Author Topic: Proton-M/Briz-M – Ekspress-AM6 – 21st October 2014, 1509UTC  (Read 56655 times)

Online owais.usmani

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And this seems to be an almost official acknowledgement of the under performance :

Express-AM6 scheduled to be commissioned on 1 July 2015 (RSCC News_27/10/14)
21 October 2014 saw the launch of Express-AM6, a Russian communications and broadcasting satellite. On 22 October, the satellite was accepted for control. All onboard systems are performing nominally. Express-AM6 delta insertion to the geostationary orbit and in-orbit tests are scheduled to be completed by 1 July 2015.
‘’It will take the recently launched Ekspress-AM6 seven months to become operational, almost twice the time originally expected.’’
By comparison, the identical Ekspress-AM5 reached geostationary orbit 2. 5 months after launch. In-orbit testing lasted an additional two months.

Kommersant provided more details:

http://www.kommersant.ru/doc/2599649

One thing I don't understand is that how come the Astra 2G launch is not delayed because of this issue?

Offline input~2

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By comparison, the identical Ekspress-AM5 reached geostationary orbit 2. 5 months after launch. In-orbit testing lasted an additional two months.
Actually Ekspress-AM5 spent only 3 weeks testing at 145°E before heading to its final position at 140°E, where it was operational 3.7 months after launch
The statement by RSCC means that Ekspress-AM6 will arrive at its nominal position 8.3 months after launch, i.e. 4.6 months more than Ekspress-AM5
(BTW, the S/C is still in the original orbit as injected by Briz-M)
« Last Edit: 11/07/2014 08:10 pm by input~2 »

Offline input~2

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Apparently first maneuver to GEO has finally been performed
Present orbit is 31417 x 37815 km x 0.68°

Offline kevin-rf

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  • Overlooking the path Mary's little Lamb took..
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Interesting tweet

https://twitter.com/pbdes/status/532235199644725249
Quote
Peter B. de Selding
SES: We're proceeding w/ Astra 2G sat launch late-Nov on Proton now that we've received answers to all questions re: Proton's Oct launch.
If you're happy and you know it,
It's your med's!

Offline input~2

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VKO announced that they sent the Briz-M to a 41000km orbit. Let's wait for updated TLEs.
According to its TLE history Briz-M was not sent to a 41000 km orbit...

Offline SIM city

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The satellite began in-orbit testing at 51EL two weeks ago.

http://eng.rscc.ru/100/177/573.html
RSCC testing Eхpress-АМ6 satellite

12.03 : 2015

Tests of the Express-АМ6satellite payload started on 10 March in the 51oE orbital slot. The satellite is to be transferred to 53oE where, after completing the tests, the satellite will be commissioned in the first half of May.

Online owais.usmani

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Offline Rondaz

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Express AM6 recovered using up the fuel reserve/margin, but with no expectation of life lost from the official design life. The satellite arrived on station about three months late which was not deemed significant. So it is partial failure but with a zero mission capability loss.

https://twitter.com/seradata/status/1473057308808986635

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