Arianespace has readied its Soyuz launch vehicle, which will place six of Globalstar’s satellites into orbit from Kazakhstan’s Baikonur Cosmodrome in October 2010.
The launch campaign for the mission began with the arrival of the initial three Globalstar satellites at the cosmodrome, which are undergoing checkout including electrical testing and radio frequency verifications.
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Each second-generation satellite will have a launch mass of about 700kg, and be fitted with 16 transponders from C to S band and 16 receivers from L to C band.
The payload dispenser for the six satellites was fitted to the Fregat upper stage during a fit check.
Built by Thales Alenia Space, the six satellites are to be stacked in two levels on the conical-shaped dispenser.
Soyuz will deliver the dispenser to low earth orbit where the Fregat stage, mated with the dispenser, will inject the satellite payloads into a 920km circular orbit, inclined 52°.
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By GlobalDataUnder a contract with Globalstar, Arianespace will perform four Soyuz launches, carrying six satellites on each, to further build Globalstar’s constellation with 24 second-generation spacecraft.
For the mission, Arianespace will use its Soyuz 2 ST, an evolved version of the medium-lift workhorse launcher.
