Soyuz VS07 upper composite, comprising the Fregat upper stage, payload and fairing, was transferred from the S3B integration facility to the Soyuz launch pad (ZLS), hoisted into the mobile gantry where it will be integrated atop Soyuz, on 31 March 2014.

Soyuz VS07 will lift off on 3 April 2014, from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. The rocket will carry Sentinel-1, the first in the family of Copernicus satellites.

This satellite will be used to monitor many aspects of our environment, from detecting and tracking oil spills and mapping sea ice to monitoring movement in land surfaces and mapping changes in the way land is used. It will also play a crucial role in providing timely information to help respond to natural disasters and assist humanitarian relief efforts.