Launcher components' integration with payloads

Abstract

The operational services of the two new members of the European launcher family – Soyuz and Vega – will start at the Spaceport in French Guiana in this year. In a complete operational status after their inaugural and qualification flights, a total launch activity in the European Space Port of about ten missions per year is foreseen. They are composed in average of seven Ariane 5, two Soyuz, one Vega start and around 17 payload campaigns. For each complete launch campaign, a lot of differences and particularities of operations have to be considered by the integrated launch team regarding the preparation of payload, launch vehicle and the ground basis as well as during final countdown phase and the flight. In this context, an overview of technical operations of Ariane, Soyuz at CSG and Vega campaigns is given in this document, explaining launcher integration, payload / upper composite preparation, upper composite integration, launcher and launch basis final operations and at last the launch operations; in parallel, the organisational structures and technical means as ground facilities are described.