Author Topic: Ariane 5 VA 214 - Alphasat and Insat-3D - July 25, 2013 (1954UTC)  (Read 71183 times)

Offline jacqmans

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Press Release No.34-07
Paris, 23 November 2007

ESA and Inmarsat sign innovative Alphasat satellite contract

ESA and Inmarsat Global Ltd announce on Friday 23 November in Paris the formal signature of the contract for Alphasat satellite, one of the world's largest telecommunications satellites.

The Alphasat programme is a major cooperation between the public and private sectors. With Alphasat, Inmarsat will be the first commercial customer for the Alphabus platform, the new European high-power telecommunications platform jointly developed by Astrium and Thales Alenia Space and initiated by a partnership between ESA and CNES (Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales) as a coordinated European response to the increased market demand for larger telecommunication payloads, for new broadband, broadcasting and mobile communications services.

The Alphabus Alphasat programme represents an expenditure of ? 440 million  by 16 ESA Member States. Under the development schedule, Alphasat will be available for launch in 2012.

Positioned at 25 degrees East, providing extended coverage to Africa, Europe, the Middle-East and parts of Asia , Alphasat will supplement the existing Inmarsat satellite constellation and offer the opportunity for new and advanced services.

Astrium Satellites is the industrial prime contractor for the development of the satellite, including its advanced L-Band mission, which will augment the successful services already being offered by Inmarsat's Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN). Key to the implementation of this payload is the advanced Integrated Processor, being developed by Astrium Satellites in the UK, which will provide payload flexibility enabling full coverage reconfiguration and flexible power allocation.
 

Thanks to this increased efficiency of spectrum use and payload flexibility the Alphasat will further enable robust communications in crisis and disaster emergencies, allowing potential connection of houses, schools and businesses in remote locations and communications links for governments with dispersed populations and improve essential voice and data communications for a wide range of industry sectors such as media, maritime, oil and gas.

For this application, the flexibility of the Alphabus platform design will be demonstrated by implementing a 'geomobile configuration' with a 90 degree change to the satellite flight orientation and a large deployable reflector (12 metres in diameter).

In addition to the Inmarsat payload, Alphasat will also carry three ESA-provided Technology Demonstration Payloads (TDPs): an advanced star tracker using active pixel technology, an optical laser terminal for geostationary to low-Earth orbit communication at high data rates, and a dedicated payload for the characterisation of transmission performance in the Q-V band in preparation for possible commercial exploitation of these frequencies. A fourth TDP for space environments and effects Monitoring is also under discussion.


Background Information

Alphabus is a programme initiated by ESA and CNES to combine the technical resources of Astrium and Thales Alenia Space in the development of a Large multipurpose geostationary communications platform which would extend the capabilities of European Telecommunications platforms beyond those currently offered by the existing product lines of Eurostar E3000 and Spacebus 4000.

The Alphabus/Alphasat activities of ESA are implemented within the frame of the element 8 of the ARTES programme which is worth about ? 440 million in terms of to-date subscriptions. The following sixteen countries contribute to this programme: Austria, Belgium, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

For Alphasat this platform is utilised at the lower end of its capabilities, but the Alphabus is capable of supporting missions with more than 8 tonne launch mass and 18 kilowatt payload power.

Whilst being a new platform development, the Alphabus is a careful blend of core technologies resulting from the extensive heritage of the two industrial partners with the inclusion of well proven new technologies where deemed appropriate.

For further information please contact:
Dominique Detain
Communications Manager
Directorate of Telecommunication and navigation
ESA
Tel: 33 01 53 69 77 26
« Last Edit: 03/10/2014 08:40 pm by Jester »
Jacques :-)

Offline ALEX-Satellite

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Re: Ariane Flight VA 21? - Alphasat - summer 2013
« Reply #1 on: 11/24/2007 01:47 pm »
The Alphasat platform is fantastic! I congratulate the INMARSAT and ESA.

Offline jacqmans

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Re: Ariane Flight VA 21? - Alphasat - summer 2013
« Reply #2 on: 05/22/2009 10:03 am »
Arianespace chosen to launch Alphasat
Evry, May 20, 2009

http://www.arianespace.com/news-press-release/2009/05-20-09-Alphasat-launch-contract.asp

Inmarsat has chosen Arianespace to launch its new Alphasat I-XL communications satellite. This contract follows a partnership agreement between Inmarsat and the European Space Agency (ESA) concerning the commercialization of the first mission to use the new European platform, Alphabus.

