Jacques van Oene
April 27th 05, 02:21 PM
OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE
about the launch of Spaceway-1 spacecraft
from the sea-based space launcher system Sea Launch
April 26, 2005. Launch site in the Pacific Ocean -
Mission Control Center, Korolev.
One more scheduled launch of Zenit-3SL launch vehicle has been accomplished
at 11:31:25 Moscow Time (7:31:25 GMT) from the sea-going launch platform
Odyssey of the Sea Launch space launcher system currently located in the
equatorial region of the Pacific Ocean at 154 degrees West near Christmas
island.
The objective of the launch was to deliver a 6080 kg spacecraft (SC)
Spaceway-1 belonging to a US company DIRECTV to its target geotransfer
orbit.
The SC insertion into that orbit from an intermediate orbit established by
the two-stage launch vehicle Zenit-2S was performed by the upper stage Block
DM-SL developed and built by S.P.Korolev RSC Energia.
The upper stage main engine, fired 10 seconds after the separation of the
upper stage carrying the SC from the second stage of the LV, after a nominal
burn of 11 minutes 40 seconds, has achieved a high-precision orbital
insertion of the SC into its target geotransfer equatorial orbit with a 250
km perigee and a 34128 km apogee.
SC separation from the upper stage occurred at 12:01:35 Moscow Time.
This marks the 251st successful launch of the upper stage of Block DM (D)
type, which, for the first time in a commercial launch, demonstrated its
capability to put more than 6 ton SC into a geotransfer orbit owing to
special engineering measures implemented by RSC Energia to further improve
the unique performance of this upper stage.
After the SC transfers on its own to its assigned geostationary orbit slot
(102.8 deg.E), it will provide telecommunications services to users on the
American continent, which will include digital TV broadcasts from
geostationary orbit (GEO). DIRECTV has plans to put in the next three years
in GEO the three more Spaceway-type satellites with use of Sea Launch space
launcher system facilities.
Spacecraft launches from the sea-going space launching facility are carried
out by an international stock company, the stock in which is held by Boeing
of US, S.P.Korolev RSC Energia of Russia, Kvaerner Invest Norge AS of Norway
and aerospace companies from Ukraine - Yuzhmashzavod Production Association
and M.K.Yangel State Design Bureau Yuzhnoye.
S.P.Korolev RSC Energia is the prime company for the rocket segment of the
Sea Launch system, responsible for outfitting and integrating that segment,
which supports, with the help of its subcontractors in Russia and Ukraine,
the manufacturing, and operation of the upper stage Block DM-SL as the third
stage of the Zenit-3SL ILV.
Pre-launch preparations and launch were controlled from the control center
on-board the assembly and command ship Sea Launch Commander. Pre-launch
sequence, started 6 hours before the lift-off, was carryied out in automatic
mode. At 3 hours before the launch the crew of the launch platform Odyssey
and the personnel supporting the launch were evacuated by a helicopter to
the assembly and command ship, positioned at a safe distance from the launch
platform.
The launch preparations and launch were conducted under direction of the Sea
Launch company's Mission Director D.Dubs and the Rocket Segment Operations
Manager, RSC Energia Deputy Designer General V.G.Aliev.
Analysis of the flight of the upper stage with SC is done by RSC Energia
specialists working in the framework of a Lead Operations Control Team
posted at the Mission Control Center (MCC-M), Korolev, Moscow region and
staying continuously in touch with Control Center on-board Assembly and
Command Ship. The Flight Director is a deputy general designer of RSC
Energia, cosmonaut-pilot V.A.Soloviev.
US and Russian space data reception and transmission assets to support the
analysis of the telemetry data downlinked from the upper stage.
Present in the MCC-M mission control room during preparations for launch and
launch were the President of the S.P.Korolev RSC Energia, Designer General,
member of the Russian Academy of Sciences Yu.P.Semenov, his deputies, other
managers and specialists from the Corporation and its Russian
subcontractors.
After SC separation from the upper stage, Yu.P.Semenov made a telephone call
to extend his congratulations on the successful launch to the mission
directors RSC Energia specialists and the entire personnel of the Assembly
and Command Ship and the Launch Platform.
That was the second launch under the Sea Launch program in this year and the
sixteenth launch on the total list of launches under that program.
