Soyuz-ST - Updates and Discussion

[bolun]

Soyuz mission profile: Thierry Wilmart, Arianespace Mission Manager

October 19, 2011

The maiden flight of Soyuz from French Guiana not only marks a new step in Arianespace’s development of a comprehensive launcher family, it also widens the role of the company’s Mission Managers – who work with payload customers from contract signature to the orbiting of their spacecraft.

The Mission Manager team will be multi-functional, capable of working on flights involving any of Arianespace’s three launch vehicles operating from the Spaceport: the heavy-lift Ariane 5, its medium-lift Soyuz and the lightweight Vega.

This flexibility enables Mission Managers to bring varied – and significant – experience for the benefit of Arianespace customers, and ensures the team remains fully up-to-date on the range of operational matters involved in flights from French Guiana.

Such mobility is demonstrated by Thierry Wilmart, Arianespace’s Mission Manager for the first flight of Soyuz, who has been involved in the planning of this milestone launch for more than two years.  In parallel, he also performed Mission Manager duties on Ariane 5 flights – the most recent of which was a dual payload launch in May with the ST-2 and GSAT-8 satellites.

“The debut Soyuz mission has been an exciting and challenging experience, with all of the unique aspects that come with a first-ever mission introducing a new launcher,” Wilmart explained.

For Soyuz’ inaugural flight, Wilmart has been working with multiple parties involved in the mission’s payload of dual Galileo navigation satellites, including the European Space Agency as Arianespace’s direct customer and EADS Astrium as prime industrial contractor, along with Thales Alenia Space and the European authority responsible for security issues related to the spacecraft.

http://www.arianespace.com/news-soyuz-vega/2011/2011-10-19-soyuz-mission-profile-wilmart.asp

[bolun]

Soyuz confirms its payload flexibility in missions from the Spaceport

October 19, 2011

Arianespace is demonstrating the mission flexibility of its new Soyuz launcher family member beginning with the medium-lift vehicle’s first two flights, which use different dispenser systems to accommodate multiple payloads on missions from French Guiana.

For Soyuz’ inaugural flight at the Spaceport, a dispenser developed for Arianespace is carrying the mission’s two Galileo IOV (In-Orbit Validation) spacecraft in a side-by-side arrangement.  This dispenser will deploy the spacecraft into a 23,222-km. orbit by firing a pyrotechnic separation system to simultaneously release them in opposite directions.

For its second mission from French Guiana, Soyuz will use Arianespace’s new ASAP-S structure, which facilitates the integration of smaller auxiliary payloads on the Russian-built launcher. 

This flight is scheduled for December, and is to loft the French CNES space agency’s Pleiades optical Earth observation satellite, along with five supplemental payloads: four French Elisa micro-satellites

for a demonstration of defense-related orbital electronic intelligence gathering (ELINT); and the Chilean SSOT (Sistema satelital de Observación de la Tierra) optical satellite for civilian and defense Earth observation.

The ASAP-S will carry Pleiades in its centerline position atop the platform, while SSOT will be installed below it.  The four Elisa satellites are to be accommodated on side-mounted platforms.

http://www.arianespace.com/news-soyuz-vega/2011/2011-10-19-soyuz-update.asp

[anik]

I was told today by ESA guys that VS02 launch is planned on December 14-20, the launch of another two Galileo IOV satellites is planned in August/September 2012 and first Galileo FOC satellites will be launched in 2013.

[Nicolas PILLET]

I've just learnt (in the VS01 post-flight interview of Sergueï Ivanov) that "ST" means "Special for Tropics" !! (Спецялно для Тропиков ?)

[anik]

I've just learnt (in the VS01 post-flight interview of Sergueï Ivanov) that "ST" means "Special for Tropics" !! (Спецялно для Тропиков?)

Специальная Тропическая.

[anik]

I was told Soyuz-ST-B launch (flight VS03) with Fregat-MT No. 1031 and two Galileo IOV satellites is planned NET October 2012.

[Nicolas PILLET]

According to "Latitude 5" (the official CSG bulletin, issue 97), a new building will be built for fueling of Fregat upper stages.

It will be called NBR (Nouveau Bâtiment de Remplissage - New Fueling Building). Construction should begin in 2013.

[Jester]

According to "Latitude 5" (the official CSG bulletin, issue 97), a new building will be built for fueling of Fregat upper stages.

It will be called NBR (Nouveau Bâtiment de Remplissage - New Fueling Building). Construction should begin in 2013.

Ahh, so they are moving from S3B/S5, I heard stories last year that they will re-use the former location of the now demolished Ariane 4 launch pad, need to remember to get a Latitude copy/membership in place while i'm at CSG...

