Inauguration of the Soyuz site

To mark the occasion, a commemorative plaque was unveiled and a stone from the Baikonur launch pad, from which cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin took off in 1961, was laid at the site.  This stone is a powerful symbol, representing the continuity between the Russian launch site, which witnessed the beginning of the Space age with Sputnik and the very first manned flight, and then finally the establishment of the Soyuz launcher in French Guiana.  This last step is the culmination of forty years of Space cooperation between France and Russia, ten years of industrial cooperation within Starsem, and the long-standing cooperation between ESA and Roscosmos.

The Soyuz launcher, a legendary figure in the conquest of Space, has to date been launched 1,718 times, thus demonstrating its robustness and reliability.  It has placed a total of 1,661 satellites in orbit around the Earth and has sent 91 Russian cosmonauts (as well as 40 from other nations) into Space.

Once Soyuz is established at CSG after its maiden launch in 2009, it will be possible to use French Guiana's equatorial position to significantly increase the launcher's throw-weight capability, thus making it possible to launch telecommunications satellites into geostationary orbit, navigation satellites for the European Galileo system, Earth observation satellites into polar orbit, and interplanetary probes.  Alongside the Ariane 5 heavy launcher and the small Vega launcher, Soyuz nicely completes the range of ESA launchers available at CSG.  Their operation is handled by Arianespace, which now has at its disposal a variety of solutions for launching all types of missions.

This project, which is being co-funded by ESA, the European Union and Arianespace, is being carried out with CNES as system prime contractor, in the framework of an ESA contract.  Although the site has only just been inaugurated, the earthworks conducted by the French company, Vinci, actually began several months ago, with the help of many other European and local companies: moreover, the first Russian teams will arrive in the Sinnamary area by the end of this year to install the metal infrastructures for the launch pad.

For Jean-Jacques Dordain, Director General of the European Space Agency: "We are entering a new era for launchers, for Europe, which is now reaping the benefits of the successful cooperation between ESA and Russia, initiated by France, which will enhance the launch flexibility offered by Arianespace".

For Anatoly Perminov, Director of Roscosmos: "Today clearly demonstrates the fact that the most ambitious projects, such as this construction of the Soyuz launch pad in French Guiana, cannot be successfully accomplished by a single entity. It is only because of the joint efforts of Europe, Russia and France that the boldest ambitions can be achieved before our very eyes.  This mutually beneficial cooperation is the guarantee that future Space exploration will only be for peaceful purposes, and will always fulfil humanity's aspirations".

For Yannick d’Escatha, President of CNES: "The continuing relationship developed in the Space field between France and Russia over the last 40 years, and its extension to cooperation on launchers as of 1996 has led to this tremendous joint project between Europe and Russia: Soyuz in Guiana. With the construction work on this launch complex at the Guiana Space Centre, Europe's Spaceport, our relationship will now be very tangible on French territory, for ESA, for decades to come".

For Jean-Yves Le Gall, Chairman & CEO of Arianespace: "Soyuz in Guiana represents a new phase in the amazing undertaking begun 10 years ago by Europe and Russia within Starsem. Soyuz in Guiana will be a great asset for Arianespace's commercial strategy and will greatly benefit our customers, shareholders and partners".

Read more on the subject :

Construction of the Soyuz launch pad

Soyuz advances