Planned for launch in 2012, Alphasat I-XL will be carried by an Ariane 5 ECA in from the Guiana Space Center, Europe’s spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.

The satellite will be built by Astrium using an Alphabus platform, and will weigh more than six metric tons at launch. The new-generation Alphasat I-XL will be positioned at 25 degrees East, and will join Inmarsat’s current satellite fleet of 11 geostationary satellites to offer advanced mobile voice and data communications services across Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Its design life is 15 years.

Arianespace and Inmarsat have an established relationship reaching back to the launch of the first Inmarsat satellites. The British-based company has chosen Arianespace to launch five of its satellites.

Commenting on this latest contract, Arianespace Chairman and CEO Jean-Yves Le Gall said: “Just a few days after the magnificent launch of ESA’s two scientific satellite, Herschel and Planck, we are both proud and honored to once again be working with ESA on a project that supports the deployment of very powerful payloads. We would also like to thank Inmarsat for their loyalty to Arianespace over the last 28 years. This is the eighth contract we have signed in 2009 with the world’s leading operators, clear recognition of the quality and competitiveness of our launch Service & Solutions.”
Jacques :-)

Offline jacqmans

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Re: Ariane Flight VA 21? - Alphasat - summer 2013
« Reply #3 on: 02/08/2013 12:20 pm »
Alphasat experiences heaven on Earth
 
8 February 2013

Tucked away in a vacuum chamber for several months, Europe’s largest telecom satellite has faced the harsh conditions it will deal with once it is launched into space this summer.
 
Testing at Intespace in Toulouse, France, simulated conditions close to those Alphasat will experience in flight, including the intense cold of its transfer orbits in the early stages of the mission.
 
http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Telecommunications_Integrated_Applications/Alphasat_experiences_heaven_on_Earth
« Last Edit: 02/08/2013 12:20 pm by jacqmans »
Jacques :-)

Offline russianhalo117

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Re: Ariane Flight VA 21? - Alphasat - summer 2013
« Reply #4 on: 02/08/2013 06:44 pm »
Alphasat experiences heaven on Earth
 
8 February 2013

Tucked away in a vacuum chamber for several months, Europe’s largest telecom satellite has faced the harsh conditions it will deal with once it is launched into space this summer.
 
Testing at Intespace in Toulouse, France, simulated conditions close to those Alphasat will experience in flight, including the intense cold of its transfer orbits in the early stages of the mission.
 
http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Telecommunications_Integrated_Applications/Alphasat_experiences_heaven_on_Earth
CNES/ESA and few other sources list primary flight number as of middle of 2012 as VA-214, if flight is delayed more than slightly flight number will change to VA-215 et cetera as needed. All sources I have found are currently showing this payload as VA-214 on current schedule with launcher buildup completed and ready for payload sometime in early to middle of May 2013 for a targeted late May/early June or July flight (Launch order would change if mission payload readiness and launch is pushed back past middle of July).

As always, the projected flight target and launch order is subject to change without much warning so alway search for the latest info.

Offline bolun

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Re: Ariane Flight VA 21? - Alphasat - summer 2013
« Reply #5 on: 04/12/2013 07:18 pm »
http://www.arianespace.com/news-mission-update/2013/1029.asp

Quote
Launcher components for the third Arianespace Ariane 5 mission of 2013 have been delivered to French Guiana, while payload preparations for this year’s second heavy-lift flight have marked a new milestone at the Spaceport.

The Ariane 5 to be used for Arianespace’s no. 3 flight with its workhorse vehicle in 2013 arrived aboard the MN Colibri, which is one of two roll-on/roll-off ships used to transport Arianespace launchers from Europe to South America. This will be the 214th mission of an Ariane family vehicle – with the mission designated Flight VA214 – and is scheduled for a July liftoff with two satellite passengers.

Offline jacqmans

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Re: Ariane Flight VA 214 - Alphasat and Insat-3D - July 2013
« Reply #6 on: 04/26/2013 10:23 pm »
Arianespace’s launcher cadence continues with four missions being prepared for Ariane 5

April 26, 2013 – Arianespace Flights VA214
 
The Spaceport is operating to the rhythm of Arianespace’s launcher family, with four parallel mission campaigns now underway in French Guiana for the heavy-lift Ariane 5, medium-lift Soyuz and lightweight Vega vehicles.
 
