Feature story
On the record: CEO Jean-Yves Le Gall discusses Starsem's Soyuz 2-1a mission success and Arianespace's launcher family plans
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October 24, 2006
The Starsem affiliate of Arianespace successfully orbited Europe's MetOp-A satellite on October 19, utilizing the Soyuz 2-1a launch vehicle on a flight from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
This mission validated the improved Soyuz 2-1a version, which has an enlarged payload fairing (fairing ST) and a new digital guidance system for improved accuracy and control.
In the following "On the Record" interview, Chief Executive Officer Jean-Yves Le Gall reviews the latest achievement for Arianespace as the company moves ahead with its development of a highly capable family of commercial launch vehicles.
Question: Why was the October 19 launch of MetOp-A important for Arianespace?
Jean-Yves Le Gall: This flight validated the enhanced Soyuz 2-1a, whose capabilities meet the medium-lift mission requirements of satellite operators, spacecraft manufacturers and governmental customers around the globe. Soyuz 2-1a is a member of the improved Soyuz ST family, which will be introduced by Arianespace at Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana from 2008.
Question: How does Arianespace's launcher family concept improve its commercial offer in an increasingly competitive industry?
Jean-Yves Le Gall: I think our slogan says it all: "Any payload, to any orbit, at any time." With the family of lightweight Vega, medium-lift Soyuz and heavyweight Ariane 5 launchers, Arianespace will be able to efficiently accommodate a full range of payloads - from small scientific and institutional satellites to the largest telecommunications platforms.
All three vehicles will operate side-by-side at Europe's Spaceport, where our customers will benefit from the most modern launch infrastructure available today, as well as the operational experience and maturity of the Ariane and Soyuz mission teams.
Question: How are the preparations going for Soyuz new launch facility at the Spaceport?
Jean-Yves Le Gall: I am impressed with the progress each time I visit the construction site! It is rapidly taking shape, and we remain on schedule for the inaugural mission in 2008.
The Spaceport's Soyuz launch pad configuration will be nearly identical to the launch sites at Baikonur Cosmodrome. This ensures that acoustic and operating conditions during liftoff will be the same as in Soyuz launches at Baikonur Cosmodrome, which trace their origins to the birth of the space program.
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Question: What is your assessment of the Ariane 5 and Soyuz performance so far this year?
Jean-Yves Le Gall: Both launchers continue to be industry benchmarks for performance and reliability. So far in 2006, Arianespace has launched four heavy-lift Ariane 5s - each carrying dual-satellite payloads. Ariane 5's accuracy continues to be impressive, delivering spacecraft into precise geostationary transfer orbits, which is highly appreciated by our customers.
The October 19 Soyuz launch with MetOp-A was Starsem's 16th consecutive success since the company began commercial launch operations in February 1999. It was the ninth Soyuz mission of 2006 and the 1,714th flight of a Soyuz family launcher - which are statistics that speak for themselves.
Question: What is Arianespace's launch planning for the remainder of 2006?
Jean-Yves Le Gall: We will wrap up another successful year with two more missions. The first will be an Ariane 5 heavy-lift launch in December with SES Americom's AMC-18 television distribution satellite and the WildBlue-1 Ka-band Internet satellite for WildBlue.
This will be followed by Starsem's launch of the polar-orbiting Corot astronomical satellite for the French CNES national space agency. The 630 kg Corot payload was booked by Arianespace specifically for launch on the Soyuz 2-1b, demonstrating the value of our launcher family concept.
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