Soyuz lifts off from French Guiana with two Galileo FOC spacecraft

Arianespace’s Soyuz launcher has begun its latest mission from the Spaceport, carrying two Full Operational Capability (FOC) satellites for Europe’s Galileo navigation system. Soyuz is to deploy its passengers on a flight lasting nearly 3 hrs., 48 min. Payload lift performance for tonight’s mission – which is designated Flight VS12 in Arianespace’s launcher family numbering system – is approximately 1,600 kg. This total includes the two 715-kg.-class satellites and their dispenser system. Galileo’s FOC p