Russian space agency Roskosmos and Arianespace have signed a €344 million ($442 million) contract covering the supply of Russian equipment for the Soyuz launch site at Sinnamary, near Kourou, French Guiana and upgrade of the launch vehicle to increase payload capability.
The European Union has agreed to provide €223 million of the funds, and to cover the rest the European Investment Bank will open a €121 million credit line with French government guarantees. The first Soyuz flight from Sinnamary is scheduled for 2008, a year later than initially planned. Roskosmos general director Anatoly Perminov says judicial and financial issues prevented the contract being signed last year as planned.
Modernising the vehicle to the Soyuz-ST-2B version will increase payload to geostationary transfer orbit from 1,660kg (3,660lb) to 3,060kg for launches from French Guiana. The work will be performed by the Progress design house in Samara. Lavochkin will improve the Fregat upper stage and the Bermin General Machinery design house the launch equipment.
Arianespace says it has three orders for Soyuz flights: two spacecraft for French space agency CNES and a communications satellite for Australia's Optus. Roskosmos estimates that in the five years after the Kourou launch site becomes operational the Soyuz will win orders worth $1 billion.
VLADIMIR KARNOZOV/MOSCOW
Source: Flight International
