Soyuz 2.1b/Fregat-M launched Glonass-K1? (Kosmos 2621?) from Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation on 7 November 2026 at 13:30 UTC. Outcome: success. Operator: Russian Space Forces.
A Soyuz 2.1b rocket carrying a Fregat-M upper stage lifted off from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in northern Russia on 7 November 2026 at approximately 13:30 UTC, according to launch schedules compiled before the flight. The mission is classified as a navigation launch by the Russian Space Forces and is associated with the GLONASS satellite constellation, though the exact payload identity remains uncertain. Some listings suggest it may be a Glonass-K1 satellite, while others reference the Kosmos 2621 designation, and the mission has not been confirmed independently in the sources reviewed.
The Glonass-K series represents the third generation of satellites in Russia's GLONASS system, a counterpart to the American GPS and European Galileo networks. These unpressurized spacecraft weigh about 935 kilograms and are designed for an operational life of roughly ten years, with improvements in positioning accuracy and power efficiency over earlier models. The Soyuz 2.1b, flown here with the Fregat-M upper stage, is a workhorse medium-lift vehicle used by Russia for government and navigation missions, launched from pad 43/3 at Plesetsk.
Launch schedules list the outcome of this mission as successful. Plesetsk, located in the Arkhangelsk region, is Russia's principal military space launch facility