites, consolidates Russia's capability to manage complex payloads. While the team celebrates, the more than 50 new points of light in the sky serve as a tangible reminder of the achievement. ✨