--
--------------
Jacques :-)
www.spacepatches.info
about the launch of Spaceway-1 spacecraft
from the sea-based space launcher system Sea Launch
April 26, 2005. Launch site in the Pacific Ocean -
Mission Control Center, Korolev.
One more scheduled launch of Zenit-3SL launch vehicle has been accomplished
at 11:31:25 Moscow Time (7:31:25 GMT) from the sea-going launch platform
Odyssey of the Sea Launch space launcher system currently located in the
equatorial region of the Pacific Ocean at 154 degrees West near Christmas
island.
The objective of the launch was to deliver a 6080 kg spacecraft (SC)
Spaceway-1 belonging to a US company DIRECTV to its target geotransfer
orbit.
The SC insertion into that orbit from an intermediate orbit established by
the two-stage launch vehicle Zenit-2S was performed by the upper stage Block
DM-SL developed and built by S.P.Korolev RSC Energia.
The upper stage main engine, fired 10 seconds after the separation of the
upper stage carrying the SC from the second stage of the LV, after a nominal
burn of 11 minutes 40 seconds, has achieved a high-precision orbital
insertion of the SC into its target geotransfer equatorial orbit with a 250
km perigee and a 34128 km apogee.
SC separation from the upper stage occurred at 12:01:35 Moscow Time.
This marks the 251st successful launch of the upper stage of Block DM (D)
type, which, for the first time in a commercial launch, demonstrated its
capability to put more than 6 ton SC into a geotransfer orbit owing to
special engineering measures implemented by RSC Energia to further improve
the unique performance of this upper stage.
After the SC transfers on its own to its assigned geostationary orbit slot
(102.8 deg.E), it will provide telecommunications services to users on the
American continent, which will include digital TV broadcasts from
geostationary orbit (GEO). DIRECTV has plans to put in the next three years
in GEO the three more Spaceway-type satellites with use of Sea Launch space
launcher system facilities.
Spacecraft launches from the sea-going space launching facility are carried
out by an international stock company, the stock in which is held by Boeing
of US, S.P.Korolev RSC Energia of Russia, Kvaerner Invest Norge AS of Norway
and aerospace companies from Ukraine - Yuzhmashzavod Production Association
and M.K.Yangel State Design Bureau Yuzhnoye.
S.P.Korolev RSC Energia is the prime company for the rocket segment of the
Sea Launch system, responsible for outfitting and integrating that segment,
which supports, with the help of its subcontractors in Russia and Ukraine,
the manufacturing, and operation of the upper stage Block DM-SL as the third
stage of the Zenit-3SL ILV.
Pre-launch preparations and launch were controlled from the control center
on-board the assembly and command ship Sea Launch Commander. Pre-launch
sequence, started 6 hours before the lift-off, was carryied out in automatic
mode. At 3 hours before the launch the crew of the launch platform Odyssey
and the personnel supporting the launch were evacuated by a helicopter to
the assembly and command ship, positioned at a safe distance from the launch
platform.
The launch preparations and launch were conducted under direction of the Sea
Launch company's Mission Director D.Dubs and the Rocket Segment Operations
Manager, RSC Energia Deputy Designer General V.G.Aliev.
Analysis of the flight of the upper stage with SC is done by RSC Energia
specialists working in the framework of a Lead Operations Control Team
posted at the Mission Control Center (MCC-M), Korolev, Moscow region and
staying continuously in touch with Control Center on-board Assembly and
Command Ship. The Flight Director is a deputy general designer of RSC
Energia, cosmonaut-pilot V.A.Soloviev.
US and Russian space data reception and transmission assets to support the
analysis of the telemetry data downlinked from the upper stage.
Present in the MCC-M mission control room during preparations for launch and
launch were the President of the S.P.Korolev RSC Energia, Designer General,
member of the Russian Academy of Sciences Yu.P.Semenov, his deputies, other
managers and specialists from the Corporation and its Russian
subcontractors.
After SC separation from the upper stage, Yu.P.Semenov made a telephone call
to extend his congratulations on the successful launch to the mission
directors RSC Energia specialists and the entire personnel of the Assembly
and Command Ship and the Launch Platform.
That was the second launch under the Sea Launch program in this year and the
sixteenth launch on the total list of launches under that program.
--
--------------
Jacques :-)
www.spacepatches.info