Molniya-M Blok SO-L

8K78M Blok SO-L

Mission Profile

The Molniya-M Blok SO-L (8K78M Blok SO-L) was a four-stage Soviet launch vehicle in the R-7 family, designed for placing payloads into highly elliptical Molniya orbits for communications and early warning satellites. Standing 43.4 m tall with a 3 m core diameter and a liftoff mass of 305 tonnes, it generated 4,070 kN of liftoff thrust. First flying in April 1972, the Molniya-M was a workhorse for Soviet and Russian government satellite deployment, launching communications, reconnaissance, and early warning payloads over a career spanning decades.