This is from Arianespace:

http://www.arianespace.com/site/news...feature_3_5_04.
html
Russia's Soyuz vehicle - the world's most frequently used
launcher - is a well-proven cargo option for servicing of
the International Space Station. It currently is launched
from Russia's Baikonur Cosmodrome, where commercial Soyuz
flights are performed through a European/Russian joint
venture that includes Arianespace.

Soyuz will begin operations from the Guiana Space Center
in 2006 under Arianespace responsibility, providing
additional mission flexibility and performance for this
proven vehicle. While the current plan for Soyuz in French
Guiana does not include human space flight, this remains a
possibility as the Russian launcher is man-rated and
routinely launches crews to the International Space
Station.

Jacques :-)

Launching from Kourou and rendezvousing with the Station
requires making a HUGE plane change and (for manned
spacecraft) reduce potential cargo to probably one person
carrying a postage stamp.

Currently, the Europeans plan to launch an Apollo-capsule
sized unmanned vehicle from Kourou to Station but that has a
much more reasonable requirement for support of cargo. The
Jules Verne (first vehicle of the series) will take four
days to rendezvous (last timeline I saw). The launch will be
on an Ariane 5 if I recall correctly.

Now, if we had left the Station at a 28 degree inclination
...

"Jim Oberg" schreef in
bericht ...
As I recall, the primary challenges for launching a
human Soyuz spacecraft aboard a Soyuz booster from the
facilities at Kourou are twofold: downrange
communications and launch abort and recovery. Does
anyone recall any formal discussions of these, or other,
issues by Russian space officials? Thanks!



Charles Phillips
"Drink Upstream Of The Herd, Get A Macintosh"
note feeble anti-spam attempt on Reply-To address