MOSCOW. Oct 24 (Interfax) - The next launch of the Soyuz-ST carrier rocket from the Kourou spaceport in French Guiana has been scheduled for December 20, the head of the ESA's Moscow office, Rene Pischel, told Interfax-AVN.
"We hope to launch a Soyuz on December 20 if the third stage, earlier returned to Russia for additional checks, arrives," Pischel said after the Soyuz carrier rocket's successful debut launch from Kourou.
Additional checks were ordered after the failed launch of the space freighter Progress with a Soyuz-U carrier rocket. The Progress came down in the Altai over a malfunction in the carrier rocket's third stage on August 24.
Several satellites are to be launched on December 20, including five French and one Chilean satellite, he said.
The launch carried out on Friday was of enormous importance as it demonstrated Russia and France's ability to implement large-scale space projects, he added.
Navigation Systems Engineer for the ESA Galileo Project Jorg Hahn said the Soyuz will be used to launch two more Galileo satellites in July-August 2012. Also, a contract has been signed to make 14 Galileo satellites. Seven Soyuz carrier rockets will be needed to launch them, he said.
The first satellites under this project will have been made by the end of 2012, he said.