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LIVE: Soyuz-FG launch with Radarsat 2 - December 14 by anik on 15 Nov, 2007 16:38
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The launch of Soyuz-FG rocket with Fregat upper stage and Radarsat 2 satellite from Baikonur cosmodrome is scheduled for December 14...
According to Novosti kosmonavtiki website, the upper stage has arrived to cosmodrome today... -
#1 by anik on 15 Nov, 2007 18:26
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According to http://www.federalspace.ru/NewsDoSele.asp?NEWSID=2584 (in Russian), Radarsat 2 satellite has been delivered to cosmodrome by aircraft today...
Images below are from Roskosmos website...
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#2 by anik on 19 Nov, 2007 14:55
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From http://kz-today.kz/index.php?uin=1138536794&chapter=1153431755
The preparation to the assembly of Soyuz-FG rocket is continuing... Checkings of systems of Radarsat 2 satellite have begun... -
#3 by anik on 26 Nov, 2007 19:06
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According to http://www.federalspace.ru/NewsDoSele.asp?NEWSID=2610 (in Russian), the fuelling of tanks of Radarsat 2 satellite by hydrazine was performed today... Also checkings of systems of Fregat upper stage is continuing...
According to http://kz-today.kz/index.php?lang=rus&uin=1138536794&chapter=1153432392 (in Russian), the assembly and testings of blocks of Soyuz-FG rocket are continuing... -
#4 by anik on 27 Nov, 2007 14:58
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According to http://www.federalspace.ru/NewsDoSele.asp?NEWSID=2613 (in Russian), pneumovacuum tests of upper stage are finishing...
Photo below is from Roskosmos website...
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#5 by anik on 28 Nov, 2007 18:15
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http://www.federalspace.ru/NewsDoSele.asp?NEWSID=2618
Yesterday autonomous testings of Fregat were finished... Today the upper stage was transported to the fuelling station...
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#6 by anik on 29 Nov, 2007 17:11
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http://www.federalspace.ru/NewsDoSele.asp?NEWSID=2622
Today:
- Radarsat 2 satellite was installed onto adapter...
- the fuelling of tanks of Fregat upper stage was performed...
- two circles of final complex tests of systems of Soyuz-FG rocket were carried out...
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#7 by anik on 01 Dec, 2007 08:17
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http://kz-today.kz/index.php?lang=rus&uin=1138536794&chapter=1153433036
The assembly of Radarsat 2 satellite with Fregat upper stage has begun recently... -
#8 by Spiff on 07 Dec, 2007 11:46
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http://www.arianespace.com/site/news/news_sub_featurestory_index02.html
Starsem’s Soyuz launch campaign is on track for a December 14 liftoff with RADARSAT-2December 5, 2007
Satellite and launch vehicle preparations are continuing on schedule at Baikonur Cosmodrome for the December 14 liftoff of RADARSAT-2 – Canada’s next-generation commercial synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite, which will be orbited aboard a Soyuz launch vehicle operated by Arianespace’s Starsem affiliate.
RADARSAT-2 has been installed on the adapter that serves as its interface with the launcher, and the spacecraft has undergone pre-launch electrical testing. This activity occurred in clean room conditions at Starsem’s Upper Composite Integration Facility at Baikonur Cosmodrome.
In parallel, the Soyuz launcher’s Fregat upper stage completed its pneumatic tests, and has been loaded with the propellant that will be used in delivering RADARSAT-2 to its sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of approximately 800 kilometers. It was transferred to Starsem’s Upper Composite Integration Facility on December 3 as planned.
The launch of RADARSAT-2 is set for December 14, 2007, at 7:17 p.m.(local time at Baikonur Cosmodrome, 2:17 p.m. in Paris) on the 20th commercial Soyuz mission managed by Starsem.
RADARSAT-2 is the follow-on to Canada’s highly successful RADARSAT-1 platform, which was launched in 1995. Missions to be performed by this commercial C-band synthetic aperture radar satellite include marine surveillance, ice monitoring, disaster management, environmental monitoring, resource management and mapping in Canada and around the world.
