A constellation completed

Arianespace completes the initial O3b constellation on a Soyuz mission that increases its size from 16 to 20 satellites. The first 16 O3b spacecraft were successfully orbited by four Soyuz vehicles operating from French Guiana in 2013, 2014 and 2018.

An “all-electric” first for Arianespace

Soyuz carries out Arianespace’s first launch of a satellite with an all-electric propulsion system. Performed from the Spaceport in French Guiana, Flight VS17 successfully delivers SES-15 – which is powered using electrical energy generated by its solar panels – to geostationary transfer orbit.

Soyuz success

Soyuz’ 14th flight from the Spaceport in French Guiana supports sustainable development, fundamental physics and promoting space careers by orbiting a five-satellite payload. Deployed on the mission are: Europe’s Sentinel-1B radar observation satellite; the French Microscope scientific satellite; and three educational CubeSats for the European Space Agency.

Launch success

Flight VS10, which is the third Soyuz launch success at the service of O3b Networks, raises the total number of satellites lofted to date by Arianespace beyond the 500 mark.

Star-mapper launched

Europe’s Gaia billion-star mapping spacecraft is lofted on Flight VS06, marking the 25th spacecraft dedicated to science launched by Arianespace.

Arianespace helps bridge “the digital divide” by launching O3b Networks’ first four connectivity satellites on Soyuz’ fifth mission from the Spaceport in French Guiana.

Soyuz’ third Spaceport mission for Arianespace orbits two more In-Orbit Validation (IOV) satellites for the European Galileo navigation system.

Launcher family milestone

For the first time at the Spaceport, flight preparations are underway in parallel for each member of Arianespace’s complete launcher family operating from French Guiana: the medium-lift Soyuz, heavy-lift Ariane 5 and lightweight Vega. This activity includes the assembly of Soyuz’ first three stages in the MIK integration facility, and checkout of its Fregat upper stage in the S3B clean room building in advance of Arianespace’s December 16 mission with a multi-passenger payload.

Soyuz at the Spaceport

Arianespace opens a new chapter in space history with a milestone double mission success that marked the Soyuz launcher’s inaugural flight from French Guiana, and which placed Europe’s first two Galileo navigation satellites into orbit.

Launch campaign activity begins for the first Soyuz mission from French Guiana, which is scheduled for liftoff on October 20 with a payload of two In-Orbit Validation (IOV) spacecraft for Europe’s Galileo satellite navigation system. This mission is designated Flight VS01, using Arianespace’s numbering sequence for its growing launcher family.

Launchers to be used for the Spaceport’s first two Soyuz missions arrive this week in French Guiana aboard the MN Colibri roll-on/roll-off sea-going ship. One will be earmarked for the October 20 liftoff with a pair of Galileo navigation system satellites.

“Dry run” for Soyuz

Soyuz makes its world debut at the Spaceport as it rolls out to the launch pad for the first time during a “dry run” exercise replicating all aspects of the Russian-built launcher’s final preparation phase for missions from French Guiana.

Six Globalstar second-generation satellites are successfully orbited on an Arianespace Soyuz mission from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Conducted by Arianespace’s Starsem affiliate, this flight utilizes using the improved Soyuz version to be introduced at Europe’s Spaceport in 2011.

Galileo launch contract

Soyuz launchers operated from the Spaceport in French Guiana will orbit the first 10 spacecraft in Europe's planned Galileo satellite positioning system, based on a contract signed by Arianespace. These spacecraft will be orbited starting in December 2012.