LIVE: Soyuz ST-B Flight VS08 - O3b-F2 (FM3/6/7/8) - July 10th, 2014

[Salo]

P.S.
Are we sure about the renaming of VS07 to VS06 btw ?

Per Gaia QA, the name remains VS07 so no change.

O3b remain VS06

O'key!

[Salo]

Arianespace’s mission with Gaia will be the Spaceport’s second liftoff with the Russian workhorse launcher in 2013.  It is now designated Flight VS06, taking the numbering previously assigned to an upcoming Soyuz launch with four O3b Network satellites – which has been delayed at the customer’s request.

http://www.arianespace.com/news-mission-update/2013/1097.asp

[Lewis007]

New launchdate possibly in March
http://www.spacenews.com/article/satellite-telecom/37953delayed-o3b-satellites-should-be-ready-for-march-launch

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Apparently SES, who is one of the shareholders behind O3b, is trying to push Arianespace to give the June 2014 Soyuz launch slot to them, instead of the first 2 Galileo navigation satellites, by threatening to cut the remaining launch deals of SES comsats with Arianespace. Yikes!

http://www.spacenews.com/article/launch-report/39868ses-leans-on-arianespace-to-give-galileo-launch-slot-to-o3b

[Jester]

Apparently SES, who is one of the shareholders behind O3b, is trying to push Arianespace to give the June 2014 Soyuz launch slot to them, instead of the first 2 Galileo navigation satellites, by threatening to cut the remaining launch deals of SES comsats with Arianespace. Yikes!

http://www.spacenews.com/article/launch-report/39868ses-leans-on-arianespace-to-give-galileo-launch-slot-to-o3b

Yeah, its all politics, can't say much more, but it's "interesting"

[npuentes]

Strategically (i.e., won't address current problem) it seems Arianespace needs to figure out how to have more launchers on hand and a greater and more flexible launch cadence. I'm sure there are many factors, however.

[Jester]

Strategically (i.e., won't address current problem) it seems Arianespace needs to figure out how to have more launchers on hand and a greater and more flexible launch cadence. I'm sure there are many factors, however.

They have the launchers, the issue is the frequency they can launch at, they are addressing the Soyuz part by building an extra fueling location, and optimizing the launch ops timeline, this will cut down on time between launches etc. but the issue really is down to customers and spacecraft availability and the politics behind it....

currently it looks like we will both show up with our spacecrafts and see who will get the launcher, which means somebody paying more because of the delay and Arianespace paying a penalty because of made agreements.

[woods170]

Strategically (i.e., won't address current problem) it seems Arianespace needs to figure out how to have more launchers on hand and a greater and more flexible launch cadence. I'm sure there are many factors, however.

They have the launchers, the issue is the frequency they can launch at, they are addressing the Soyuz part by building an extra fueling location, and optimizing the launch ops timeline, this will cut down on time between launches etc. but the issue really is down to customers and spacecraft availability and the politics behind it....

currently it looks like we will both show up with our spacecrafts and see who will get the launcher, which means somebody paying more because of the delay and Arianespace paying a penalty because of made agreements.

The last time a constitual payload was fighting it out over a launch slot with a commercial payload it was the constitual payload that lost. That did not go down too well with ESA. IMO, I don't think in this case ESA and the European Commission are going to let this happen again. The launch slot will very likely go to Galileo.  Trying to appease SES by giving them the slot will only result in SES walking away towards a certain competitor in the USA just one launch later.

[Jester]

Strategically (i.e., won't address current problem) it seems Arianespace needs to figure out how to have more launchers on hand and a greater and more flexible launch cadence. I'm sure there are many factors, however.

They have the launchers, the issue is the frequency they can launch at, they are addressing the Soyuz part by building an extra fueling location, and optimizing the launch ops timeline, this will cut down on time between launches etc. but the issue really is down to customers and spacecraft availability and the politics behind it....

currently it looks like we will both show up with our spacecrafts and see who will get the launcher, which means somebody paying more because of the delay and Arianespace paying a penalty because of made agreements.

The last time a constitual payload was fighting it out over a launch slot with a commercial payload it was the constitual payload that lost. That did not go down too well with ESA. IMO, I don't think in this case ESA and the European Commission are going to let this happen again. The launch slot will very likely go to Galileo.  Trying to appease SES by giving them the slot will only result in SES walking away towards a certain competitor in the USA just one launch later.

That depends on the deal, if Arianespace gives the slot to O3b, I'm pretty sure this will come in exchange for more SES launches via Arianespace and not the US provider or else whats the point in giving them the slot in the first place...

Then again, Tajani clearly stated first Galileo FOC launch in June, so lets see who "wins" .....

[baldusi]

Can that certain US competitor put the O3b at it's quite equatorial plane?

[Stan Black]

Is Sea Launch still an option?

[anik]

Peter B. de Selding ‏@pbdes

O3b v. Galileo re: June Soyuz slot: If ALL 4 O3b sats arrive at spaceport weeks before the 2 Galileo sats, THEN O3b shld have priority.

