Start-1

Start-1

Start-1 launch vehicle lifting off from the Svobodny Cosmodrome
Function	Small orbital launch vehicle
Manufacturer	Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology
Country of origin	Russia
Size
Height	22.7 m (74.4 ft)
Diameter	1.61 m (5.28 ft)
Mass	47,200 kg (104,000 lb)
Stages	4
Capacity
Payload to LEO	532 kg (1,393 lb)
Payload to SSO	167 kg (368 lb)
Launch history
Status	Active
Launch sites	LC-5, Svobodny Cosmodrome LC-158, Plesetsk Cosmodrome
Total launches	6
Successes	6
First flight	25 March 1993
First stage - Start-1
Engines	1 MIHT-1
Thrust	980 kN (220,310 lbf)
Specific impulse	263 s
Burn time	60 s
Fuel	Solid
Second stage - Start-2
Engines	1 MIHT-2
Thrust	490 kN (110,150 lbf)
Specific impulse	280 s
Burn time	64 s
Fuel	Solid
Third stage - Start-3
Engines	1 MIHT-3
Thrust	245 kN (55,078 lbf)
Specific impulse	280 s
Burn time	56 s
Fuel	Solid
Fourth stage - Start-4
Engines	1 MIHT-4
Thrust	9.8 kN (2,203 lbf)
Specific impulse	295
Burn time	207 s
Fuel	Solid

Start-1 is a Russian satellite launch vehicle based on the RT-2PM Topol, a Soviet intercontinental ballistic missile developed by Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology.

The Start-1 launch vehicle derives its name from the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START I) between the United States and the Soviet Union. The START I treaty called for both sides to limit their nuclear arsenals to 6,000 nuclear warheads atop a total of 1,600 ICBMs, SLBMs, and bombers. This led to a lot of surplus ICBMs on both sides, including the Soviet Topol. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia took over responsibility for executing the treaty. The Russian government decided to dispose of some of their ICBMs by using them as launch vehicles, which was an allowed method of disposal under the treaty.

Modification of the ICBMs into launch vehicles was carried out by the Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology, which also designed the Topol missile. On March 25, 1993 (13:15 UTC), the first Start-1 rocket was launched from Plesetsk Cosmodrome with a non-commercial payload. The first commercial launch was conducted almost four years later on March 4, 1997 from Svobodny Cosmodrome with a Russian payload. Since that time all flights of the Start-1 have been conducted from Svobodny. Currently, the Russian company United Start Launch manages the Start-1 program.

The most notable flight of the Start-1 was conducted on April 25, 2006 with the launch of the Israeli EROS B Earth observation satellite. The launch received more coverage than usual because of the tensions between Israel and Iran at the time. While the Eros B satellite is commercial, its primary customer is the Israeli government, which could use it to spy on Iranian military and nuclear facilities.