Jacques van Oene
August 15th 05, 02:09 PM
Mission success for Starsem and Arianespace: the Galaxy 14 satellite is in
orbit
Baikonur Cosmodrome, August 14, 2005
Starsem and Arianespace today successfully launched the Galaxy 14
telecommunications satellite for U.S. operator PanAmSat.
The 1,699th launch of a Soyuz family launch vehicle took place from the
Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The Soyuz-Fregat launcher version lifted
off as scheduled at 5:28 a.m. local time on August 14 (23:28 UTC on Saturday
August 13; 01:28 a.m. Paris time on August 14).
Starsem, Arianespace and their Russian partners confirmed that the
launcher's Fregat upper stage accurately injected Galaxy 14 into the
targeted geostationary transfer orbit (GTO). To achieve the mission, two
successive burns of the Fregat upper stage were performed, placing the
Galaxy 14 spacecraft on its transfer orbit 1 hour and 37 minutes after
lift-off.
To comply with PanAmSat's requirements, Arianespace and Starsem decided that
the launch of Galaxy 14 - initially planned on an Ariane 5 - would be
performed by a Soyuz vehicle. This transfer was made possible with the
launcher family concept developed by Arianespace and Starsem, which provides
the maximum responsiveness to customers' needs.
With a liftoff mass of approximately 2,000 kg., Galaxy 14 is the second in a
series of new-generation satellites ordered by PanAmSat from Orbital
Sciences Corporation to provide additional power, greater flexibility and
service availability to its customers. This all C-band spacecraft is
designed to deliver digital video programming, high-definition television
(HDTV), VOD and IPTV service throughout the continental U.S. Galaxy 14 is
equipped with 24 C-band transponders, and will join the Galaxy 12 spacecraft
at 125° West - one of PanAmSat's key orbital positions for the North
American continent.
Galaxy 14 is the 19th satellite orbited by the Arianespace family of
launchers for PanAmSat. PanAmSat began operations in the late 1980s with its
first spacecraft, PAS-1, which was orbited in June 1988 on the maiden flight
of Arianespace's Ariane 4 launcher.
Today's latest success for Soyuz with Galaxy 14 clearly reflects the
industrial capabilities of the Samara Space Center (prime contractor for the
Soyuz launcher), as well as the availability of the Russian teams in charge
of Soyuz operations, which are managed by the Russian Federal Space Agency.
Starsem is responsible for international marketing of the Soyuz launch
vehicle, as well as for its operation. Starsem's shareholders are
Arianespace, EADS, the Russian Federal Space Agency and the Samara Space
Center.
--
--------------
Jacques :-)
www.spacepatches.info
orbit
Baikonur Cosmodrome, August 14, 2005
Starsem and Arianespace today successfully launched the Galaxy 14
telecommunications satellite for U.S. operator PanAmSat.
The 1,699th launch of a Soyuz family launch vehicle took place from the
Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The Soyuz-Fregat launcher version lifted
off as scheduled at 5:28 a.m. local time on August 14 (23:28 UTC on Saturday
August 13; 01:28 a.m. Paris time on August 14).
Starsem, Arianespace and their Russian partners confirmed that the
launcher's Fregat upper stage accurately injected Galaxy 14 into the
targeted geostationary transfer orbit (GTO). To achieve the mission, two
successive burns of the Fregat upper stage were performed, placing the
Galaxy 14 spacecraft on its transfer orbit 1 hour and 37 minutes after
lift-off.
To comply with PanAmSat's requirements, Arianespace and Starsem decided that
the launch of Galaxy 14 - initially planned on an Ariane 5 - would be
performed by a Soyuz vehicle. This transfer was made possible with the
launcher family concept developed by Arianespace and Starsem, which provides
the maximum responsiveness to customers' needs.
With a liftoff mass of approximately 2,000 kg., Galaxy 14 is the second in a
series of new-generation satellites ordered by PanAmSat from Orbital
Sciences Corporation to provide additional power, greater flexibility and
service availability to its customers. This all C-band spacecraft is
designed to deliver digital video programming, high-definition television
(HDTV), VOD and IPTV service throughout the continental U.S. Galaxy 14 is
equipped with 24 C-band transponders, and will join the Galaxy 12 spacecraft
at 125° West - one of PanAmSat's key orbital positions for the North
American continent.
Galaxy 14 is the 19th satellite orbited by the Arianespace family of
launchers for PanAmSat. PanAmSat began operations in the late 1980s with its
first spacecraft, PAS-1, which was orbited in June 1988 on the maiden flight
of Arianespace's Ariane 4 launcher.
Today's latest success for Soyuz with Galaxy 14 clearly reflects the
industrial capabilities of the Samara Space Center (prime contractor for the
Soyuz launcher), as well as the availability of the Russian teams in charge
of Soyuz operations, which are managed by the Russian Federal Space Agency.
Starsem is responsible for international marketing of the Soyuz launch
vehicle, as well as for its operation. Starsem's shareholders are
Arianespace, EADS, the Russian Federal Space Agency and the Samara Space
Center.
--
--------------
Jacques :-)
www.spacepatches.info