[Jester]

P.S.

S1A is being re-furbished and will be used as of next year for satellite processing for Galileo on Soyuz

[bolun]

Arianespace starts construction of a New Filling Hall at the Guiana Space Center
 
Evry, December 6, 2013

Arianespace is starting the construction of a New Filling Hall (known by its French acronym NBR, for Nouveau Bâtiment de Remplissage) following the approval of its Board of Directors on November 6 and the approval received today from French space agency CNES, the Guiana Space Center (CSG) landowner. The new building will be dedicated to filling propellants on Soyuz's upper stage, Fregat. It will be built as part of the Soyuz launch complex, and should be ready in the first half of 2015.

Once this new building is ready, the facilities currently used for propellant filling on Fregat will be used to prepare payloads for the three launchers operated by Arianespace, Ariane 5, Soyuz and Vega.

The overall aim is to increase Arianespace's yearly launch capacity from the Guiana Space Center, by reducing the interval between two missions, as well as the preparation time needed for Soyuz launches.

Stéphane Israël, Chairman and CEO of Arianespace, said: "This new facility will greatly increase the operational flexibility offered by our family of launchers at CSG, Ariane, Soyuz and Vega. It will enable us to increase our total annual launch capacity and our flexibility, which will in turn further improve the service we deliver to our customers. It's excellent news for both our customers and the employment situation in French Guiana."

About Arianespace

Arianespace is the world’s leading satellite launch company, delivering innovation to its customers since 1980. Backed by 21 shareholders and the European Space Agency, the company offers an international workforce renowned for a culture of commitment and excellence. As of December 1st, 2013, Arianespace had carried out a total of 215 Ariane launches, 31 Soyuz launches (five at the Guiana Space Center and 26 at Baikonur via Starsem) and two Vega launches. Arianespace has a backlog of 21 Ariane 5, 10 Soyuz and four Vega launches, equaling three years of business.

http://www.arianespace.com/news-press-release/2013/12-6-2013-NBR.asp

[Prober]

Third stages of two Soyuz-ST-A rockets will be returned to TsSKB-Progress for a checking of RD-0110 engines.

Found this video today and was looking for the proper place to put the link:

Seems this video might pre date much in this thread and should fill in some gaps.

Soyus ( R 7 ) rocket, manufacturing and R 7 engines TEST, 2007

[bolun]

http://www.arianespace.com/news-mission-update/2014/1154.asp

Israël announced a new agreement with Russian space agency Roscosmos for the supply of seven more Soyuz launchers and associated services – which, when added to the nine vehicles from the previous batch, will cover Arianespace’s medium-lift needs until 2019.

[Nicolas PILLET]

Only one Soyuz launcher is left at CSG. I assume it will be used for O3b launch on 27th June. That means that they must get a new delivery before the GALILEO-FOC launch, schedules for August...

[Stan Black]

On-board camera provides a unique perspective on Arianespace's successful Flight VS07 

I think I can see where the camera is located on the rocket.
http://www.kosmonavtika.com/lancements/2014/03042014/03042014-22.jpg

Curious thing is, that the fairing first appeared during the original fit checks before the first launch but was not used until now. Also other rockets appear to have protrusions for cameras.
http://www.kosmonavtika.com/lancements/2012/12102012/12102012-66.jpg
http://www.kosmonavtika.com/lancements/2012/02122012/02122012-123.jpg

So did they attempt to capture video before?

[Jester]

Nope, at least not for the 2 IOV launches I supported, btw its a kayser-threde system (KAP/OCAM)

[Star One]

Thinking of this launcher is there any danger of ESA getting sucked into the current political bun fight going on?

[Jester]

there was an indirect issue, cant give details, but it has been fixed for now.

[Star One]

there was an indirect issue, cant give details, but it has been fixed for now.

I was worried as I hear news reports of pressure on the EU for tougher sanctions.

[Stan Black]

At 3:25 in this video is this the upper stage of Soyuz-ST-A rocket № 003?

It shows 374БЛ…А, 14С54 and Ю15000-…

[Stan Black]

I have come across two tenders issued by RKTs Progress in Samara, the manufacturer of the Soyuz-ST rocket. They are for procurement of components for seven 372РН21А rockets. Issued in September and October of this year.

Изготовление и поставка подсистем ПВИ для изделия 372РН21А

http://www.zakupki.gov.ru/223/purchase/public/purchase/info/common-info.html?noticeId=1579907

Системы РТСЦМ-2 для изделия 372РН21А

http://www.zakupki.gov.ru/223/purchase/public/purchase/info/common-info.html?noticeId=1624295
The 372РН21А is the code for the Soyuz-STA rocket.