[Jester]

Peter B. de Selding ‏@pbdes

O3b v. Galileo re: June Soyuz slot: If ALL 4 O3b sats arrive at spaceport weeks before the 2 Galileo sats, THEN O3b shld have priority.

The question is how many weeks.....

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Did Galileo just lost to O3b? 

The satellites will soon be transported from the Thales Alenia Space facility in Rome to Kourou, to be launched in the first week of June, pending final confirmation from Arianespace, the launch provider. Following the launch and with four more satellites in-orbit, O3b will start commercial service for all O3b customers on a global basis.

http://www.satelliteprome.com/news/o3b-satellites-get-ready-for-lift-off/

[Jester]

Did Galileo just lost to O3b? 

The satellites will soon be transported from the Thales Alenia Space facility in Rome to Kourou, to be launched in the first week of June, pending final confirmation from Arianespace, the launch provider. Following the launch and with four more satellites in-orbit, O3b will start commercial service for all O3b customers on a global basis.

http://www.satelliteprome.com/news/o3b-satellites-get-ready-for-lift-off/

I call B.S. as I'm not aware of a launch slot in the first week of June.

again, it should be clear who will get the slot end of this week/beginning of next week.

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Looks like O3b won the fight!  Andrey (anik) reporting a new launch date of June 27 on NK.

EDIT: probably because the Galileo satellites aren't ready: http://www.spacenews.com/article/launch-report/40118galileo-delay-could-save-arianespace-from-difficult-decision

[Galactic Penguin SST]

I guess the fight for launch slots is now all but finished with the O3b satellites now being transported to CSG on an An-124?  http://www.o3bnetworks.com/3046

[Jester]

They should arrive today, then again, Galileo team is already in CSG since 1 week with EGSE and MGSE.
as indicated on the other thread, o3b will get the slot, as long as there is no issue ;-)


EDIT:
And they have arrived

[jacqmans]

The second cluster of O3b Networks satellites are welcomed in French Guiana for their Arianespace Soyuz launch

 April 28, 2014 – Soyuz Flight VS08

O3b Networks spacecraft for Arianespace’s next launch to help “bridge the digital divide” have been delivered to French Guiana, marking a key step in preparations for this upcoming Soyuz mission from the Spaceport.

The four satellites arrived this month aboard a chartered Antonov An-124 cargo jetliner that landed at Félix Eboué Airport near the capital city of Cayenne, and were transferred by road to the Spaceport’s S5 payload preparation facility – where pre-launch processing is to commence.

This next Soyuz mission is designated Flight VS08 in Arianespace’s launcher family numbering system, signifying the eighth liftoff of the medium-lift workhorse from French Guiana since its 2011 introduction.

The launch follows Arianespace’s June 2013 orbiting of the initial four O3b satellites, which were produced by Thales Alenia Space and provided the first step in O3b Networks’ creation of a space-based constellation to deliver telecommunications and Internet services over Asia, Africa, South America, Australia and the Middle East.

Using the constellation of satellites to be lofted by Arianespace, O3b Networks’ strategy is to provide billions of consumers and businesses in nearly 180 countries with low-cost, high-speed, low latency Internet and mobile connectivity.

http://www.arianespace.com/news-mission-update/2014/1162.asp

[bolun]

Pre-launch processing begins for the O3b Networks satellites to be orbited on Arianespace’s upcoming Soyuz flight

May 6, 2014 – Soyuz Flight VS08

The next four satellites to serve O3b Networks in providing emerging market connectivity worldwide have entered their checkout phase at the Spaceport in French Guiana, readying them for launch on an Arianespace Soyuz mission planned for late June/early July.

These spacecraft are now inside the Spaceport’s S1B clean room facility, and are being removed from the individual shipping containers that protected them during a trans-Atlantic cargo jetliner flight from Europe to the equatorial launch site.

The O3b Networks satellites were produced by Thales Alenia Space, and have a trapezoidal-shaped main body to facilitate their integration on the Soyuz vehicle’s payload dispenser system. Outfitted with Ka-band transponders, the four spacecraft are to be positioned after launch at a medium-orbit altitude of 8,062 km.

This upcoming Soyuz mission is designated Flight VS08 in Arianespace’s launcher family numbering system, signifying the eighth liftoff of the medium-lift workhorse from the Spaceport since its 2011 introduction at French Guiana.

Arianespace orbited the initial four O3b Networks satellites on another Soyuz mission performed in June 2013. It marked the first step in O3b Networks’ creation of a space-based constellation to provide billions of consumers and businesses in nearly 180 countries with low-cost, high-speed, low latency Internet and mobile connectivity – delivering services over Asia, Africa, South America, Australia and the Middle East.

Soyuz is part of Arianespace’s three-member launcher family, which also includes the heavy-lift Ariane 5 and lightweight Vega – which also are operated at the Spaceport.

http://www.arianespace.com/news-mission-update/2014/1167.asp