Soyuz 2-1a

The inaugural launch of the Soyuz 2-1a took place successfully on Monday 8 November 2004 from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in Russia.
This launch marks a major step forward in the Soyuz evolution programme as this modernised version of the launcher implements a digital control system providing additional mission flexibility and enabling control of the launch vehicle with a larger fairing.

The next step will be the introduction of the Soyuz 2-1b, after being launched from Baikonur in 2006, the Sopyuz 2-1b will make its inaugural launch from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana in 2007.