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New Soyuz Launch Facility Near the Equator

Posted by Soulskill on from the wish-we-could-do-that-space-thing dept.

tcd004 writes "Russian and French teams are currently hard at work in French Guiana on the northern coast of South America, building the first Soyuz launch facility in the Western Hemisphere. Soyuz rockets normally carry 3,500 pound payloads into orbit, but from the French Guiana spaceport, the rocket will have an added benefit of being near the equator where the Earth's spin makes launching slightly easier. This extra boost allows Soyuz to deliver a 6,600 pound payload into orbit. The first launches are scheduled for October."

2 of 127 comments (clear)

  1. Re:A bit ironic ... by Frangible · · Score: 4, Funny

    This is because Russia has a superior and far more efficient form of government than we do.

    Head of space appropriations committee... Vladimir Putin
    Head of Federal Space Agency... Vladimir Putin
    Head of Department of Revenue... Vladimir Putin
    Space Agency Oversight Committee... Vladimir Putin
    Director of Cosmodrone Development... Vladimir Putin
    Soyuz Launch Officer... Vladimir Putin
    Cosmonauts No. 1 - 6... Vladimir Putin
    Women's Tennis Quality Oversight... Vladimir Putin

    And that, comrade, is why Russia won the space race.

  2. Re:Whoa. That's a lot more payload! by daem0n1x · · Score: 3, Funny

    Soyuz rockets normally carry 3,500 pound payloads into orbit.

    This extra boost allows Soyuz to deliver a 6,600 pound payload into orbit.

    What's puzzling me is, why would someone want to send all that money into orbit? And, if it's in French Guiana, why do they send British Pounds instead of Euros?