MISSION OVERVIEW
Foton-M No.1 was a mission by the European Space Agency aboard a Russian Soyuz-U rocket that failed to launch successfully. The spacecraft’s payload consisted of 44 experiments prepared by the European Space Agency, Fluidpac, BIOPAN-4, Telescience Support Unit, and others. Investigation found that the most likely cause of the failure was debris being ingested into the Blok D hydrogen peroxide pump, cutting off the supply of lubricant to the turbopumps. This was the first failure of an R-7 launch vehicle in the first two minutes of launch since 1988.
LAUNCH DETAILS
VEHICLE
Soyuz-U-PVB
AGENCY
Russian Space ForcesMISSION
Foton-M No. 1
MISSION TYPE
Earth Science
TARGET ORBIT
Low Earth Orbit
LAUNCH PAD
43/3 (43L)LAUNCH SITE
Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian FederationCOUNTRY
RUS
LAUNCH TIME VERIFICATION
CONFIRMEDPrecision: Minute
LAUNCH LIBRARY 2 PRIMARY
API ID: 5ec966fd-6feb-4f07-894c-17c8ccb852ab
Reported date: Oct 15, 2002 at 18:20 UTC
Last synced: 5 hours ago
This launch date and time are confirmed by the launch provider. Countdown is active.
LAUNCH MAP
PAD WEATHER
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VEHICLE
MANUFACTURER
Progress Rocket Space Center
VARIANT
U-PVB
FLIGHTS
74
SUCCESSES
72
SUCCESS RATE
97.3%
A Russian orbital launch vehicle. A version of the Soyuz-U with safety modifications to prevent and resist fires in all stages and the upper stage avionics compartment.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
When is the Soyuz-U-PVB | Foton-M No. 1 launch?
The Soyuz-U-PVB | Foton-M No. 1 is scheduled for Tuesday, October 15, 2002 at 6:20 PM UTC. This is the NET (No Earlier Than) time and may be subject to change. Current status: FAILURE.
What rocket is being used for Foton-M No. 1?
The Soyuz-U-PVB | Foton-M No. 1 mission uses the Soyuz-U-PVB rocket, manufactured by Progress Rocket Space Center. The Soyuz-U-PVB has flown 74 times with a 97.3% success rate.
Where is the Soyuz-U-PVB | Foton-M No. 1 launching from?
The launch takes place from 43/3 (43L) at Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation.
What orbit is Foton-M No. 1 going to?
The Foton-M No. 1 mission is targeting Low Earth Orbit.
Who is launching Foton-M No. 1?
The Soyuz-U-PVB | Foton-M No. 1 is operated by Russian Space Forces.
Can I watch the Soyuz-U-PVB | Foton-M No. 1 launch live?
Yes. Visit the launch detail page on Space Launch Live for embedded YouTube webcasts, replay videos, and links to live coverage from SpaceX, NASA, NASASpaceflight, and other channels.
LAUNCH TIMELINE
Mar 29, 2026 01:07 UTC
Launch added to tracker
Imported from Launch Library 2 API
Mar 29, 2026 01:07 UTC
Launch date set: Oct 15, 2002 at 18:20 UTC
NET (No Earlier Than) confirmed by Russian Space Forces
Mar 29, 2026 01:07 UTC
Launch failure reported
Updated via Launch Library 2
LIVE DATA SOURCES
Last data sync: 5 hours ago
●Launch Library 25 hours ago
Launch ID: 5ec966fd-6feb-4f07-894c-17c8ccb852ab
●Open-Meteo Weather5 hours ago
Pad weather at 62.93, 40.45
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