The RADARSAT-2 spacecraft was developed in a unique government/industry collaboration involving the Canadian Space Agency and MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. (MDA). MDA is to operate the satellite and ground segment, while the Canadian Space Agency contributed funds for RADARSAT-2’s construction and launch.
RADARSAT-2 incorporates technical advancements that include 3-meter high-resolution imaging, flexibility in selection of its scanning polarization, left and right-looking imaging options, superior data storage and more precise measurements of spacecraft position and attitude.
The workhorse Soyuz is a member of Arianespace’s growing family of commercial launch vehicles. This medium-lift launcher will be joining Ariane 5 in operations from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana beginning in 2009. -
#9 by anik on 10 Dec, 2007 15:45
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http://www.federalspace.ru/NewsDoSele.asp?NEWSID=2659
Assembly of ascent unit with third stage of Soyuz-FG rocket has been performed today...
The Soyuz-FG rollout to the launch pad 31/6 is scheduled for December 12th... -
#10 by on 10 Dec, 2007 23:22
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YOy can post the assembly photos?
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#11 by Satori on 11 Dec, 2007 11:21
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Quote
jancarlobascu - 10/12/2007 6:22 PM
YOy can post the assembly photos?
Until the moment the Russian Federal Space Agency hasn't posted any assembly photos. -
#12 by Nicolas PILLET on 11 Dec, 2007 17:10
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#13 by on 11 Dec, 2007 21:07
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Thanks for the RADARSAT-2 photo
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#14 by anik on 12 Dec, 2007 13:43
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http://kz-today.kz/index.php?lang=rus&uin=1138536794&chapter=1153434113
Soyuz-FG rocket with Fregat upper stage and Radarsat 2 satellite was rolled out to the launch pad today...
Photos (below) from Roskosmos website...
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#15 by Satori on 12 Dec, 2007 14:12
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Baykonur without snow... is it normal at this time of the year???
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#16 by anik on 12 Dec, 2007 14:23
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Quote
jancarlobascu - 11/12/2007 3:22 AM
YOy can post the assembly photos?
See, please, here:
http://www.tsenki.com/NewsDoSele.asp?NEWSID=555
http://www.tsenki.com/NewsDoSele.asp?NEWSID=557 -
#17 by on 12 Dec, 2007 20:32
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Thanks for the website
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#18 by Chris Bergin on 13 Dec, 2007 00:20
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Moved for live coverage..
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#19 by Polecat on 13 Dec, 2007 07:48
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Very large spacecraft! Thank you for the images.
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#20 by elmarko on 13 Dec, 2007 08:14
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I'm assuming this is going to be webcast on the Arianespace website? I work at a university and our students finish tomorrow, so if I'm lucky one of the lecture theatres may be open... I think you can see where I'm going with this
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#21 by astropl on 13 Dec, 2007 08:18
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elmarko - 13/12/2007 10:14 AM
I'm assuming this is going to be webcast on the Arianespace website? I work at a university and our students finish tomorrow, so if I'm lucky one of the lecture theatres may be open... I think you can see where I'm going with this
Starsem will launch the Canadian RADARSAT-2 satellite on Friday, December 14, 2007 at 13:17 UTC, 02:17 pm Paris time.
Follow the live coverage of the Soyuz launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, starting at 12:15 UTC (01:15 Paris time).
Follow the launch live on the internet:
http://www.starsem.com
or
http://www.videocorner.tv/index.php?langue=en -
#22 by Chris Bergin on 13 Dec, 2007 10:57
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Just over an hour until launch.
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#23 by elmarko on 13 Dec, 2007 10:58
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That's great, thanks for the info.
I'm going to try and watch this on our huge projector screen + speaker system setup in the big theatre.
It's going to look like crap when full screened, but there you go
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#24 by astropl on 13 Dec, 2007 11:02
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Chris Bergin - 13/12/2007 12:57 PM
Just over an hour until launch.
Plus one day...
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#25 by Chris Bergin on 13 Dec, 2007 11:07
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Quote
astropl - 13/12/2007 12:02 PM
QuoteChris Bergin - 13/12/2007 12:57 PM
Just over an hour until launch.
