Following successful completion of the launch campaign at Baikonur cosmodrome, in the course of which ESA’s CryoSat-2 was injected into the target orbit on 8 April 2010, ISC Kosmotras is planning to concurrently carry out another two launch campaigns, at Yasny launch Base and Baikonur cosmodrome.
Shipment of Swedish Space Corporation’s (SSC) Prisma and French Space Agency’s (CNES) Picard satellites to the Yasny Launch Base is scheduled for 19th and 21th May 2010 respectively. Both satellites will be delivered to space by a Dnepr launch vehicle. The scheduled launch date is 15th June 2010. It is for the first time that several satellites will be concurrently prepared for a cluster launch at the Yasny Launch Base.
The satellites are to be inserted into a sun-synchronous orbit (SSO) with an inclination of 98.28°. Earlier, on 7th April 2010, the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan granted permission for the use of the first stage separable parts drop zone, located on the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Subsequent launches will be performed within the framework of the relevant Russia–Kazakhstan intergovernmental agreement, which is about to be finalized.
As the launch day draws closer, ISC Kosmotras will keep on publishing information about the progress of the launch campaign at the Yasny Launch Base.
Yasny Launch Base is located in the Orenburg Region, Russian Federation, and has a well-developed ground infrastructure, including clean room facilities that meet the most severe requirements of spacecraft launch customers. It also provides for living area for S/C processing personnel accommodation, as well as furnishes high quality services.
To date, three spacecraft have been prepared and successfully launched to the low earth orbit from the Yasny Launch Base.
13.05.2010 |