LAUNCH CENTER

Launch Image
Success
Wed Dec 19 2018
Arianespace

CSO-1

Launch Successful
LAUNCH PREVIEW

Launch Time

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(4:37 PM UTC)

Launch Window Start

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(4:37 PM UTC)

Launch Window End

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(4:37 PM UTC)

RECOVERY OVERVIEW

Location

No Recovery Specified

Type

No Recovery Specified

Rocket Details

Name:

Soyuz STA Fregat

Description:

The 2.1a version includes conversion from analogue to digital flight control system and uprated engines on the booster and the first stage with improved injection systems. The new digital flight control and telemetry systems allow the rocket to launch from a fixed rather than angled launch platform and adjust its heading in flight. A digital control system also enables the launch of larger commercial satellites with wider and longer payload fairings such as the ST-type fairing. These fairings introduce too much aerodynamic instability for the old analogue system to handle. This stage continues to use the RD-0110 engine. The 2.1a/ST version is sometimes called Soyuz ST-A.

Soyuz STA Fregat rocket
MISSION OVERVIEW
  • Type: Government/Top Secret
  • The CSO-1 (Composante Spatiale Optique-1) satellite is the first of three new-generation high-resolution optical imaging satellites for the French military, replacing the Helios 2 spy satellite series.
COMPLEX OVERVIEW

Location

Kourou, French Guiana

Pad

Soyuz Launch Complex