Proton-M/Briz-M - EUTELSAT 5 West B & MEV-1 - October 9, 2019 (10:17 UTC)

[Chris Bergin]

MEV-1 thread: https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=39714.0


Orbital ATK Awarded Contract to Build Eutelsat Broadcast Satellite

Company to Team with Airbus Defence and Space on Satellite’s Development

Satellite to Be Built on Orbital ATK’s Reliable GEOStar™ Platform

Dulles, Virginia, 11 October 2016 – Orbital ATK, Inc. (NYSE: OA), a global leader in aerospace and defense technologies, today announced the company has been awarded its first contract with Eutelsat Communications (NYSE Euronext Paris: ETL) to build the EUTELSAT 5 West B satellite. The company will team with Airbus Defence and Space to build EUTELSAT 5 West B, marking the first time the two have partnered on satellite work. Relying on the two companies’ extensive heritage in the satellite industry, EUTELSAT 5 West B will be based on Orbital ATK’s GEOStar satellite platform while Airbus Defence and Space will provide the communications payload of 35 active Ku-band channels.

The spacecraft will be designed, built and tested at Orbital ATK’s state-of-the-art satellite manufacturing facility in Dulles, Virginia. EUTELSAT 5 West B will have an operational lifetime of more than 15 years as a broadcast satellite, replacing the current satellite at Eutelsat’s 5° West longitude orbit slot. Once EUTELSAT 5 West B is positioned in geostationary orbit, it will serve mainly video markets in Europe and North Africa.

“Eutelsat is a global leader in satellite operations and we are proud to provide them with a spacecraft built on our innovative, reliable and affordable GEOStar product line,” said Amer Khouri, Vice President of the Commercial Satellite Business at Orbital ATK. “With Airbus Defence and Space providing the payload and Orbital ATK using our flight-proven bus design, we are confident the team will deliver a high-quality broadcast satellite.”

EUTELSAT 5 West B is scheduled for launch in 2018 aboard an International Launch Services (ILS) Proton vehicle from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Russia. It will be the 41st commercial satellite ordered and built by Orbital ATK.

Orbital ATK’s Space Systems Group (SSG) is an industry leader in satellite technology and advanced rated space systems providing a broad portfolio of products and services for commercial, military, civil government and international customers. The Group designs, manufactures and operates small to medium-class satellites for communication, imaging, science, human exploration and military operations. SSG also specializes in market-leading integrated thermal control systems, space components that power and enable satellites of all classes, satellite servicing technology and premier technical engineering services to government agencies and laboratories. Orbital ATK is currently producing additional commercial satellites for Yahsat Satellite Communications, Avanti Communications and SES S.A. that will be delivered and launched over the next year.

About Orbital ATK

Orbital ATK is a global leader in aerospace and defense technologies. The company designs, builds and delivers space, defense and aviation systems for customers around the world, both as a prime contractor and merchant supplier. Its main products include launch vehicles and related propulsion systems; missile products, subsystems and defense electronics; precision weapons, armament systems and ammunition; satellites and associated space components and services; and advanced aerospace structures. Headquartered in Dulles, Virginia, Orbital ATK employs approximately 12,000 people in 18 states across the U.S. and in several international locations. For more information, visit www.orbitalatk.com.

[Stan Black]

See also here:-
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=38726.msg1440626#msg1440626
edit/gongora: Eutelsat agreement for multiple Proton launches

[Sam Ho]

And here as well:
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=41420.0
edit/gongora: (EUTELSAT 5 West B contract award)

[Sam Ho]

Eutelsat version of the release also says that it's a dual launch with MEV-1.

Launch vehicle has been announced: MEV-1 is planned for a 2018 Proton dual launch with Eutelsat.

http://news.eutelsat.com/pressreleases/eutelsat-selects-airbus-defence-and-space-and-orbital-atk-to-build-replacement-video-satellite-for-5-degrees-west-neighbourhood-1599478

Edit: MEV-1 not MEX-1.

[Steven Pietrobon]

Here's the Orbital ATK page on the Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV).

https://www.orbitalatk.com/space-systems/human-space-advanced-systems/mission-extension-services/default.aspx

[Chris Bergin]

And an article on this:

https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2016/10/ils-future-missions-launch-orbital-atks-mev-1/

[Satori]

Launch schedule for May 2019.

[fs10inator]

Payload adapter testing complete: http://www.khrunichev.ru/main.php?id=1&nid=1063

ADAPTER SYSTEM TO MOUNT EUTELSAT 5 WEST B AND MEV-1 SPACECRAFT TESTING COMPLETED
17.01.2019

Khrunichev Space Center continues its preparations to launch the EUTELSAT 5 West B and MEV-1 spacecraft using the Proton M booster equipped with the Breeze M upper stage. The adapter system developed and manufactured at the Khrunichev Space Center will provide the interface between the upper stage and the two spacecraft. It has been returned to Khrunichev from the Northrop Grumman facility located in Dulles, VA, USA, where the fitcheck with the EUTELSAT 5 West B and MEV-1 spacecraft were recently conducted.


