The Sentinel-1A satellite for Europe’s Global Monitoring for Environment and Security program will be orbited by Arianespace on a Soyuz launcher in late 2012. To operate in a Sun-synchronous circular orbit at an altitude of approximately 690 kilometers, Sentinel-1A will carry a C-band synthetic aperture radar-type sensor. Since the beginning of the year, Arianespace has signed seven contracts for dedicated Soyuz missions, along with 11 launch contracts for geostationary satellites.