Russian Soyuz-ST rocket carrier with two spacecraft of European Galileo navigation system has been launched from Center Spatial Guyanais in 14.30 Moscow time on October 21st, Roscosmos’ press-service reports. AEX.ru

Separation of the spacecraft from the Fregat-MT upper stage is planned on 18.19 Moscow time.

Fregat-MT upper stage is designed by NPO Lavochkin and is specially adopted for operation in Center Spatial Guyanais (CSG) with Soyuz-ST rocket carrier.

The project “Soyuz in CSG” is implemented on the basis of intergovernmental agreement between Russia and France signed in November 2003. It is planned to perform 2-4 launches annually.

For French Arianespace concern the possibility of operating Soyuz-ST will be a significant addition to a range of existing rockets allowing widening the range of provided services. Russian carriers are able to place into orbit a payload weighing up to 3-4 tons and they will occupy an intermediate position between Vega light rocket intended for spacecraft with weight up to 1.5 tons and Arian-5 heavy rocket, which may carry satellites weighing up to 9.5 tons.

Center Spatial Guyanais, also known as Kuru cosmodrome, is located on the Atlantic coast line of French Guiana, 50 km away from Cayenne – the capital of this department. A new launch facility has been constructed specially for Russian rockets and a stone from “Gagarin’s start”, Baikonur, has been delivered there in the beginning of the construction.

Thanks to location of Center Spatial Guyanais in Earth’s equatorial are, the modernized Russian Soyuz-ST rocket will be able to place into orbit heavy spacecraft, weighing more than the ones during launches from Baikonur and Plesetsk.

Roscosmos is responsible for implementation of “Soyuz in CSG” program on the part of Russia and for coordination of work with the national enterprises, which are taking part in the program.