Inaugural Soyuz launch is set for later this year

The first flight of Soyuz from French Guiana has been confirmed for the fourth quarter of 2010. This was announced today during a meeting of the Soyuz Consultation Committee – which comprises representatives of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, the European Space Agency (ESA), the French space agency CNES and Arianespace. The committee’s meeting was called to review progress on the Spaceport’s Soyuz launch pad, and to approve an overall timetable for assembly and testing in advance of the inaugural mission.