Manned variants

8K72K (Vostok 1961-3). This version featured an upper stage (Blok E) with a single RO-7 engine, burning LOX/kerosene with a thrust of 5.6 tons and a 430-second burn time. Used to launch the six manned Vostok missions, its design was not revealed to the west until it appeared at the 1967 Paris Air Show.

11A57 (Voskhod 1964-5). This was an improved variant of the Vostok launcher, with an upper stage powered by the RD-108 engine with a vacuum thrust of 30.4 tons and 240-second burn time. This was used to launch the two manned Voskhod spacecraft.

11A511 (Soyuz 1967-76). This version was developed from 1963 to specifically launch the Soyuz spacecraft. The upper stage (Blok I) had an RD-110 engine with a 30.4 ton thrust and 246-second burn time. These vehicles launched the early Soyuz missions, starting with Soyuz 1 in 1967. Its final use was for the Soyuz 23 spacecraft in 1976. With the Soyuz payload and launch shroud, this vehicle measured about 49.3 m (162 ft) in height.

11A511U (Soyuz-U). An upgraded variant of the standard Soyuz booster, this was first used for the launch ofSoyuz 16in 1974 and was in service for over 27 years. Itwas used for launching the Soyuz, Soyuz T and Soyuz TM variants, as well as the Progress and Progress M re-supply vessels. It was also used to deliver the Pirs facility to ISS in September 2001. This vehicle used improved engines, ground and support facilities, increasing the payload mass and orbital delivery altitude.

11AIIU2 (Soyuz U2). Further improvements to payload delivery mass led to this variant of launcher being used for the first time on a Soyuz launch with Soyuz T12 in July 1984. It was last used on Soyuz TM22, after which the production of Sintin (synthetic kerosene) for improved first-stage launch performance ceased in 1996.

Soyuz FG. Upgrades to the engines resulted in the RD-108A central core engine, which developed a vacuum thrust of 101,931 kg and had a 286-second burn time. The RD-107A engines provided a thrust of 104.1 tons and a 120-second burn time. Both engines burned LOX/kerosene. This variant was first used for manned launches on Soyuz TMA1 in October 2002 and is the variant currently in use.