GTD finally commissioned the control & command system at Soyouz launch site in Kourou. This system allows the supervision and control of the Soyouz’s launch site by managing (in real time) MORE THAN 30.000 input / output field informations. GTD’s long experience in ground segment control & command systems for launchers pad facilities, has started in 1990 with Ariane 5. From this time till now, GTD has equipped and autiomatised the most of the ESA laubnchers programs, starting from Ariane 5 evolution, Ariane 5 plus, Vega, Soyuz, or (in the near future) Ariane 5 ME. GTD has a wide experience in developing and maintaining control systems. Concerning Soyuz configuration, this experience combined with the increasing number of highly robust OpenSource software, has guided the CCSS definition team to conceive a system as an integration of OpenSource tools with custom GTD software and standard TI hardware. The major issues of such a critical system are: • high reliability and availability • high security • at least : 15 years durability The future introduction of Soyuz missions from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana will bring the industry's longest-operating launcher to the world's most modern launch base. Arianespace flights with the medium-lift Soyuz will begin from the Spaceport in 2010, joining the ongoing operations of Arianespace's heavy-lift Ariane 5 and the new lightweight Vega vehicle – which also will enter service at French Guiana in 2010. This will be an historic event as it will be the first time that a Soyuz launcher lifts off from a spaceport other than Baikonur or Plesetsk. It will also be a milestone in the strategic cooperation that exists between Europe and Russia in the launcher's sector. Soyuz launchers to be flown from the Spaceport are evolved versions that include an updated digital flight control system, an increased-performance third stage and the larger Soyuz ST payload fairing. The Soyuz launch vehicle that will be used at Europe's Spaceport is the Soyuz-2 version called Soyuz-ST. This includes the Fregat upper stage and the ST fairing. Soyuz-2 is the last version of the renowned family of Russian launchers that began the space race more than 40 years ago by launching Sputnik, the first satellite to be placed into orbit, and then sending the first man into space – Yuri Gagarin. Soyuz is backed by a highly-capable industrial team that provides uninterrupted production at an average rate of 10-15 vehicles per year – with a rapid scale-up capability to accommodate users’ needs. Prime supplier is the Russian Federal Space Agency, with the Samara Space Center “TsSKB-Progress” as launch vehicle authority, and NPO Lavotchkine as provider of the Fregat upper stage. 1. SSC "TsSKB-Progress" Samara, Russia Fairing ST 2.EADS Europe Payload adapter, dispenser 3. NPO Lavotchkine Khimki, Russia Fregat upper stage 4.NPOLavotchkine Khimki, Russia Interstage structure 5. NPO Avtomatika Ekaterinburg, Russia Digital control system for all stages 6. RNII KP Moscow, Russia Telemetry system 7. SSC "TsSKB-Progress" Samara, Russia 3rd stage (tanks, stage integration, tests) 8. Voronyezh Mechanical Factory Voronyezh, Russia 3rd stage engine (RD-0110 or RD-0124) 9. SSC "TsSKB-Progress" Samara, Russia 2nd (core) stage (tanks, stage integration, tests) 10. SSC "TsSKB-Progress" Samara, Russia 1st stage boosters (tanks, stage integration, tests) 11. AO Motorostroitel Samara, Russia 2nd stage engine (RD-108A) 12. AO Motorostroitel Samara,russia 1st stage engines (RD-107A) 13. KB OM Moscow, Russia, French Guiana, France Launch pad and launch pad operations
