In French Guiana, will re-launch rocket “Soyuz” with European satellites – ITAR-TASS

PARIS, August 22. Itar-Tass Batirev /. Tries to restart Russian carrier rocket “Soyuz-ST-B” with two European navigation satellites on board will take place from Spaceport in French Guiana. As reported on Thursday evening, the press service of the company Arianespace, which is responsible for maintaining the spaceport, a new start is scheduled for 9:27 local time (16:27 MSK).

Originally the launch was scheduled for Thursday, but his had to be postponed for a day due to adverse weather conditions. As specified in Arianespace, now meteorological situation has stabilized. “Tomorrow (Friday) to predict a positive trend in the weather conditions in the sky over the Guiana Space Centre, – the press-service of the company. – In this regard, it was decided to resume the countdown before launch, which will take place at 09:27 local time” .

In the space Russian carrier rocket should deliver satellites for the European navigation system Galileo.

For the removal of two spacecraft Full Operational Capability mass of 730 kg each responsible booster “Fregat-MT” , developed by NPO Lavochkin. Breeding satellites, which will be delivered to a circular low Earth orbit at an altitude of 23.2 thousand. Km and an inclination of 55.4 degrees, must be made in 3 hours 47 minutes after the rocket launch.

This is the first pair of serial operating satellites, that will ensure the full functioning of the European system. “The launch of these two devices marks the beginning of a full operating performance of the constellation” Galileo “- said the European Commissioner for Industry and Entrepreneurship, Ferdinando Nelli Feroci. – This project is at the forefront of technological progress and has enormous economic potential that will contribute to problems of growth and competitiveness of the EU.”

In orbit European satellites will join the previously launched – also with the help of the “Union” – the four pre-production devices IOV. All of them are designed for the European global satellite navigation system “Galileo” – an analog of the Russian GLONASS and the American GPS. Ambitious project to create a pan-European private navigation system is the brainchild of the European Space Agency / ESA /.

Work on Galileo began in 2000. In 2005 and 2008 were launched two experimental satellites GIOVE. In 2011, the Russian “Soyuz-ST-B” during his first start from the spaceport in Guiana orbited the first two constant companions, who laid the foundation for the future navigation system. It is planned that by 2015, to be placed in orbit 18 satellites, and finally the formation of the system is to be completed in 2018, when the total number of spacecraft to reach 30.

satellite systems will provide high-precision global positioning, being compatible with GPS and GLONASS. Europeans emphasize that in contrast to the American and Russian competitors, originally developed for the military, their system – exclusively civil use.

For the “Unions” this will be the ninth in the history of the start, carried out outside the former Soviet Union. Russian rocket from Baikonur in French Guiana run since 2011 on the basis of an intergovernmental agreement between Russia and France.