Soyuz-U
The Soyuz-U launch vehicle was an improved version of the original Soyuz rocket. Soyuz-U was part of the R-7 family of rockets based on the R-7 Semyorka missile. Members of this rocket family were designed by the TsSKB design bureau and constructed at the Progress factory in Samara, Russia (now a united company, TsSKB-Progress). The first Soyuz-U flight took place on 18 May 1973, carrying as its payload Kosmos 559, a Zenit military surveillance satellite. The final flight of a Soyuz-U rocket took place on 22 February 2017, carrying Progress MS-05 to the International Space Station.

Soyuz-U was in use continuously for almost 44 years. Production of R-7 derived launch vehicles peaked in the late 1970s-early 1980s at 55–60 a year. Soyuz-U held the world record of highest launch rate in a year in 1979 with 47 flights. Over its operational lifetime, the Soyuz-U variant flew a total of 786 missions, another world record. Soyuz-U has also been one of the most reliable launchers, with a success rate of . The rocket had a streak of 112 consecutive successful launches between 11 July 1990 and 5 May 1996. 
Q697175
launch vehicle
Concept
Q23902660
Soyuz rocket
MISC
Q622639
R-7 family
Concept
Q221675
R-7 Semyorka
MISC
Q136426
TsSKB design bureau
MEDIA
Q894
Samara, Russia
LOC
Q136426
TsSKB-Progress
MEDIA
Q147802
Kosmos 559
MISC
Q189576
Zenit
MISC
Q26695693
Progress MS-05
MISC
Q25271
International Space Station
MISC
None
in 1979 with 47 flights
UNK
Q660345
Soyuz-U
MISC
Q660345
Soyuz-U
MISC
Q660345
Soyuz-U
MISC
Q660345
Soyuz-U
MISC
Q660345
Soyuz-U
MISC
Q660345
Soyuz-U
MISC
Q660345
Soyuz-U
MISC
Q660345
Soyuz-U
MISC
1973-05-18T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
18 May 1973
DATE
2017-02-22T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
22 February 2017
DATE
1970-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
1970
DATE
1980-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
1980
DATE
1979-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
1979
DATE
1990-07-11T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
11 July 1990
DATE
1996-05-05T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
5 May 1996
DATE
-7^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#decimal
-7
NUMBER
-7^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#decimal
-7
NUMBER
-05^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#decimal
-05
NUMBER
+44^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#decimal
44
NUMBER
-7^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#decimal
-7
NUMBER
+55^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#decimal
55
NUMBER
+60^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#decimal
60
NUMBER
+47^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#decimal
47
NUMBER
subclass of
manufacturer
manufacturer
first flight
end time
headquarters location
headquarters location
space launch vehicle
UTC date of spacecraft launch