Logistics of Soyuz at Kourou: Launchpads

[ace5]

Anyone aware of the design of the launchpads at Kourou for Soyuz? I´ve seen many drawings of the proposed launch tower, a mix of the Soyuz Baikonur 4-petals lower braces and an Ariane 4 - type umbilical tower, with embracing platforms, much like the Mercury Redstone or CZ-2F launch facilities.

 

[edkyle98]

My understanding is that the standard R-7/Soyuz infrastructure will be used, except that payloads will not be integrated with the Soyuz horizontally as is done at Baikonur and Plesestk. Instead, a mobile service tower will be used to integrate the payload vertically at the pad after the launch vehicle has been erected. The decision to marry the efficient horizontally processed Soyuz with lethargic Western-style on-pad payload processing seems like a poor choice to me. <br /><br /> - Ed Kyle

 

[ace5]

I agree. But is the entire R-7 stack to be assembled vertically? AFAIK, some modificatons should be needed to be done in the airframes to allow the different hoisting points.

 

[montmein69]

The Soyouz launcher will be used in this way at Kourou because it is a cooperation.<br />The rocket part is a russian technology .. and the assembly is horizontal (in the same way the very pure kerosene used in the first and second stage is refined using a russian process and involving their responsability)<br /><br />On the other hand the payload, is prepared and tested using the european technology at ESTEC in a vertical configuration.<br /><br />http://tinyurl.com/7nxeh<br /><br />As a result when the launcher is erected on the launch pad ... the mobile service tower enable to mate the payload at the top in a controlled clean atmosphere and with a regulated temperature.<br /><br />Hope the first launch (2008 ?) shows that each team of engineers has done its work properly and the result is a satellite on the right orbit.<br /><br />Some views of the building site at Kourou<br /><br />http://www.cnes.fr/web/5417-soyouz-avance.php<br /><br />And the scale model of the project (page 3)<br /><br />http://igorrozenberg.tripod.com/soyuz_in_french_guiana/index.album?i=20<br /><br />The mobile tower is on page 1 of the same site<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>