CoRoT

Launch data: Designation  29678 / 06063A Launch date  27 Dec 2006 - 14:23 UT Launch site  B, LC31/6 Launch vehicle  Soyuz-2-1B/Fregat  1e launch Mission  Government: Space Science, Astronomy LEO Sun-Synchronous Earth orbit on: Perigee / Apogee  895 x 906 km Eccentricity  7.56E-04 Inclination  90° Period  103 min

Spacecraft data:

Mission details:

• Aims to be a pioneer mission in the discovery of telluric extrasolar planets, bodies with properties comparable to those of the rocky planets of the solar system.
• The French astronomy satellite COROT was launched on Dec 27 by the first Soyuz-2-1b rocket. The launch was carried out under the auspices of Starsem, the French launch services provider which markets Soyuz commercially. Soyuz-2-1a has modern avionics compared to the old Soyuz-U, while the 14A14 Soyuz-2-1b introduces a new third stage engine, the Khimavtomatiki RD-0124 (14D23), replacing the RD-0110 (11D55) series in service since the 1960s. The 605 kg COROT carries a 0.30m optical telescope with two off-axis parabolic mirrors, used to search for extrasolar planets by detecting the subtle dimming in brightness as they pass in front of their parent stars. COROT is operated by the French space agency CNES and was built by Alcatel Alenia Space (Cannes) using the Proteus small satellite bus.
• The Soyuz-2-1b third stage entered a 215 x 227 km x 90.0 deg orbit (unlike Soyuz-2-1a launches in which the third stage has been suborbital). The Fregat stage then made two burns to a 895 x 906 km x 90.0 deg orbit to deploy COROT, and a third burn to remove itself from orbit and re-enter.