In mid-December, Khrunichev specialists together with their U.S. colleagues successfully verified the mechanical and electrical interfaces compatibility of the adapter hardware, conducted tests that verified separation of the spacecraft from the adapter system and validated shock levels at separation.

[zubenelgenubi]

EUTELSAT 5 West B factsheet attached.
***

http://russianspaceweb.com/2019.html now lists this as a summer 2019 launch.
***

Upcoming Proton launches, all from Baikonur LC 81/24
Satellite(s)                        Date
Blagovest #4                       May 17
Spektr-RG                           June 21
Yamal-601                          June-July
Eutelsat 5 West B & MEV-1   summer

I suppose there will be further launch date updates, as the launch campaigns are sorted out!

EDIT 3/11

[fs10inator]

This just in from ILS's Facebook page; what you'll see on the fairing for this launch.

Space Logistics, LLC. is a NG subsidiary responsible for satellite servicing.

[Salo]

https://ria.ru/20190608/1555397910.html
Google translate:

"International Launch Services and the Khrunichev Center are ready to provide launches of Eutelsat 5 West B communications spacecraft for (European company) Eutelsat and the service satellite (American) of Northrop Grumann Mission Extension Vehicle-1, which, in accordance with our customers' schedules for production and testing spacecraft are planned for the late summer of this year, "said the agency interlocutor.

[old_geez]

Launch schedule for May 2019.

[zubenelgenubi]

Launch schedule for May 2019.

Superseded by the flow of current events.  See this thread up-thread.

More specifically, we've had learned commentary in this Russian sub-forum that the minimum Proton launch cadence, in the current mode of operations at Baikonur, without invoking out-of-the-ordinary measures, is approximately three weeks.

Yamal-601 (successfully launched May 30 UTC), Spektr-RG (June 21 UTC), and Blagovest #4 (July 15 UTC) precede this launch.

Following the progression, the NET (Not Earlier Than) for this launch would be in early August, which is part of late summer (as opposed to early summer).

(Or see my "mini-schedule" here.  The referred thread also contains the Russian launch schedule updates for all Russian orbital launches.)

As always, seeking confirmation, clarification, or correction!

Welcome to the forum, old_geez!

[russianhalo117]

Launch schedule for May 2019.

Why did you look at a schedule that's been superseded.

[Alter Sachse]

NK forum:
NET October

[PM3]

Anatoly Zak changed it from Summer to August yesterday.

http://www.russianspaceweb.com/2019.html

[zubenelgenubi]

With the launch of Spektr-RG delayed to NET July 12, then the following Proton launch could be NET August 2019.  (See launch cadence mentions up-thread; another reference here.)

If the Blagovest campaign takes priority, then this launch would be NET September--only 1 month from NET October.

***
Cross-post:

Volga-Dnepr has a flight scheduled for Northrop Grumman from Washington/Dulles to Baikonur between June 28 and July 28.  MEV-1?

Is one An-124 capable of carrying BOTH NGIS payloads (Eutelsat 5 West B and MEV-1) on the same flight?

Or will each satellite and its support equipment require separate flights?

Separate flights.

[zubenelgenubi]

Cross-post:

https://twitter.com/RussianSpaceWeb/status/1143611603071438849

Anatoly Zak @RussianSpaceWeb

#Proton rocket to fly its only commercial mission of 2019 no earlier than September, industry sources say.
DETAILS -> http://www.russianspaceweb.com/2019.html #mev1

http://www.russianspaceweb.com/2019.html

However, sources familiar with the real status of the payload told RussianSpaceWeb.com in the second half of June that the satellites had been projected for shipment to the launch site at the end of July, allowing to begin the launch campaign in Baikonur in early August 2019. Because of the dual payload on the mission, the Northrop Grumman team in Baikonur would need more time than the regular 25-day processing campaign at the launch site. As a result, the mission could not lift off before early September, industry sources said.

[zubenelgenubi]

Re: (assumed two) An-124 round-trip flights to Dulles--Who might announce the expected arrivals of this BIG plane visiting us here in DC?  Or take pictures?

[Olaf]

http://www.russianspaceweb.com/2019.html#mev1

By the end of June, the Northrop Grumman was yet to finalize the arrangements for the shipment of the satellites to Baikonur, which could be delayed from the last week of July to the first week of August, in turn requiring shifting the launch date for the mission to a period after September 15.