Soyuz lifts off from Kourou for first time
Posted: Fri, Oct 21, 2011, 6:25 PM ET (2225 GMT)
A Soyuz rocket, launching from Europe's spaceport in French Guiana for the first time, placed two Galileo navigation satellites into orbit on Friday. The Soyuz-STB rocket lifted off from the spaceport near Kourou, French Guiana, at 6:30 am EDT (1030 GMT) Friday carrying the first two Galileo In Orbit Validation (IOV) satellites. Nearly four hours later the two satellites separated from the Fregat upper stage in circular orbits at an altitude of over 23,000 kilometers and inclined 54.7 degrees to the Equator. The satellites are part of four planned IOV satellites that will test out technologies required for the full satellite navigation system. The launch is also the first from Kourou for the Soyuz, which had previously launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan and Plesetsk Cosmodrome in Russia.
A Soyuz rocket, launching from Europe's spaceport in French Guiana for the first time, placed two Galileo navigation satellites into orbit on Friday. The Soyuz-STB rocket lifted off from the spaceport near Kourou, French Guiana, at 6:30 am EDT (1030 GMT) Friday carrying the first two Galileo In Orbit Validation (IOV) satellites. Nearly four hours later the two satellites separated from the Fregat upper stage in circular orbits at an altitude of over 23,000 kilometers and inclined 54.7 degrees to the Equator. The satellites are part of four planned IOV satellites that will test out technologies required for the full satellite navigation system. The launch is also the first from Kourou for the Soyuz, which had previously launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan and Plesetsk Cosmodrome in Russia.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Saturday, September 13
NASA workers plan 3rd protest at D.C. headquarters on Sept. 15 to decry Trump's science funding cuts
SPACE.com — 4:47 am ET (0847 GMT) Mars shines red next to blue Spica at sunset on Sept. 13
SPACE.com — 4:47 am ET (0847 GMT) US Air Force selects Blue Origin and Anduril for rocket cargo delivery project: report
SPACE.com — 4:46 am ET (0846 GMT) Astronomers discover rogue black hole speeding through distant dwarf galaxy
SPACE.com — 4:46 am ET (0846 GMT) Scientists measure 'kick' that sent baby black hole flying away from its home for 1st time
SPACE.com — 4:46 am ET (0846 GMT) |
