French minister welcomes upcoming Soyuz launch from Kourou

PARIS, February 17 (Itar-Tass) -- French Higher Education and Research
Minister Valerie Pecresse welcomed the upcoming launch of a Russian Soyuz
spaceship from the Kourou space centre in French Guiana.
She spoke after the successful launch of the second ATV (Automated
Transfer Vehicle), designated Johannes Kepler, for the European Space
Agency.
Pecresse said Soyuz would lift off from Kourou in August.
Arianespace Chairman and CEO Jean-Yves Le Gall said the first Soyuz
would be launched from the spaceport this year.
"By all appearances, the launch will take place in the summer of
2011," he said earlier.