Joining the activity this week are preparations for an Ariane 5 flight planned in the second half of July with the Alphasat and Insat-3D satellites.  The mission is designated VA214 in Arianespace’s numbering system, and the assembly process for its vehicle began inside the Spaceport’s Launcher Integration Building with the placement of Ariane 5’s cryogenic core stage over one of two mobile launch tables available for the heavy-lift workhorse.

http://www.arianespace.com/news-mission-update/2013/1035.asp
« Last Edit: 04/26/2013 10:24 pm by jacqmans »
Jacques :-)

Offline bolun

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Ariane Flight VA214’s launch vehicle marks a preparation milestone

May 15, 2013 – Ariane Flight VA214
 
The third Ariane 5 for launch in 2013 has now completed basic build-up at the Spaceport, taking the next step toward Arianespace’s two-passenger mission planned from French Guiana in July.
 
This heavy-lift workhorse was equipped with its upper cryogenic stage and vehicle equipment bay inside the Spaceport’s Launcher Integration Building, installed as a single “upper composite” atop the core cryogenic stage by prime contractor Astrium.

The launcher will now be readied for transfer to the Final Assembly Building in French Guiana, where Arianespace will take responsibility for final launch preparations and integration of the satellite payloads – Alphasat and INSAT-3D – before a liftoff targeted for the second half of July.
 
Built by Astrium, Alphasat will weigh more than six metric tons at launch and provide additional L-band capacity for coverage of Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Operated under an agreement between the European Space Agency (ESA) and European commercial satellite operator Inmarsat, it will be the first satellite to use Alphabus, the high-powered European telecommunications platform co-developed by Astrium and Thales Alenia Space under joint contract from ESA and the French CNES space agency.
 
INSAT-3D is a dedicated meteorological satellite built by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), India’s space agency. It will carry weather forecasting payloads, along with a search and rescue relay system, and has a liftoff mass of 2,100 kg., offering 1,100 W of power.
 
Designated Flight VA214 in Arianespace’s numbering system, this launch represents the 214th flight of an Ariane vehicle since this family’s maiden liftoff in December 1979.

Flight VA214 is one of two Ariane 5 missions currently being prepared in French Guiana – and is part of Spaceport activity for four launch campaigns in May that involves members of Arianespace’s entire launcher family. Pre-flight operations are continuing for Ariane 5’s Flight VA213, which will carry Europe’s fourth Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) into orbit next month; and for Soyuz Flight VS05 which will loft four satellites for O3b Networks – scheduled in June as well.  On May 7, Arianespace’s lightweight Vega completed its second mission with the successful launch of three passengers – VNREDSat-1, Proba-V and ESTCube-1.

http://www.arianespace.com/news-mission-update/2013/1045.asp

Offline bolun

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Offline Salo

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Press Trust Of India | chennai/ Bangalore June 13, 2013 Last Updated at 20:31 IST

Arianespace to launch India's Insat-3D spacecraft on July 26

European space consortium Arianespace would launch India's Insat-3D, an exclusive meteorological satellite, from its spaceport of Kourou in French Guiana on July 26.

Insat-3D is configured with advanced meteorological payloads - a six Channel Imager, 19 Channel Sounder along with data relay transponder and satellite aided search and rescue payloads, an official of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said here today. "The spacecraft platform is adopted from the standard I-2K bus with a power handling capability of around 1,100 W with a lift off mass of 2,090 kg," the official said.

http://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/arianespace-to-launch-india-s-insat-3d-spacecraft-on-july-26-113061301104_1.html


Offline input~2

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Offline jacqmans

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Astrium ships Alphasat to launch site
 
17 June 2013

 Alphasat, the most sophisticated commercial communications satellite ever built, has left Astrium’s facilities in Toulouse today after completion of its final integration and test campaign and is now en route to Kourou, French Guyana, to be prepared for its launch aboard an Ariane 5, scheduled for the end of July.

http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Telecommunications_Integrated_Applications/Alphasat/Astrium_ships_Alphasat_to_launch_site

 
Jacques :-)

Offline input~2

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Alphasat mock up scale 1/1 at Paris Airshow

Offline bolun

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The launch rhythm continues: Arianespace takes delivery of its next Ariane 5 at the Spaceport

June 27, 2013 – Ariane Flight VA214

Arianespace is keeping up the mission pace at its French Guiana base of operations with the acceptance of another heavy-lift Ariane 5, which now is being readied for the integration of a dual-satellite payload to be orbited on July 25.

