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Arianespace Kicks off 2017 with Soyuz Launch
For its first mission in 2017, Arianespace launched a Russian-built Soyuz ST-B rocket on Jan. 27 and successfully delivered the Spanish communication satellite Hispasat 36W-1 into orbit.
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Soyuz Soars into Space
Hispasat 36W-1 joined the Hispasat fleet of geostationary telecom satellites that provide Europe, the Canary Islands and the Americas with faster multimedia service.
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Liftoff!
The mission, designated flight VS16, lifted off from Europe’s spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana at 8:03 p.m. EST on Jan. 27 (01:03 GMT on Jan. 28).
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Year-opening Flight
Arianespace’s first flight of 2017 was the launch of Hispasat 36W-1, which is the first spacecraft built using Europe’s new SmallGEO platform.
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SmallGEO
Hispasat 36W-1 is the first telecommunications satellite to use the European Space Agency’s new small SmallGEO platform. SmallGEO is a multipurpose geostationary satellite platform capable of accommodating a wide range of commercial telecommunication payloads and missions, from TV broadcasting to multimedia applications, Internet access, and mobile or fixed services in a wide range of frequency bands.
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Launch of Small GEO
The Soyuz ST-B rocket fires its engines on the launchpad at Europe’s spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.
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Arianespace Liftoff Poster
Arianespace issued this special Soyuz launch poster for the Hispasat 36W-1 mission.
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Pre-Launch Tests
The Hispasat 36W-1 satellite went through a series of tests at the Airbus Defence and Space’s Compact Antenna Test Range in Ottobrunn, Germany on Sept. 1.
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Rail Line Transfer
The Soyuz was transferred via rail line from the Spaceport’s MIK launcher assembly facility to the ELS launch zone on Jan. 24.
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Putting It in Place
Soyuz is positioned on the launchpad by its transporter/erector rail car.
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Up, Up, Up
During its erection sequence on the launchpad, the Soyuz is raised by the erector’s support arm.
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Into Position
The mobile gantry moves into position around the Soyuz rocket after its rollout to the launchpad on Jan. 24.
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Encapsulated
Encapsulated in Soyuz’s payload fairing, Hispasat 36W-1 arrives on the launchpad on Jan. 25.
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Hispasat Meets Soyuz
Hispasat 36W-1 is hoisted inside the mobile gantry for installation atop the Soyuz rocket on Jan. 25.
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