Soyuz-Fregat launcher readied for launch from Baikonur Cosmodrome with Galaxy 14

August 12, 2005

The fully integrated Soyuz-Fregat vehicle is raised from its rail car transporter to the vertical position on Launch Pad #6 at Baikonur Cosmodrome.
Final preparations are underway for tomorrow morning's flight of the Galaxy 14 satellite on a Soyuz-Fregat mission to be performed from Launch Pad #6 at Kazakhstan's Baikonur Cosmodrome.

Galaxy 14 is the second of three C-band GEO communications satellites ordered by PanAmSat from Orbital Sciences Corporation in 2001. Arianespace launched Galaxy 12 (the first in the spacecraft series) in April 2003 on an Ariane 5, and the third, Galaxy 15, will be orbited by future Ariane 5 mission.

The switch of Galaxy 14 from its originally-planned Ariane 5 to Starsem's Soyuz-Fregat was made to meet PanAmSat's operational requirements. This transfer was made possible by the Starsem/ Arianespace policy of cooperation, which allows the two launch service providers to best respond to their clients' needs.

Service platforms on Launch Pad #6 are moved into place around the Soyuz-Fregat vehicle and its Galaxy 14 satellite payload.
Galaxy 14 is designed to provide premium cable, HDTV and specialized entertainment and information services across North America. These services will be distributed to cable television systems, television broadcast affiliates, direct-to-home TV operators, Internet service providers, telecommunications companies and corporations for coverage in the continental United States, Alaska and Hawaii.

The Galaxy 12, 14 and 15 spacecraft are based on Orbital Sciences' proven STAR-2 spacecraft platform, and each features repeaters with two groups of 16-for-12 linearized traveling wave tube assemblies (TWTAs); 36 watts RF transponder power; and a mission life of at least 15 years. On board supplementary propellant will enable the satellites to remain in service for an additional two years if necessary.

Starsem is using the Soyuz-Fregat version of Russia's workhorse launcher family for the Galaxy 14 mission. The autonomous Fregat upper stage can be restarted up to 20 times to perform complex mission profiles, and its flight profile for tomorrow will involve two successive burns to place Galaxy 14 on its transfer orbit 1 hr. 37 min. after liftoff.

Liftoff the Soyuz-Fregat is set for 5:28 a.m. local time on August 13 (23h28 UTC on Friday August 12; 01:28 a.m. Paris time on August 13).


  • See our other Feature Stories on the Galaxy 14 mission:

    •     -MISSION ACCOMPLISHED! Soyuz-Fregat orbits the Galaxy 14 satellite for PanAmSat - August 14
        -LIFTOFF! Soyuz-Fregat makes an on-time departure from Baikonur Cosmodrome - August 14
        -Soyuz-Fregat mission with Galaxy 14 rescheduled for Aug. 13 - August 13
        -Launch hold for the Soyuz-Fregat mission with Galaxy 14 - August 13
        -The Galaxy 14 launch campaign enters its final phase - August 9
        -Galaxy 14 launch campaign is underway - July 7