The vehicle for this next Spaceport liftoff was transferred yesterday from the Spaceport’s Launcher Integration Building – where it underwent the basic build-up – to the Final Assembly Building, formally transferring authority for the Ariane 5 to Arianespace from industrial prime contractor Astrium.

Designated Flight VA214 in Arianespace’s launcher family numbering system (signifying the 214th liftoff of an Ariane-series vehicle), the mission will mark the 70th launch of the workhorse Ariane 5 and is to loft the INSAT-3D meteorological satellite along with the Alphasat communications relay platform.

INSAT-3D was developed by India’s space agency, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), and carries weather forecasting payloads along with a search and rescue relay system.  Its liftoff mass will be approximately 2,100 kg.

As part of the pre-launch checkout process, INSAT-3D underwent a test deployment of its solar panels in the Spaceport’s clean room facilities – which is a typical checkout step performed by ISRO with its satellites once they are in French Guiana.

Riding as co-passenger on the upcoming Ariane 5 flight is Europe’s Alphasat, which is ranked as one of the world’s most sophisticated communications satellites.  Alphasat carries a new-generation advanced mobile L-band communications payload along with four technological demonstration payloads for the European Space Agency.

Built by Astrium as prime contractor, Alphasat will have a mass of more than six metric tons at launch, and is to be operated under an agreement between the European Space Agency and European commercial satellite operator Inmarsat.

The previous Spaceport missions performed by Arianespace so far this year were the June 25 medium-lift Soyuz launch that orbited O3b Networks’ first four connectivity satellites; an Ariane 5 flight on June 5 with Europe’s fourth Automated Transfer Vehicle, which was Ariane’s heaviest payload ever; the May 7 liftoff of Vega on this lightweight vehicle’s second flight, carrying the Proba-V, VNREDSat-1 and ESTCube-1 satellites; and an Ariane 5 mission on February 7 with the Amazonas 3 and Azerspace/Africasat-1a passengers.

Completing the 2013 activity to date was a Soyuz launch from Kazakhstan’s Baikonur Cosmodrome on February 6, conducted by Arianespace’s Starsem affiliate with six second-generation Globalstar satellites.  It marked the fourth and final mission currently contracted by Globalstar with Arianespace/Starsem for the deployment of its second-generation satellite constellation.

http://www.arianespace.com/news-mission-update/2013/1062.asp
« Last Edit: 06/29/2013 08:15 am by bolun »

Offline Galactic Penguin SST

I asked around about the launch time on Twitter. Here's the response:

Quote
Inmarsat Newsdesk ‏@InmarsatNews
@Cosmic_Penguin Alphasat launches on July 25 at 17:53 French Guiana time, subject to change.

= 20:53 UTC.
Astronomy & spaceflight geek penguin. In a relationship w/ Space Shuttle Discovery. Current Priority: Chasing the Chinese Spaceflight Wonder Egg & A Certain Chinese Mars Rover

Offline jacqmans

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INSAT-3D completes initial preparations for Arianespace’s next Ariane 5 flight from the Spaceport

July 3, 2013 – Ariane Flight VA214

India’s INSAT-3D weather satellite for Arianespace’s next Ariane 5 mission has completed its initial pre-launch checkout at the Spaceport in French Guiana, and is now being readied for fueling.

To be orbited along with the European Alphasat telecommunications spacecraft on July 25, INSAT-3D will provide enhanced meteorological observation and the monitoring of land/ocean surfaces with its six-channel imager and 19-channel sounder.  Also installed on the Indian spacecraft is a data relay transponder, along with a payload to assist in satellite-aided search and rescue operations.

Developed by the country’s space agency – the Indian Space Research Organisation, along with its Space Applications Centre – this satellite is adapted from India’s I-2K spacecraft bus.  Once fueled, INSAT-3D will have an estimated liftoff mass of 2,090 kg.

