Two Galileo satellites launched from Guiana Space Center put into orbit
MOSCOW. Aug 22 (Interfax-AVN) - Two Galileo FOC European navigation satellites have been placed into the planned orbit and separated from the Fregat-MT upper stage, the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) told Interfax-AVN.
"The spacecraft have been handed over to the customer's control," a Roscosmos spokesperson said.
A Russian Soyuz-ST-B launch vehicle coupled with a Fregat-MT upper stage and carrying the two satellites was launched from the Guiana Space Center near Kourou, French Guiana, at 4:27 p.m. on Friday, August 22.
The launch was originally scheduled for August 21 but was postponed to a reserve date due to adverse weather conditions at the launching area.
Since reaching their orbit, the satellites have been named Doresa and Milena.
The Galileo global navigation satellite system currently includes six satellites. Their number should grow to 18 by the end of 2016 and to 30 in 2020.
The Soyuz/Guiana Space Center project has been implemented under an agreement signed between the governments of Russia and France in November 2003.
The Soyuz-ST launch vehicle has been developed by the Progress space rocket center based on the Soyuz-2 rocket specifically for commercial launches from the Kourou pad. It is adapted to the Guiana Space Center regulations in terms of security (can receive telecommands from the earth to abort the flight), telemetry (transmitters operating in the decimeter range with the European telemetry frame structure), and operational conditions (increased humidity, marine transportation, etc.). The Soyuz-ST is equipped with the ST-type nose cone complying with international standards, which, in combination with the Fregat upper stage, enables it to put a broad spectrum of payloads into orbit.
The Fregat-MT upper stage has been developed by the Lavochkin research and production association under Russia's Federal Space Program to put spacecraft of various purpose into virtually any orbit and into interplanetary trajectories.
