Soyuz at the Guiana Space Centre
| Company type | Launch vehicle variants |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace, space launch |
| Founded | 2011 |
Area served | Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana |
| Products | Medium-capacity launch vehicles (Soyuz-ST-A, Soyuz-ST-B) |
| Parent | Soyuz-2 launch vehicle family |
Soyuz-ST-A and ST-B
The Soyuz-ST-A and ST-B represent adapted versions of the Soyuz-2 launch vehicle, specifically engineered for operations from the Guiana Space Centre (CSG) in French Guiana. This initiative, a joint effort between Russia and Europe, sought to introduce a medium-capacity rocket that would bridge the gap between the light-lift Vega and heavy-lift Ariane 5 launchers within a European Space Agency (ESA) framework.
Central to the programme was the construction of the Ensemble de Lancement Soyouz (ELS) at CSG and tailoring the Soyuz-2 to withstand tropical environmental challenges. The inaugural flight of Soyuz ST-B took place on 21 October 2011, with the first ST-A launch following on 17 December 2011.
Both models featured a four-stage configuration optimized for low Earth orbit missions, employing boosters as the initial stage and a central core as the second. Distinct from the conventional Soyuz-2, these versions required the use of the Fregat upper stage.
Between 2011 and 2022, CSG hosted 27 Soyuz-ST launches, achieving 26 successful missions. The more capable ST-B variant was predominantly utilized, while nine flights employed the ST-A.
Diplomatic strains arising from the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine resulted in the cessation of Soyuz launches from CSG. Additionally, the emergence of medium-lift vehicles like Vega C and Ariane 6 diminished Soyuz's role in this sector.
Soyuz adaptations for operations at the Guiana Space Centre
To address the unique demands of CSG's environment, substantial modifications were implemented on Soyuz rockets to guarantee reliable performance and safety under tropical conditions.
Launch Facilities and Payload Integration
- Mobile Service Tower: The ELS incorporates a mobile service tower that facilitates vertical integration of payloads directly on the launch platform.
- European Payload Interfaces: Payload adapters supplied by European partners improve compatibility with a wide range of spacecraft.
- Engine Start Procedure: At ELS, ignition of booster and first-stage engines is achieved pyrotechnically, contrasting with chemical ignition methods used at other sites.
Safety Enhancements
- European Safeguard Kit (Kit de Sauvegarde Européenne): This system offers real-time tracking and enables flight termination to ensure controlled destruction if necessary.
- Destruction Mechanisms: Pyrotechnic devices installed on boosters and core stage guarantee their sinking in ocean waters after mission completion.
- S-Band Telemetry Adjustments: Telemetry systems were modified to meet Inter-Range Instrumentation Group standards employed at CSG.
Environmental Considerations
- Adaptation to Tropical Climate: Air conditioning systems maintain payload temperature within the fairing; specialized protections are in place to prevent icing during cryogenic propellant loading amid high humidity.
- Pest Prevention: All openings and cavities in the rocket are sealed meticulously to block entry by insects or rodents.
Vehicle processing
Upon arrival at CSG by sea, Soyuz components are unloaded and stored prior to assembly. In the climate-controlled Launch Vehicle Integration (LVI) Building, four strap-on boosters are horizontally attached to the central core stage, followed by integration of the third stage. Several days before liftoff, a transporter conveys the assembled rocket to the launch pad where it is erected vertically and enclosed by the mobile service tower.
Concurrently, customer teams prepare their spacecraft within the clean room of the Payload Processing Facility (PPF). One day before transfer, payloads are combined with their adapter or dispenser before moving to the S3B building for mating with the fueled Fregat upper stage and encapsulation inside the payload fairing.
Three days ahead of launch, the mobile service tower raises the encapsulated payload and Fregat atop Soyuz. Approximately one hour before liftoff, this tower retracts to complete final launch preparations.
Maiden launch
The initial Soyuz launch agreement at the CSG was finalized during the 2009 Paris Air Show, with Galileo Programme Director René Oosterlinck and Arianespace CEO Jean-Yves Le Gall signing for two launches, each carrying a pair of Galileo satellites. The contract for the satellites themselves had been secured earlier in 2006 between ESA and Galileo Industries.
In November 2009, launch vehicle parts transported from Saint Petersburg reached French Guiana. The acceptance review for the Soyuz Launch Site took place in late March 2011, followed by a simulated launch campaign held from 29 April through 4 May. ESA officially transferred control of the launch complex to Arianespace on 7 May 2011.
Soyuz ST-B assembly commenced on 12 September 2011, with two Galileo satellites undergoing final testing after arriving from Thales Alenia Space in Italy earlier that month. Although initially set for 20 October, the liftoff was postponed by one day due to an issue detected in the pneumatic system of the third stage. On 21 October 2011 at 10:30 UTC, Soyuz ST-B lifted off on its first flight lasting approximately 3 hours and 49 minutes—signifying Soyuz’s inaugural launch beyond former Soviet borders.
