Category Archives: Galileo Launchers

Galileo Launchers

Galileo 9 &10 reach European Spaceport

Ninth and tenth Galileo satellites have crossed the Atlantic, touching down in French Guiana ahead of their joint launch this September. The delicate navigation satellites made their journey within environmentally controlled containers, having passed a gamut of tests to confirm their readiness for space.

The pair left ESA’s ESTEC technical centre in Noordwijk, the Netherlands, last Thursday by road to Luxembourg Findel Airport. On Friday morning the duo flew by Luxair 747 aircraft to Cayenne–Félix Eboué Airport in French Guiana, touching down at around midday local time. Read more…

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Guiana Space Centre – Operations

Ariane operations began in 1979 with the Ariane 1 version. Since then, more than 220 Ariane flights have been performed from the Spaceport, where the Ariane 5 now operates as Arianespace’s workhorse heavy-lift launch vehicle.

CSG operations

Arianespace’s launcher family was expanded in 2011 with the introduction of its medium-lift Soyuz at French Guiana, and joined in early 2012 by the lightweight Vega. Read more…

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Guiana Space Centre – Actors

A launch is the result of teamwork that brings together skilled personnel from multiple organizations.

CSG actors

Arianespace
As the commercial operator of the Ariane, Soyuz and Vega launch systems at French Guiana, Arianespace is responsible for placing its customers’ satellite payloads into orbit. It markets launch services, acquires the launch vehicles, prepares the missions and handles all relations with customers – with the dual goals of being a leader in commercial space transportation and guaranteeing Europe’s independent access to space. At the Spaceport in French Guiana, Arianespace manages the industrial team that integrates and prepares for launch, and the company oversees the satellite campaign from the spacecraft’s arrival through its injection into orbit. Read more…

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Galileo liftoff replay [Video]

The liftoff of Soyuz flight VS11 from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana took place as scheduled on 21:46:18 GMT (22:46:18 CET) on Friday 27 March 2015. The launcher was carrying Europe’s seventh and eighth Galileo navigation satellites, due to separate from their Fregat upper stage into their assigned orbit on 3 h 47 min after lift-off.

 

 

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Soyuz VS11 successfully launches Galileo 7 & 8

Arianespace has orbited the two latest satellites in the Galileo constellation, the seventh and eighth named “Adam” and “Anastasia”. The Soyuz VS11 launch  from the Guiana Space Center took place on Friday, March 27 at 21:46 GMT. The medium-lift Soyuz performed a flight of nearly 3 hours and 48 minutes to deploy both spacecrafts.

Galileo Soyuz-VS11 (27-March 2015)

Galileo Soyuz-VS11 (27-March 2015)

Galileo Soyuz-VS11 (27-March 2015)

Galileo Soyuz-VS11 (27-March 2015)

After an initial powered phase of Soyuz’ three lower stages, the launch included two burns of the Fregat upper stage, separated by a three-hour-plus ballistic phase, to place the two 700-kg.-class satellites at their targeted deployment point. Total payload lift performance for the flight was estimated at 1,597 kg. on a mission to a circular medium-Earth orbit. Read more…

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Watch Galileo launch-4 live

The seventh and eighth Galileo satellites are scheduled for launch tomorrow, March 27, at 21:46:18 GMT (22:46:18 CET) atop a Soyuz ST-B rocket from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. Streaming starts at 21:26 GMT (22:26 CET) at the European Space Agency website.

The first three stages of the Soyuz rocket will take the Galileo satellites and their Fregat upper stage into low orbit. Then the reignitable Fregat, as much a spacecraft as a rocket stage, will take over the task of hauling the satellites higher through a pair of burns. The satellites will be released in opposite directions by their dispenser once they reach their set 22,522 kilometer-altitude orbit 3 hours, 47 minutes, 57 seconds after launch. Read more…

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