After
the analysis and production activities have been completed and
the spacecraft arrives at the Baikonur airport, the launch campaign
begins.
The
following outlines the key events in a typical launch campaign
(L = Liftoff):
L-5
weeks: Launch campaign activities begin at the Cosmodrome;
Spacecraft arrives at the Cosmodrome; Customer begins spacecraft
preparation activities in Starsem's PPF
L-22
days: Filling of spacecraft begins
L-18
days: Preparation and assembly of lower three stages of
launch vehicle begins
L-16
days: Combined operations begins in UCIF. These activities
mate the spacecraft to the adapter and Fregat upper stage, followed
by encapsulation with the fairing
L-5
days: Upper composite (spacecraft + adapter + Fregat + fairing)
is transferred to assembly facility near launch pad where it
is mated to the lower three stages of the launch vehicle
L-4
days: The Transfer Readiness Review ensures the Soyuz and
its payload are ready for final launch pad activity and launch
L-3
days: The completed launch vehicle is transferred to the
pad and erected in the vertical position; Check out and countdown
rehearsal for the lower 3 stages of the vehicle takes place
L-2
days: Countdown rehearsal for the customer's spacecraft
and the Fregat upper stage
L-8 hours:
Final countdown begins; Systems checks on Soyuz begin
L-5 hours:
Systems checks begin on Fregat upper stage
L-4 h20m:
Launch vehicle filling authorization review
L-4 hours:
Launch vehicle fueling begins
L-30
minutes: Removal of service platform
L-2m35s:
Pressurization of propellant tanks
L-45 seconds:
Transfer to on-board power supply
L-20 seconds:
Ignition of booster and core engines at intermediate thrust
level
L-0: Liftoff!
On the way to a successful mission
Download
the "A typical Starsem launch campaign" document (Acrobat
pdf)
