First Russian-Designed Spacecraft To Launch From French Guiana

The latest addition to Arianespace's launcher family made its world debut Monday at the vehicle's new base of operations, as the first Soyuz was rolled out to the Spaceport's launch pad in French Guiana. The Russian-built medium-lift workhorse vehicle emerged from its MIK integration facility in the Spaceport's northwest zone early Monday morning for a 1,900 foot transfer to the launch zone.

It marked the start of a "dry run" validation of procedures that will replicate all aspects of a Soyuz mission's typical multi-day final preparation phase at the Spaceport - except for the vehicle's actual fueling. For this dry run, the process will continue to the final countdown on May 4, when it will be purposely stopped - allowing procedures to be confirmed in the scenario of a launch-day interruption. The final countdown will be resumed on May 5, with a simulated liftoff and downrange mission trajectory.

The vehicle involved in this exercise is a flight-worthy launcher that will be used for a future mission after Soyuz enters service beginning later this year. It is one of two launchers that have been delivered from Russia to French Guiana. Based on the processing flow established for Soyuz missions at the Spaceport, the three-stage launcher had been horizontally integrated in the MIK facility and was rolled out to the launch zone on a transporter/erector rail car.

The Soyuz vehicle - composed of its four first-stage strap-on boosters, the Block A core second stage, and the Block I third stage - was then raised into position over the massive concrete launch pad by the transporter/erector, where it was then suspended in position with the use of the launch pad's four primary support arms at mid-day.

During the afternoon hours, the 170-foot-tall mobile gantry that was developed specifically for Soyuz operations at the Spaceport moved into position around the vehicle, allowing delivery and integration of the launcher's upper composite in the evening. This upper composite consists of a Fregat upper stage and the ST-type payload fairing. For the dry-run exercise, the upper composite did not contain an actual payload.

FMI: http://www.arianespace.com/index/index.asp