This coming October a new page will be written in the book of space activities: for the first time a Soyuz rocket will lift off from Europe's Space port in French Guiana. It will place into orbit the first pair of operational satellites in Europe's Galileo system, opening the road to a full constellation providing positioning and navigation services.

ESA TV starts its coverage of this important milestone with a full series of stories. This video recalls what Soyuz has achieved in the conquest of the Cosmos, from the first Sputnik to Yuri Gagarin, and now from Baikonur to the Centre Spatial Guyanais. It is not only the history of a rocket but also the history of cooperation between Russia and Europe.
This A & B-Roll presents this legendary launcher, the most used and reliable rocket in the world. With over 1700 flights from launch pads at Baïkonur, in the Kazahstan desert, and Plesetsk, in northern Russia, it will now be operated from French Guiana.

The B-roll includes interviews (in Russian and French) with Alexandre KIRILIN, Director General of the Samara Space Centre in Russia where the rockets stages are built before being shipped to French Guiana.
More backgroud information can be found on: http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Launchers_Access_to_Space/SEM6JRS4LZE_0.html