Find below a detailed timeline for the launch of Sentinel-1A on 3 April 2014. Lift off is set for 21:02:31 GMT (23:02:31 CEST) on board Soyuz ST flight VS07 from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guyana. This is a ‘real-time’ activity and all times are subject to change.

Follow the launch live online via the Arianespace webcast (20:40 GMT/22:40 CEST start) or watch the ESA launch event live from ESOC (19:30 GMT/21:30 CEST start).

GMT

CEST

MET

Event

Details
–48:00:00 Receive telemetry from satellite Mission control team at ESOC receive telemetry from Sentinel-1A mounted on top of Soyuz from launch pad
14:02:31 16:02:31 –07:00:00 Start satellite switch-on Satellite switch on & configuration activities begin at launch site. Sentinel-1A receiving power from ground. Start pre-launch operations timeline
14:32:31 16:32:31 –06:30:00 Mission Control Team on console B-Team Flight Control Team & Software Support team on console in Main Control Room. Start network countdown
14:32:31 16:32:31 –06:30:00 Monitor satellite telemetry Mission control team continues monitoring Sentinel-1A status via data link. Repeated periodically until umbilical disconnect
16:42:31 18:42:31 –04:20:00 Fuelling permission State Commission gives approval to begin fuelling Soyuz
17:02:31 19:02:31 –04:00:00 Start fuelling Start launcher fuelling
18:02:31 20:02:31 –03:00:00 Satellite mode Satellite switched to pre-launch mode
18:42:31 20:42:31 –02:20:00 Report readiness ESA Flight Director reports ground segment countdown status to launcher control in Kourou
19:02:31 21:02:31 –02:00:00 Mission Control Team on console A-team Flight Control Team on console in Main Control Room
19:17:31 21:17:31 –01:45:00 End fuelling End launcher fuelling
19:41:31 21:41:31 –01:21:00 GO/NO-GO roll-call Mission Operations Team reports readiness for launch to ESA Flight Director
20:02:31 22:02:31 –01:00:00 Gantry Remove mobile gantry from launcher
20:17:31 22:17:31 –00:45:00 ESOC confirms launch readiness ESA Flight Director reports ground segment ready for launch to launcher control in Kourou
20:52:31 22:52:31 –00:10:00 Satellite on internal power Sentinel-1A switched to internal battery power
20:56:21 22:56:21 –00:06:10 Launcher autosequence Beginning of Soyuz autosequence
20:57:31 22:57:31 –00:05:00 Fregat on batteries Fregat switches to on-board power
21:00:06 23:00:06 –00:02:25 Upper umbilical disconnect Cable connecting Sentinal-1A to ground disconnected. Loss of S/C telemetry on screens at ESOC
21:01:31 23:01:31 –00:01:00 Soyuz launch auto-sequence Activation of the automatic launch sequence
21:01:51 23:01:51 –00:00:40 Soyuz power Launcher switches to on-board power
21:02:11 23:02:11 –00:00:20 Lower umbilical disconnect Lower stage umbilical mast retraction
21:02:14 23:02:14 –00:00:17 Ignition Soyuz engines start
21:02:16 23:02:16 –00:00:15 Preliminary thrust level
21:02:28 23:02:28 –00:00:03 Maximum thrust level

GMT

CEST

MET

Event

Note
21:02:31 23:02:31 00:00:00 L0 Liftoff
21:03:42 23:03:42 00:01:11 MaxQ Moment of maximum aerodynamic pressure
21:04:29 23:04:29 00:01:58 1st stage separation Boosters discarded
21:06:00 23:06:00 00:03:29 Fairing jettison About 120km altitude (above atmosphere), aerodynamic fairing no longer needed
21:07:18 23:07:18 00:04:47 2nd stage separation 3rd stage & Upper composite (payload plus the Fregat upper stage) continue climbing
21:07:19 23:07:19 00:04:48 3rd stage ignition
21:07:24 23:07:24 00:04:53 Aft section jettison Aft Section (connecting 3rd to 2nd stage) is jettisoned in three segments
21:11:17 23:11:17 00:08:46 Upper composite separation Upper composite (payload plus the Fregat upper stage) separates from 3rd stage
21:12:17 23:12:17 00:09:46 Fregat 1st burn Start 510-second Fregat main engine burn to place Sentinel-1A into injection orbit
21:22:35 23:22:35 00:20:04 Fregat shutdown Beginning of ballistic phase
21:26:00 23:26:00 00:23:29 Separation Sentinel-1A separates from Fregat
21:26:55 23:26:55 00:24:24 Start of on-board autosequence Includes switch transmitter ON. Sentinel-1A on battery power
21:28:05 23:28:05 00:25:34 AOS SVAL Acquisition of signal via Svalbard station. Initial in-orbit status check
21:35:39 23:35:39 00:33:08 LOS SVAL End of first Svalbard pass
22:01:46 00:01:46 00:59:15 Fregat 2nd burn 81-sec final burn followed by deorbiting
22:18:24 00:18:24 01:15:53 AOS TROLL Establish first telecommand upload link via Troll station. Ground station passes follow regularly via Troll, Kiruna & Svalbard stations
23:54:40 01:54:40 02:52:09 Start deployments Start Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) antenna and Solar Array Wing (SAW) deployments. 10 steps: release, unfold, rotate, confirm
02:37:53 04:37:53 05:35:22 Power Positive SAW deployment partially complete. Sentinel-1A achieves power positive state
07:46:22 09:46:22 10:43:51 End of Deployments Deployments of SAR & SAW complete

Notes:

  • CEST = GMT/UTC + 2
  • CEST = GFT (Kourou) + 5
  • MET: Mission elapsed time (negative before L0, positive after)
  • AOS: Acquisition of signal
  • LOS: Loss of signal