Soyuz ST-B

Spy satellite launch on Soyuz rocket begins refresh of French military space capabilities

December 21, 2018

Launching for the 20th time from the jungle of South America, a Russian-built Soyuz booster rocketed into orbit Wednesday with a new eye in the sky for the French military, the first in a series of upgrades planned for the country’s defense satellites over the next five years.

Live coverage: Soyuz lifts off with French spy satellite

December 18, 2018

The French military’s newest sharp-eyed optical surveillance satellite lifted off at 1637 GMT (11:37 a.m. EST) Wednesday from French Guiana aboard a Russian-built Soyuz launcher, marking Arianespace’s 11th and final launch of 2018. The Soyuz rocket and Fregat upper stage will place the CSO 1 spacecraft into orbit around 500 miles (800 kilometers) above Earth. Managers delayed the launch from Tuesday due to unfavorable high-altitude winds.

Soyuz raised on launch pad in French Guiana for Arianespace’s last flight of 2018

December 15, 2018

A Russian-made Soyuz booster rolled out to its launch pad in French Guiana on Friday, and hydraulic lifts rotated the launcher vertical in preparation for liftoff Tuesday with the first in a new series of French military spy satellites.

European weather satellite blasts off from French Guiana

November 7, 2018

A Russian-built Soyuz rocket launched Tuesday from the Guiana Space Center on the northeastern coast of South America, boosting Europe’s MetOp-C satellite into orbit to benefit weather forecasters worldwide and closing out a generation of weather-observing technology.

Live coverage: Soyuz rocket launches from French Guiana with weather satellite

November 6, 2018

Europe’s MetOp-C weather satellite launched aboard a Russian-built Soyuz rocket toward polar orbit Tuesday night from French Guiana, joining an international fleet of meteorological observatories critical for global weather forecasting. Liftoff occurred at 7:47 p.m. EST Tuesday (0047 GMT Wednesday).

Spy satellite launch on Soyuz rocket begins refresh of French military space capabilities

Live coverage: Soyuz lifts off with French spy satellite

Soyuz raised on launch pad in French Guiana for Arianespace’s last flight of 2018

European weather satellite blasts off from French Guiana

Live coverage: Soyuz rocket launches from French Guiana with weather satellite

Photos: Europe’s MetOp-C weather satellite readied for liftoff

Soyuz rocket rolls out for launch of European weather satellite

Photos: Soyuz dashes away from French Guiana launch pad

Soyuz launch adds two more satellites to Galileo navigation fleet

Live coverage: Soyuz rocket lifts off with new Galileo satellites