Jacques van Oene
November 12th 05, 02:43 PM
Sea Launch Delivers Inmarsat-4 Satellite to Orbit
LONG BEACH, Calif., November 8, 2005 -- Sea Launch Company today
successfully delivered the Inmarsat-4 (I-4) communications satellite to
geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO). Early data indicate the spacecraft is
in excellent condition.
A Zenit-3SL vehicle lifted off at 6:07 am PT (14:07 GMT), from the Odyssey
Launch Platform, positioned at 154 degrees West Longitude. All systems
performed nominally throughout the flight. The Block DM-SL upper stage
inserted the 5,958 kg (13,108 lb.) satellite to geosynchronous transfer
orbit, on its way to a final orbital position of 53 degrees West Longitude.
A ground station at Lake Cowichan, in British Columbia, acquired the first
signal from the satellite less than 25 minutes after spacecraft separation,
as planned.
Inmarsat-4 is designed to provide high-speed mobile service to people
throughout the Americas during its 13-year service life. It is one in a
series of satellites designed to support the Broadband Global Area Network
(BGAN) for high-speed delivery of Internet and intranet content and
solutions, video-on-demand, videoconferencing, fax, e-mail, phone and LAN
access. One of a family of three similar spacecraft, this Inmarsat-4 F2
satellite carries a single global beam that covers up to a third of the
Earth's surface, 19 wide spot beams and 228 narrow spot beams. It has a
total end-of-life power of 13kW.
Following acquisition of the spacecraft's signal, Jim Maser, president and
general manager of Sea Launch, congratulated Inmarsat and EADS Astrium. "We
have marked several milestones in this mission such as our first mission for
Inmarsat and our first European-built spacecraft, and our successful mission
is the most significant milestone of all! Our customer is satisfied that we
have met all of their requirements," Maser said. "Once again, we have done
what we said we would do. We look forward to future missions with Inmarsat
as well as with EADS Astrium. I want to thank every member of the Sea Launch
team for making this mission success possible."
Andrew Sukawaty, Chairman and Chief Executive of Inmarsat plc (LSE:ISAT),
said, "We thank the team at Sea Launch for this innovative and highly
professional launch. Years of preparation have come together. With the
launch of our second I-4 satellite, we look forward to offering up to half
megabit internet connection covering up to 90% of the Earth's land mass -
truly Broadband for a mobile planet."
Sea Launch Company, LLC, headquartered in Long Beach, Calif., is the world's
most reliable heavy-lift commercial launch service. This international
partnership offers the most direct and cost-effective route to geostationary
orbit. With the advantage of a launch site on the Equator, the reliable
Zenit-3SL rocket can lift a heavier spacecraft mass or provide longer life
on orbit, offering best value plus schedule assurance. For additional
information and images of this successfully completed mission, visit the Sea
Launch website at: www.sea-launch.com
###
Contact:
Paula Korn
562.499.4729 or 562.254.5684 (mobile)
--
--------------------------------------
Jacques :-)
www.spacepatches.info
LONG BEACH, Calif., November 8, 2005 -- Sea Launch Company today
successfully delivered the Inmarsat-4 (I-4) communications satellite to
geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO). Early data indicate the spacecraft is
in excellent condition.
A Zenit-3SL vehicle lifted off at 6:07 am PT (14:07 GMT), from the Odyssey
Launch Platform, positioned at 154 degrees West Longitude. All systems
performed nominally throughout the flight. The Block DM-SL upper stage
inserted the 5,958 kg (13,108 lb.) satellite to geosynchronous transfer
orbit, on its way to a final orbital position of 53 degrees West Longitude.
A ground station at Lake Cowichan, in British Columbia, acquired the first
signal from the satellite less than 25 minutes after spacecraft separation,
as planned.
Inmarsat-4 is designed to provide high-speed mobile service to people
throughout the Americas during its 13-year service life. It is one in a
series of satellites designed to support the Broadband Global Area Network
(BGAN) for high-speed delivery of Internet and intranet content and
solutions, video-on-demand, videoconferencing, fax, e-mail, phone and LAN
access. One of a family of three similar spacecraft, this Inmarsat-4 F2
satellite carries a single global beam that covers up to a third of the
Earth's surface, 19 wide spot beams and 228 narrow spot beams. It has a
total end-of-life power of 13kW.
Following acquisition of the spacecraft's signal, Jim Maser, president and
general manager of Sea Launch, congratulated Inmarsat and EADS Astrium. "We
have marked several milestones in this mission such as our first mission for
Inmarsat and our first European-built spacecraft, and our successful mission
is the most significant milestone of all! Our customer is satisfied that we
have met all of their requirements," Maser said. "Once again, we have done
what we said we would do. We look forward to future missions with Inmarsat
as well as with EADS Astrium. I want to thank every member of the Sea Launch
team for making this mission success possible."
Andrew Sukawaty, Chairman and Chief Executive of Inmarsat plc (LSE:ISAT),
said, "We thank the team at Sea Launch for this innovative and highly
professional launch. Years of preparation have come together. With the
launch of our second I-4 satellite, we look forward to offering up to half
megabit internet connection covering up to 90% of the Earth's land mass -
truly Broadband for a mobile planet."
Sea Launch Company, LLC, headquartered in Long Beach, Calif., is the world's
most reliable heavy-lift commercial launch service. This international
partnership offers the most direct and cost-effective route to geostationary
orbit. With the advantage of a launch site on the Equator, the reliable
Zenit-3SL rocket can lift a heavier spacecraft mass or provide longer life
on orbit, offering best value plus schedule assurance. For additional
information and images of this successfully completed mission, visit the Sea
Launch website at: www.sea-launch.com
###
Contact:
Paula Korn
562.499.4729 or 562.254.5684 (mobile)
--
--------------------------------------
Jacques :-)
www.spacepatches.info