Pre-launch activities with INSAT-3D in French Guiana have included a solar array test deployment, along with a fit-check on the adapter that will serve as the interface with Ariane 5.   This week, the satellite was transferred within the Spaceport’s S5 payload preparation center – moving from its previous location in the S5C large processing hall to the S5B hall, where the fueling will be carried out.

Arianespace’s upcoming mission with INSAT-3D and Alphasat will be its third Ariane 5 liftoff at the Spaceport in 2013, and is designated VA214 to signify the 214th launch of an Ariane-series vehicle.

Other Arianespace flights performed so far this year from French Guiana with the company’s three-member launcher family were one mission each of medium-lift Soyuz and lightweight Vega vehicles.  Completing the activity was a Soyuz flight from Kazakhstan’s Baikonur Cosmodrome, performed by the Starsem affiliate of Arianespace.


http://www.arianespace.com/news-mission-update/2013/1063.asp
« Last Edit: 07/04/2013 08:51 am by jacqmans »
Jacques :-)

Offline Lewis007

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Launch poster from the Kourou center

Offline jacqmans

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Alphasat completed the fuelling operations on July 5, 2013. A specialist Thales Alenia Space team loaded the nearly three tonnes of chemical propellant dressed in safety suits in CSG's Hazardous Processing Facility. The final step to launch is mating with the launch adaptor.

Credit: CNES
Jacques :-)

Offline jacqmans

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Alphasat and INSAT-3D are fueled for Arianespace’s heavy-lift Ariane 5 flight from French Guiana on July 25

July 9, 2013 – Ariane Flight VA214

The two satellite passengers for Arianespace’s next Ariane 5 mission are being fueled at the Spaceport, preparing them for a July 25 liftoff on the company’s fifth flight in 2013 from French Guiana with its launcher family.

Utilizing the capacity and flexibility of the Spaceport’s large S5 payload preparation facility, the Indian INSAT-3D meteorological platform is receiving its fuel load in the S5B hall, while Europe’s Alphasat telecommunications spacecraft is undergoing a “top off” in the separate S5A hall.

Alphasat is the largest European telecommunications satellite ever built, with a mass exceeding 6.6 metric tons when fueled.  It also is the first to use the Alphabus spacecraft bus – the result of a coordinated European response to the increased market demand for larger telecommunication payloads.

Once in orbit, Alphasat will expand the U.K.-based Inmarsat operator’s global mobile telecommunication network – delivering new capabilities in terms of performance and resource availability, providing 50 percent more accessible spectrum with double spectral efficiency and nearly 20 percent more channels.  The satellite was built by Astrium, and its solar array will span nearly 40 meters once deployed in orbit, generating more than 12 kW of power.

The Alphasat mission was developed in the largest public–private partnership biggest of its kind, involving Inmarsat and the European Space Agency.  This will provide the capacity to handle more than 750 channels in L-band, with improved quality – particularly for satellite phone users.  When in service, Alphasat will augment Inmarsat’s Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN) service, enabling communications across Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East with increased capacity.

Alphasat will ride in Ariane 5’s upper payload position, while the INSAT-3D co-passenger is to be accommodated in the lower portion of the payload “stack.”  Developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) – the country’s space agency, along with its Space Applications Centre – INSAT-3D is to provide enhanced meteorological observation and the monitoring of land/ocean surfaces with a six-channel imager and 19-channel sounder. 

Also integrated on the Indian spacecraft is a data relay transponder, along with a payload to assist in satellite-aided search and rescue operations.  INSAT-3D will have a mass at liftoff of approximately 2,100 kg.

http://www.arianespace.com/news-mission-update/2013/1064.asp
« Last Edit: 07/09/2013 07:06 pm by jacqmans »
Jacques :-)

Offline jacqmans

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Fuelling complete as countdown to launch begins

9 July 2013

Last night three tonnes of propellants were loaded into Alphasat, completing fuelling operations and almost doubling the total weight of the satellite in the process. 

In addition to its xenon ion thrusters, Alphasat sports a bipropellant propulsion system powered by monomethyl hydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide. These are hazardous chemicals and must be handled carefully to ensure the safety of both personnel and the satellite.

http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Telecommunications_Integrated_Applications/Alphasat/Fuelling_complete_as_countdown_to_launch_begins
Jacques :-)

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