Soyuz-ST at Guiana Space Center
Intergovernmental agreement about long-term cooperation in the field
of launcher development, production and implementation as well as building
of launching pad for Soyuz-ST at Guiana Space Center (French Guiana) was
signed between presidents of Russian federation and France in November 7,
2003
GSC (Guiana Space Center), known as Kourou European spaceport, located at
Northeastern coast of South America, will provide optimal conditions to
perform commercial launches.
Spaceport function:
• Launch of satellites to sun-synchronous orbits;
• Simultaneous launch of a single satellite or satellites cluster to low-earth orbit;
• Launch of satellites to medium-earth orbit;
• Launch of research satellites to various orbits;
• Launch of small satellites with piggy-back Payload.
The decision to build launching pad at French Guiana is based on energy conservation of spacecrafts while placing them into polar and equatorial orbits, as well as on availability of seaport and airfield (ease of transportation of launcher blocks and spacecraft), closeness of equator and flight stability.
Equatorial
location of the spaceport enables increased lifting capacity of the launcher
with reduced fuel consumption. Due to the difference in inclination of
transfer orbits, the launcher is able to place into GTO satellites with mass
significantly greater than of those launched from the Baikonur cosmodrome.
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Main project participants
The Russian Party is represented by:
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Roskosmos - is a prime contractor of the project from the Russian party responsible for project management, organization and coordination of all Russian enterprises activities; |
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TsSKB-Progress - is a parent organization on development, production and operation of Soyuz-ST to be launched from GSC; |
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NPO-L - is a prime developer of Fregat, responsible for Fregat maintenance implemented into Soyuz-ST; |
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TsENKI - is a prime developer of Russian equipment dedicated to launching pad. |
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The European Party is represented by: |
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French National Space Agency (CNES) – performs management of works at GSC |
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European Space Agency (ESA) – finances project; |
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«Arianespace» - us one of the major world provider of space launches; |
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«Starsem» - Russian-French joint stock company which represents TsSKB-Progress interests on the world market of launching services. |
Soyuz-ST
launcher
A new spaceport will be used for launches of middle-class Soyuz-ST.
Soyuz-ST is a modification
of Soyuz-2 which meet safety, TM and operating conditions requirements of
European partners.
Soyuz-ST is equipped with a large-size fairing (4,11m in diameter), more
powerful engines and new digital control system to control flight trajectory
more precisely. It is supposed to use two types of Soyuz-ST: 1a and 1b.
Energy capability of Soyuz-ST
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Launcher |
GTO (∆V=1500 m/s) |
Sun-synchronous orbit (Íêð=820 km) |
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Soyuz-ST-a |
2810 kg |
4230 kg |
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Soyuz-ST-b |
3250 kg |
4900 kg |
Hardware implemented onboard the launcher enables engines cut-off from the ground station, i.e. in case of necessity it is possible to abort the launcher flight manually. In addition, the launcher is equipped with radar responders to control the launcher orientation during the flight. To adapt the launcher to French Guiana climatic conditions same activities have been performed.
Spaceport objects
Main
objects to perform launches of Soyuz from GSC are the following:
• Technical facility of the launcher and upper stage (has been constructed recently);
• Control center (has been constructed recently);
• Launching pad (has been constructed recently);
• Mobile service tower (has been constructed recently);
• Technical facility of Upper composite (existing facility has been used);
• Measuring facility (existing facility has been used);
• Objects of supplying infrastructure (existing infrastructure has been used with minor modification as well as development of new objects).
Preparation order of Soyuz-ST
Operative preparation procedure of Soyuz-ST differs from conventional one performed at Russian cosmodromes and composed of the following steps:
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Transportation of launcher blocks and fuel from manufacturing plants to the seaport of Saint-Petersburg by rail; |
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Transportation of launcher blocks and fuelto French Guiana by sea; |
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Transportation of launcher blocks to the storage area of Soyuz launching pad by road transport;;
Integration of the launcher three stages, launcher transportation in horizontal position and placing at the launching pad; |
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Integration of upper composite in vertical position and transportation to the launching pad Mating of upper composite with the launcher in vertical position at the launching pad; |
Soyuz-ST integration is performed at Assembly and testing facility (MIK), but integration of upper composite is performed at Ariane’s launching pad. Special feature of integration at GSC is mating of the launcher with upper composite in vertical position.
According
to the project no less than 50 launches of Soyuz-ST have to be performed
from GSC for the following 15 years. It is planned to perform from 2 to 4
launches each year.
After the launch, Soyuz will be the first carrier which is possible to
launch from 3 countries: Russia (Plesetsk cosmodrome), Kazakhstan (Baikonur
cosmodrome) and French Guiana (Kourou spaceport).
History of the project
1998
• July, 1998– Starsem with Russian party made a decision to organize
a working group on launching pad building for Soyuz-ST at GSC.
2002
• May, 2002 – Agreement on launching system development of Soyuz type
at GSA was signed between Arianespace, Roscosmos and Starsem.
• November, 2002 – political decision on building of a spaceport for
Soyuz-ST with Fregat at GSC was made by ESA Council of Ministers;
2003
• May, 2003– Resolution on “European carriers prospects till the year
of 2010” containing a decision of implementation of “Soyuz at GSC” project
as well as its funding was approved by ESA Council of Ministers.
• November 7, 2003 – intergovernmental agreement on long-term
cooperation in the field of development, production and operation of
Soyuz-ST at GSC was signed;
2004
• February 4, 2004 – “Agreement on funds unfreezing which guarantees
Europe an independent access to space since 2005 till 2009” was signed by
ESA Council. Declaration of Soyuz carrier in the frameworks of “Soyuz at GSC”
project was approved on the bases of above mentioned agreement.
2005
• April, 2005 – Contract concerning Launching System development of
Soyuz type at GSC was signed between Arianespace, Roscosmos, TsSKB-Progress,
KBOM, NPO-L and TsENKI.
2007
• June, 2007 – Contract concerning Soyuz-ST production, delivery and
launching services was signed between Arianespace, Roscosmos, TsSKB-Progress,
KBOM, NPO-L and TsENKI.
2008
• July, 2008 – the first part of ground support equipment of Soyuz
launching facility was supplied to French Guiana. The beginning of equipment
installation.
2009
• January, 2009 – the second part of ground support equipment of
Soyuz launching facility was supplied to French Guiana.
• September, 2009 – the first two Soyuz-ST carriers were shipped to
French Guiana;
2011
• April 29, 2011 – dry-run of Soyuz-ST from Assembly and Testing
facility to the launching Pad was performed and all necessary works were
carried out.
• May, 2011 – the second two Soyuz-ST carriers were shipped to
Soyuz-ST Launching facility at French Guiana.
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October 21, 2011 – the first launch of
the Soyuz-ST-B launch vehicle with the Fregat Upper Stage. Two Galileo-IOV
communication satellites were put into orbit.
• December 17, 2011 – the first launch of the Soyuz-ST-A launch
vehicle with the Fregat Upper Stage. The Pleiades/Elisa/SSOT satellites were
put into orbit.
Photo gallery
The launch of Soyuz-ST-B launch
vehicle with the Fregat
upper stage and two Galileo-IOV satellites from the Guiana Space
Centre.
Soyuz-ST-B Launch preparation at space range in Kourou.
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Building advancement
Video
Launch of Soyuz-ST-B LV with Fregat upper stage and two Galileo-IOV satellites.