Countdown to Soyuz rocket launch – in pictures

Final testing of the Soyuz launch site at Europe’s spaceport in French Guiana began on 29 April 2011. The vehicle was transferred from the preparation building to the launch zone and erected into the vertical position. The mobile gantry was then rolled out to the pad and the vehicle’s 'upper composite' – the Fregat upper stage and payload fairing – was hoisted on top of the launcher Photograph: S. Corvaja/ESA

The launch site is 13km northwest of the Ariane 5 launch complex. The launchpad and preparation building are linked by a 600m railway. The launch site is almost identical to the other Soyuz sites in Kazakhstan and Russia, but is adapted to conform to European safety regulations. A 45m-tall mobile gantry provides a protected environment as payloads are installed Photograph: Stephane Corvaja/ESA

Final assembly began on 12 September in the MIK assembly building at the spaceport. Flight VS01, set for Thursday, will be the first Soyuz launch from French Guiana Photograph: Stephane Corvaja/ESA

The Soyuz VS01 rocket as it is transported to its launchpad on 14 October. It comprises four first-stage boosters clustered around the core second stage, topped off by the third stage. The rocket will carry the first two satellites of Europe's Galileo navigation system into orbit Photograph: Benoit Tessier/REUTERS

The Soyuz rocket during transfer to the launchpad Photograph: Jody Amiet/AFP/Getty Images

The rocket was rolled out on its 'erector', the apparatus used to hoist it into the final vertical position Photograph: ESA/Getty Images

The rocket is raised to its vertical position on the launchpad Photograph: Jody Amiet/AFP/Getty Images

The two Galileo satellites are encapsulated within the upper composite on the vertical Soyuz ST-B launcher on 14 October Photograph: S. Corvaja/ESA/Reuters

Technicians gather around the the Soyuz VS01 upper composite, which was mated with the launcher at the launch site on 14 October Photograph: Stephane Corvaja/ESA/Getty Images

The complete Soyuz VS01, the first Soyuz flight from Europe’s spaceport in French Guiana, on the launchpad Photograph: Stephane Corvaja/ESA

The Jupiter Control Room during the Soyuz VS01 launch dress rehearsal at the Guiana Space Centre on Tuesday Photograph: Benoit Tessier/Reuters

Soyuz VS01 is scheduled to lift off on Thursday at 11.34am BST. The rocket will carry the first two satellites of Europe’s Galileo navigation system into orbit Photograph: Stephane Corvaja/ESA