Plus one day...
Oops! Someone told me it was today (I should have looked at the date).
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#26 by ckiki lwai on 14 Dec, 2007 05:56
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I think you can move it back for live coverage Chris
I hope we have a successful launch today! Go Soyuz!
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#27 by Chris Bergin on 14 Dec, 2007 09:03
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Yeah, let's try this again
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#28 by Chris Bergin on 14 Dec, 2007 11:01
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Webcast starting soon...
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#29 by Nicolas PILLET on 14 Dec, 2007 11:18
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Soyuz should launch now, and still no webcast...
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#30 by Nicolas PILLET on 14 Dec, 2007 11:19
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Haaa !!!
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#31 by Chris Bergin on 14 Dec, 2007 11:20
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Wow, there's engineers up by the fairing. Either there's a problem or this is your typical Russian engineer who isn't too bothered about being next to the vehicle just before and just after launch
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#32 by Chris Bergin on 14 Dec, 2007 11:22
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#33 by ckiki lwai on 14 Dec, 2007 11:23
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Nice view, I think it's sunset now in kazakstan
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#34 by Chris Bergin on 14 Dec, 2007 11:24
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Lots of engineers around the vehicle and pad, with 50 minutes to launch.
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#35 by Jester on 14 Dec, 2007 11:33
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the bunker team does a last check at 40 minutes, and then it's back to the bunker for the launch, and yes you can get CRAZY close during this.....
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#36 by Chris Bergin on 14 Dec, 2007 11:34
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Big spacecraft:
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#37 by VB94 on 14 Dec, 2007 11:48
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Rollout video:
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#38 by Stephan on 14 Dec, 2007 11:51
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Some nice flags
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#39 by Jester on 14 Dec, 2007 11:53
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And we are LIVE.....
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#40 by VB94 on 14 Dec, 2007 11:53
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Back to live shots
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#41 by Chris Bergin on 14 Dec, 2007 11:56
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Stephan - 14/12/2007 12:51 PM
Some nice flags
There seems to be missing one, not that we have any involvement
Thanks for the images, keep them coming and I'll do launch event text. -
#42 by VB94 on 14 Dec, 2007 11:59
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#43 by VB94 on 14 Dec, 2007 12:03
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Less than 20 minutes to go...
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#44 by Chris Bergin on 14 Dec, 2007 12:06
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L-10 minutes.
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#45 by Chris Bergin on 14 Dec, 2007 12:10
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L-5 minutes.
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#46 by VB94 on 14 Dec, 2007 12:10
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#47 by ximig on 14 Dec, 2007 12:11
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5 minutes remaining until the launch. Everything is currently on go.
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#48 by ximig on 14 Dec, 2007 12:14
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Launch control is given to the automatic launch sequence.
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#49 by Chris Bergin on 14 Dec, 2007 12:15
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T-60 seconds.
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#50 by VB94 on 14 Dec, 2007 12:17
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#51 by VB94 on 14 Dec, 2007 12:18
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#52 by Chris Bergin on 14 Dec, 2007 12:18
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Launch and first stage flight..
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#53 by VB94 on 14 Dec, 2007 12:19
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#54 by VB94 on 14 Dec, 2007 12:20
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#55 by ckiki lwai on 14 Dec, 2007 12:21
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I didn't see any Soyuz launches from that angle before! Now I understand why they call it the fire trench, the screen just wen white from the light
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#56 by Chris Bergin on 14 Dec, 2007 12:21
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Booster sep. 1-2 Sep.
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#57 by Chris Bergin on 14 Dec, 2007 12:21
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Fairing sep. Second Stage flight.
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#58 by VB94 on 14 Dec, 2007 12:23
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Gone..
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#59 by Chris Bergin on 14 Dec, 2007 12:24
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Coverage ends. Speeches at 15:15 GMT.
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#60 by VB94 on 14 Dec, 2007 12:28
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The empty pad:
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#61 by ckiki lwai on 14 Dec, 2007 12:29
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they just keep doing launch replays now...
