Soyuz at the Guiana Space Centre

Soyuz at the Guiana Space Centre (also known as Soyuz at CSG or Arianespace Soyuz) is an ongoing ESA programme for operating Soyuz-ST launch vehicles from Guiana Space Centre (CSG), providing medium-size launch capability for Arianespace to accompany the light Vega and heavy-lift Ariane 5.^[3] The Soyuz vehicle is supplied by the Russian Federal Space Agency with TsSKB-Progress and NPO Lavochkin, while additional components are supplied by EADS, Thales Group and RUAG.^[1]:28–30

The Arianespace Soyuz project was announced by the ESA in 2002. Cooperation with Russia began in two areas: construction of a launch site for Soyuz in CSG and development of the Europeanized Soyuz launch vehicle. A Programme Declaration was signed in 2003 and funding along with final approval was granted on 4 February 2005.^[4][5] Initial excavation for the Ensemble de Lancement Soyouz (ELS; Soyuz Launch Complex) began in 2005, construction started in 2007, and the launch complex was completed in early 2011,^[6] allowing Arianespace to offer launch services on the Europeanized Soyuz ST-B to its clients.^[1][7] Two early flights, VS02 and VS04, used the Soyuz ST-A variant.^[8][9] Since 2011, Arianespace has ordered a total of 23 Soyuz rockets, enough to cover its needs until 2019 at a pace of three to four launches per year.^[10][11]:10

Vehicle processing

Soyuz components arrive at the CSG via ship, and are unloaded and placed in a storage area. From there, the components are brought to the Launch Vehicle Integration Building where they're assembled horizontally in an air-conditioned environment. First four boosters are attached to the core stage, and then third stage is attached to the core - identical to the procedure at Baikonur and Plesetsk Cosmodrome. Separately, the payload is mounted on a dispenser in a Payload Processing Facility and then transferred into the S3B building to be mounted to the Fregat upper stage and then encapsulated in a fairing. Subsequently, the first 3 stages of the Soyuz-ST are transported from the Integration Building to the launch pad by a train which also erects the rocket to the vertical position at the pad, where Soyuz is suspended by four support arms. Once vertical, a mobile gantry moves in and encloses Soyuz. Following that the encapsulated Fregat and payload is lifted vertically by a mobile gantry to be mounted on top of Soyuz. The Mobile Gantry is retracted an hour before the launch.^{[12][13][14][15][16]}

Future developments

Arianespace plans to operate Soyuz until at least the end of 2019, and as of 2014 intended to continue operating Soyuz alongside the planned Ariane 6 when that launcher makes its debut.^[10][17] However, the announcement of new Ariane 6 designs from Airbus and Safran opens the possibility of Ariane 6.2 replacing Soyuz.^[18]

Launch history

Inaugural flight

The first contract for the launch of Soyuz ST-B from Guiana Space Centre was signed at the 2009 Paris Air Show by the Director of the Galileo Programme and Navigation-related Activities René Oosterlinck and a CEO of Arianespace Jean-Yves Le Gall. This contract covered 2 launches of two Galileo satellites each.^[19] The contract for the satellites themselves had already been signed by ESA and Galileo Industries in 2006.^[20]

Launch vehicle components shipped from Saint Petersburg first arrived in French Guiana by ship in November 2009.^[21] The Soyuz Launch Site acceptance review took place during the last week of March 2011, leading to the first simulated launch campaign between 29 April and 4 May.^[6][22] The launch site was officially handed over from ESA to the Arianespace on 7 May 2011.^[23]

Assembly of the Soyuz ST-B begun on 12 September 2011 in the Assembly and Testing building, while two Galileo satellites underwent final tests after their arrival from Thales Alenia Space facilities in Italy on 7 and 14 September.^[24] The launch was planned for 20 October, however an anomaly was detected in the pneumatic system responsible for disconnecting the fuel lines from Soyuz third stage, forcing the mission to be postponed for 24 hours. On 21 October 2011, 7:30 local time, Soyuz ST-B took off for its inaugural, 3 hour 49 minute, flight.^[25]

Flight VS09

On 22 August 2014 Arianespace launched the first two Full Operational Capability satellites for the Galileo satellite navigation constellation into Medium Earth orbit.^[26] The mission appeared to proceed normally and Arianespace reported the launch to be a success, however analysis of telemetry data provided by ESA and CNES tracking stations showed that the satellites were injected into an incorrect orbit.^[27]

The orbit was determined by European Space Operations Centre within 3 hours after the separation from launcher, and the satellites were operating normally and under control.^[28] Both satellites were switched to safe mode, pointing at the sun while both ESA/CNES and OHB teams investigated the failure and options for the satellites.^[29] On 25 August Arianespace announced the creation of an independent inquiry commission to investigate the anomaly.^[30] On 28 August details emerged on the events that most likely lead to the Fregat failure. At the end of the re-orientation phase the flight control system detected an incorrect angular speed and unsuccessfully attempted to use thrusters to correct the situation. The flight control system did not detect the thruster issue and continued the flight plan with the upper stage oriented in a wrong direction, leaving the satellites in an incorrect orbit.^[31] As of 10 September 2014 the inquiry commission had completed several meetings and was narrowing the cause of anomaly. The final report with recommendations was planned to be released in October. ESA is investigating possible scenarios for satellite utilization, with the priority to raise the orbital perigee above the Van Allen radiation belt.^[32]

The Roscosmos commission report, quoted by Izvestia, indicated that the Fregat failure was due to a design flaw leading to freezing in one of the hydrazine propellant lines, which was placed alongside a line carrying cold helium used for pressurization of the main propellant tanks. During the long first burn required for Galileo orbital insertion the propellant line was cooled to below the freezing point of hydrazine. Further investigation on the software error and a means to prevent similar failures in future continues.^[33][34]

In November, ESA announced the satellites will perform a total of 15 orbital maneuvers to raise their perigee to 17,339 km. This will reduce the satellites' exposure to the Van Allen radiation belts, reduce the Doppler effect, increase satellite visibility from the ground, and allow the satellites to keep their antennas pointed at Earth during perigee. These orbits will repeat the same ground track every 20 days, allowing synchronization with other Galileo satellites which repeat the same ground track every 10 days. Once in their new orbits the satellites can begin in-orbit testing.^[35]

Failure of flight VS09 caused a serious reaction in Russian government. Oleg Ostapenko, Head of Roscosmos, had a "difficult conversation in the White House".^[34]

Missions

Launch sequence

Launch complex with withdrawn mobile gantry

Typically, operations 3 days before launch include countdown rehearsal for all stages as well as final preparations and verification of the Fregat upper stage. Two days before launch preparations for fueling begin. This is also the last day when pre-launch activity with the payload can occur.^[46] The launch sequence is optimized for each mission, the sequence described here is based on flight VS07 which lifted the Sentinel-1A satellite:^[16][47]

References

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