Flight VS09
On 22 August 2014, Arianespace successfully launched the first two Full Operational Capability satellites for the Galileo satellite navigation system into medium Earth orbit. Despite initial reports of success, telemetry data from ESA and CNES revealed that the satellites were placed into incorrect orbits:
| Orbit | Inclination | Eccentricity | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intended | 23,222 × 23,222 km | 55.0° | 0.00 |
| Actual | 25,900 × 13,713 km | 49.8° | 0.23 |
Within three hours after separation, the European Space Operations Centre identified the orbital deviation but confirmed both satellites remained functional and controllable. Both units entered safe mode while ESA, CNES, and OHB teams analyzed the anomaly and explored recovery strategies.
On 25 August 2014, Arianespace established an independent investigation panel to determine the cause of the failure. By 28 August, findings pointed to a malfunction in the Fregat upper stage’s flight control system: during reorientation, an incorrect angular velocity was detected but thruster corrections failed to activate properly, leaving the upper stage misaligned and resulting in erroneous satellite insertion.
A subsequent report from a Roscosmos commission attributed the malfunction to a design deficiency causing hydrazine propellant lines to freeze due to thermal interaction with adjacent cold helium lines during the prolonged burn required for orbit insertion. This thermal bridging interrupted propellant flow and triggered intense scrutiny within Russian authorities.
The Independent Inquiry Board concluded on 7 October 2014 that thermal conduction between helium and hydrazine lines led to thruster fuel interruption. Ambiguities within design documentation failed to anticipate such thermal effects. Recommendations included revising thermal analyses, updating design documents, and improving manufacturing and inspection protocols for propellant line assemblies.
In November 2014, ESA unveiled a recovery strategy involving fifteen orbital maneuvers aimed at raising perigee altitude to approximately 17,339 km. This adjustment lessened exposure to Van Allen radiation belts, reduced Doppler shift impacts, enhanced ground station visibility, and allowed antennas to maintain Earth-pointing orientation during perigee passes. The revised orbits repeat ground tracks every twenty days, facilitating alignment with other Galileo satellites operating on a ten-day cycle.
The recovery phase concluded in March 2015 when Galileo-FOC FM2 reached its corrected orbit matching FM1’s position from November 2014 following successful testing. These orbital corrections ensure reliable satellite coverage despite initial deployment challenges.
Missions
| Flight | Launch (UTC) | Configuration | Payload | Payload mass | Orbit | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VS01 | 21 October 2011, 10:30:00 | Soyuz ST-B / Fregat-M | Galileo IOV-1/2 | 1,580 kg (3,480 lb) | MEO | Template:Success | |
| VS02 | 17 December 2011, 02:03:08 | Soyuz ST-A / Fregat-M | Pléiades-1A, SSOT, 4 x ELISA | 2,191 kg (4,830 lb) | SSO | Template:Success | |
| VS03 | 12 October 2012, 18:15:01 | Soyuz ST-B / Fregat-MT | Galileo IOV-3/4 | 1,580 kg (3,480 lb) | MEO | Template:Success | |
| VS04 | 2 December 2012, 02:02:51 | Soyuz ST-A / Fregat | Pléiades 1B | 1,070 kg (2,360 lb) | SSO | Template:Success | |
| VS05 | 25 June 2013, 19:27:03 | Soyuz ST-B / Fregat-MT | O3b F1 | 3,204 kg (7,064 lb) | MEO | Template:Success | |
| VS06 | 19 December 2013, 09:12:19 | Soyuz ST-B / Fregat-MT | Gaia | 2,105 kg (4,641 lb) | L2 | Template:Success | |
| VS07 | 3 April 2014, 21:02:26 | Soyuz ST-A / Fregat-M | Sentinel-1A | 2,272 kg (5,009 lb) | SSO | Template:Success | |
| VS08 | 10 July 2014, 18:55:56 | Soyuz ST-B / Fregat-MT | O3b F2 | 3,204 kg (7,064 lb) | MEO | Template:Success | |
| VS09 | 22 August 2014, 12:27:11 | Soyuz ST-B / Fregat-MT | Galileo FOC FM1/FM2 | 1,607 kg (3,543 lb) | MEO | Template:Partial failure | |
| VS10 | 18 December 2014, 18:37:00 | Soyuz ST-B / Fregat-MT | O3b F3 | 3,184 kg (7,020 lb) | MEO | Template:Success | |
