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Soyuz STA/Fregat: Falcon Eye 2

Falcon Eye 2 is a high-resolution Earth-imaging satellite for the United Arab Emirates. Built by Airbus Defense and Space with an optical imaging payload from Thales Alenia Space, Falcon Eye is the second of two surveillance satellites ordered by the UAE's military.

Wednesday, 2 December 2020
Soyuz STA/Fregat: Falcon Eye 2

Mission Data

Arianespace
🇪🇺ArianespaceEst. 1980
Launch VehicleSoyuz STA Fregat
Vehicle FamilySoyuz
Vehicle Record8 of 8 launches (100%)
Provider TypeCommercial
Agency Record313 successes / 15 failures (95%)
Success Streak16 consecutive
Mission TypeGovernment/Top Secret
Target OrbitSun-Synchronous Orbit
Launch PadSoyuz Launch Complex
LocationGuiana Space Centre, French Guiana GUF
Orbital Launches This Year#99
Agency Launches This Year#8
Launches From This Pad26
Launches From This Site336
Status Note

The launch vehicle successfully inserted its payload(s) into the target orbit(s).

About Soyuz STA Fregat

The 2.1a version includes conversion from analog to digital flight control system and uprated engines on the booster and the first stage with improved injection systems. The new digital flight control and telemetry systems allow the rocket to launch from a fixed rather than angled launch platform and adjust its heading in flight. A digital control system also enables the launch of larger commercial satellites with wider and longer payload fairings such as the ST-type fairing. These fairings introduce too much aerodynamic instability for the old analog system to handle. This stage continues to use the RD-0110 engine. The 2.1a/ST version is sometimes called Soyuz ST-A.

Launch updates

  1. Added webcast link.

  2. Updated exact T-0, added mission page url

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  3. go per CNES

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  4. Soyuz/Falcon Eye 2 should be Nov. 28 in Kourou/29 UTC per SFN

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Launch Site

Soyuz Launch Complex · 5.3019°N 52.8346°W

Launch data from Launch Library 2 by The Space Devs.