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#62 by Chris Bergin on 14 Dec, 2007 12:36
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Launch video:
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=11176
You can hear the Russian pad rats driving back to the launch pad about 30 second after launch :laugh: -
#63 by Se Elmeri on 14 Dec, 2007 13:03
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Chris Bergin - 14/12/2007 7:24 AM
Coverage ends.
I could watch only the final few minutes (from Arianespace), but it was a good coverage: no extra tingeltangel, just the lauch. -
#64 by anik on 14 Dec, 2007 14:12
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According to Novosti kosmonavtiki forum, Radarsat 2 satellite has been successfully separated from Fregat upper stage...
Exact liftoff time of Soyuz-FG rocket is 13:17:34.448 UTC... -
#65 by ckiki lwai on 14 Dec, 2007 14:19
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Quote
anik - 14/12/2007 4:12 PM
According to Novosti kosmonavtiki forum, Radarsat 2 satellite has been successfully separated from Fregat upper stage...
Jean-Yves Le Gall, Chairman and CEO Arianespace, just said on the webcast that everything went well and he congratulated everyone who worked on the satellite and the rocket. -
#66 by anik on 14 Dec, 2007 16:06
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Info from Novosti kosmonavtiki forum: the third (deorbit) burn of Fregat upper stage has been performed at 16:43 UTC...
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#67 by jacqmans on 14 Dec, 2007 16:15
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Starsem successfully launches RADARSAT-2 satellite
Evry, December 14, 2007
Starsem successfully launched the Radarsat-2 satellite for MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd., a leading provider of advanced information solutions to business and government organizations worldwide.
The Soyuz launch vehicle lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan right on schedule at 7:17 pm local time on Friday December 14 (1:17 pm UTC; 2:17 pm Paris time). It was the 1728th launch of a rocket from the Soyuz family, the 11th Soyuz mission in 2007 and the 20th successful Starsem launch.
Starsem and its Russian partners confirm that the Fregat upper stage accurately injected the Radarsat-2 satellite into the targeted low Earth orbit at 798 km altitude. Fregat was ignited twice to place the satellite into orbit 53 minutes after lift-off. Satellite acquisition and health status will be confirmed independently by MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd.
Radarsat-2 will become the cornerstone of the Canada's next-generation commercial radar satellite system dedicated to environmental monitoring, resource and disaster management and mapping in Canada and around the world. This project represents a collaboration between government and industry. MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. will own and operate the satellite and ground segment. The Canadian Space Agency helps to fund the construction and launch of the satellite and will recover this investment through the supply of Radarsat-2 data to the Government of Canada during the lifetime of the mission.
2007 was marked by three successful flights performed under Starsem’s responsibility. The Radarsat-2 mission was preceded by two Soyuz launches which delivered into orbit eight Globalstar satellites for Globalstar, Inc.
With the introduction of Soyuz at the Guiana Space Center (CSG), this famed Russian medium-class launch vehicle will become an integral part of the European launch vehicle fleet, together with the heavy-lift Ariane 5 and the lightweight Vega. To be offered to the commercial market, the Soyuz at CSG is Europe's reference medium-class launch vehicle for governmental and commercial missions.
Starsem is the Soyuz Company, bringing together all key players involved in the production, operation and international commercial marketing of the world’s most versatile launch vehicle. Shareholders in Starsem are Arianespace, Astrium, the Russian Federal Space Agency and the Samara Space Center.
Next year, Starsem will launch from Baikonur the Giove-B satellite for the European Space Agency.
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#68 by Delta Manager on 14 Dec, 2007 16:28
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Chris Bergin - 14/12/2007 7:36 AM
You can hear the Russian pad rats driving back to the launch pad about 30 second after launch :laugh:
They are a crazy bunch over there. -
#69 by anik on 14 Dec, 2007 18:46
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#70 by otisbow on 14 Dec, 2007 21:18
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I made a time recording of the complete webcast because I was at work.
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#71 by on 14 Dec, 2007 23:50
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Launch photos now?
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#72 by anik on 17 Dec, 2007 14:12
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#73 by Nicolas PILLET on 17 Dec, 2007 16:16