| VS11 | 27 March 2015,21:46:18 | Soyuz ST-B /Fregat-MT | Galileo FOC FM3/FM4 | 1,597 kg (3,521 lb) | MEO | Template:Success | |
| VS12 | 12 September 2015,02:08:10 | Soyuz ST-B /Fregat-MT | Galileo FOC FM5/FM6 | 1,601 kg (3,530 lb) | MEO | Template:Success | |
| VS13 | 17 December 2015,11:51:56 | Soyuz ST-B /Fregat-MT | Galileo FOC FM8/FM9 | 1,603 kg (3,534 lb) | MEO | Template:Success | |
| VS14 | 25 April 2016,21:02:13 | Soyuz ST-A /Fregat-M | Sentinel-1B, MICROSCOPE | 3,099 kg (6,832 lb) | SSO | Template:Success | |
| VS15 | 24 May 2016,08:48:43 | Soyuz ST-B /Fregat-MT | Galileo FOC FM10/FM11 | 1,599 kg (3,525 lb) | MEO | Template:Success | |
| VS16 | 28 January 2017,01:03:34 | Soyuz ST-B /Fregat-MT | Hispasat 36W-1 | 3,200 kg (7,100 lb) | GTO | Template:Success | |
| VS17 | 18 May 2017,11:54:53 | Soyuz ST-A /Fregat-M | SES-15 | 2,302 kg (5,075 lb) | GTO | Template:Success | |
| VS18 | 9 March 2018,14:10:06 | Soyuz ST-B /Fregat-MT | O3b F4 | 3,198 kg (7,050 lb) | MEO | Template:Success | |
| VS19 | 7 November 2018,03:47:27 | Soyuz ST-B /Fregat-M | MetOp-C | 4,212 kg (9,286 lb) | SSO | Template:Success | |
| VS20 | 19 December 2018,16:37:14 | Soyuz ST-A /Fregat-M | CSO-1 | 3,565 kg (7,859 lb) | SSO | Template:Success | |
| VS21 | 27 February 2019,21:37:00 | Soyuz ST-B /Fregat-MT | OneWeb F6 | 1,945 kg (4,288 lb) | LEO | Template:Success | |
| VS22 | 4 April 2019,17:03:37 | Soyuz ST-B /Fregat-MT | O3b F5 | 3,177 kg (7,004 lb) | MEO | Template:Success | |
| VS23 | 18 December 2019,08:54:20 | Soyuz ST-A /Fregat-MT | CHEOPS, COSMO-SkyMed | 3,250 kg (7,170 lb) | SSO | Template:Success | |
| VS24 | 2 December 2020,01:33:28 | Soyuz ST-A /Fregat-M | FalconEye-2 | 1,190 kg (2,620 lb) | SSO | Template:Success | |
| VS25 | 29 December 2020,16:42:07 | Soyuz ST-A /Fregat-M | CSO-2 | 3,562 kg (7,853 lb) | SSO | Template:Success | |
| VS26 | 5 December 2021,00:19:20 | Soyuz ST-B /Fregat-MT | Galileo FOC FM23/FM24 | 1,645 kg (3,627 lb) | MEO | Template:Success | |
| VS27 | 10 February 2022,18:09:37 | Soyuz ST-B /Fregat-MT | OneWeb F13 | 5,495 kg (12,114 lb) | LEO | Template:Success |
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Launch Procedure
Operations commence three days before liftoff, involving countdown drills and the final inspection of the Fregat upper stage. Two days ahead of launch, fueling preparations are initiated, which also marks the final opportunity for payload-related activities. The launch timeline varies depending on the mission; below is the sequence for flight VS07, which carried the Sentinel-1A satellite:
| Time | Activity | Altitude |
|---|---|---|
| T− 06:30:00 | Network countdown begins by mission control team B | |
| T− 04:50:00 | Fueling authorized by State Commission | |
| T− 04:00:00 | Commencement of fueling operations | |
| T− 03:00:00 | Payload transitions to pre-launch configuration | |
| T− 02:20:00 | Readiness status report issued | |
| T− 01:45:00 | Completion of fueling | |
| T− 01:21:00 | GO / NO-GO status check conducted | |
| T− 01:00:00 | Retraction of mobile gantry | |
| T− 00:10:00 | Payload switches to internal power supply | |
| T− 00:06:10 | Initiation of autosequence | |
| T− 00:05:00 | Fregat upper stage switches to internal power | |
| T− 00:01:00 | Activation of automatic launch sequence | |
| T− 00:00:40 | Launcher transitions to onboard power | |
| T− 00:00:20 | Withdrawal of lower stage umbilical mast | |
| T− 00:00:15 | Ignition of main engine | |
| T− 00:00:10 | Engine reaches preliminary thrust level | |
| T− 00:00:03 | Engine attains maximum thrust level | |
| T+ 00:00:00 | Liftoff occurs | |
| T+ 00:01:11 | Max Q reached | |
| T+ 00:01:58 | Separation of boosters | 60 km (37 mi) |
| T+ 00:03:29 | Fairing jettisoned | 120 km (75 mi) |
| T+ 00:04:47 | Second stage separates | 240 km (150 mi) |
| T+ 00:04:48 | Ignition of second stage engine | |
| T+ 00:04:53 | Separation of aft section (connecting first and second stages) | |
| T+ 00:08:46 | Detachment of Fregat upper stage | |
| T+ 00:09:46 | Fregat ignition initiated | 410 km (250 mi) |
| T+ 00:20:04 | Shutdown of Fregat engine | |
| T+ 00:23:29 | Payload deployment completed | 693 km (431 mi) |