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Contents Soyuz launch siteHuman spaceflightLaunch vehicles Ariane 5 GenericAriane 5 EvolutionAriane 5 ECAAriane 5 GSAriane 5 ES ATVVegaSoyuz Launcher history A look at the pastAriane 1, 2, 3Ariane 4Launches Next launchLaunch updateMultimedia Image galleryVideo galleryRSS feeds Launchers on your desktop Screensavers and wallpaperServices
| | | | | | | | | Artist's impression of a Soyuz liftoff in French Guiana | |
Soyuz
At the end of 2009, a Soyuz launcher will take off from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. This will be an historic event as it will be the first time that a Soyuz is launched from a spaceport other than Baikonur or Plesetsk. It will also be a milestone in the strategic cooperation between Europe and Russia on launchers.
The decision to develop the launch infrastructure to enable Soyuz to be launched from French Guiana is of mutual interest to both Europe and Russia, and benefits from funding from the European Community.
Soyuz is a medium-class launcher. Its performance will perfectly complement that of the ESA launchers Ariane and Vega, and increase the competitiveness and flexibility of the exploitation of Ariane launchers in the commercial market.
The Soyuz launch vehicle that will be used at Europe’s Spaceport is the Soyuz-2 version called Soyuz-ST. This includes the Fregat upper stage and the ST fairing. Soyuz-2 is the most recent version of the renowned family of Russian launchers that began the space race more than 50 years ago by launching Sputnik, the first satellite placed in orbit, and then sending the first man into space.
Soyuz-2 will have improved performance and be able to carry up to 3 tonnes into geostationary transfer orbit, compared to the 1.7 tonnes that can be launched from Baikonur, in Kazakhstan.
| | | Soyuz launch zone |
Soyuz launch site
Geological and topographic surveys began at the site selected for Soyuz in 2003. The site, called ELS, is 13 km northwest of the Ariane launch site and will consist of three main zones: the launch platform, the preparation area (MIK), where the three stages will be assembled horizontally and checked, and the launch control centre.
Construction of the flame trench, the launch platform, the MIK and the control centre was completed at the end of 2008. Integration of the Russian ground equipment began in mid-2008, will be completed by mid-2009 and followed by the qualification phase. The MIK is connected to the launch platform by a 700-metre railway, which will be used to transport the launcher in a horizontal position. The launch control centre is one kilometre from the launch pad.
Human spaceflight
The Soyuz rocket is the workhorse for Russian human space missions and has been used for that purpose longer than any other vehicle. In the 1950s it began carrying cosmonauts into space and then to the Soviet Salyut and Mir stations. Together with the US Space Shuttle, it ensures the transport of crews to and from the International Space Station.
To ensure that Soyuz will be able to carry out missions of this type from Europe’s Spaceport, the launch infrastructure has been designed so that it can be smoothly adapted for human spaceflight, should this be decided.
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Soyuz at CSG Related links Russian Federal Space AgencyMore about... International cooperation
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