It looks like Sea Launch has 2 or 3 empty positions for launch in 2009. Which birds may be launched on these seats? Are there any predictions?Land Launch has 3 planned launches for 2009 and I think this is the max. number for LL.
My understanding is that Zenit production is still limited to 6 per year and split between LL and SL. With this contraint it appears that SL is sold out in 2009 unless they get some hardware reallocated.
I have heard that SeaLaunch missions are constrained by processing and travel times to 6 or 7 per year, and that is why LandLaunch was developed, to allow for additional launches.
Quote from: Danderman on 07/11/2008 04:54 pmI have heard that SeaLaunch missions are constrained by processing and travel times to 6 or 7 per year, and that is why LandLaunch was developed, to allow for additional launches.Confirmed. Believe very much that production can be ramped significantly. More than other vendors, too.
Unfortunately SL ramped up sales of SL & LL faster than production could support and then got into ugly fight with LL over hardware allocations. Many frakked off customers. They have yet to demonstrate a significately higher production rate and problems still exist. Maybe in a couple of years this may improve as discussed in the article
On the other hand, what could happen is that two customers could want launch in the same month, and that could cause allocation problems.
Quote from: McDew on 07/12/2008 12:43 amUnfortunately SL ramped up sales of SL & LL faster than production could support and then got into ugly fight with LL over hardware allocations. Many frakked off customers. They have yet to demonstrate a significately higher production rate and problems still exist. Maybe in a couple of years this may improve as discussed in the articleGiven that the time from signing a launch contract to actual launch is generally at least two years, and given that in no recent year has SeaLaunch + Land Launch come even close to 6 or 7 launches, the paragraph above makes no sense. Moreover, until recently, Yuzhnoye had extra Zenits lying around with no customers.
Land Launch utilised a Zenit-2SB60 rocket. But I stumbled upon references to a 2SB40 and 2SB80. Anyone know what they are for?
Quote from: Stan Black on 07/12/2008 08:47 pmLand Launch utilised a Zenit-2SB60 rocket. But I stumbled upon references to a 2SB40 and 2SB80. Anyone know what they are for?Zenit-2SB60 is two-stage rocket for Zenit-3SLB three-stage rocket with DM-SLB upper stage. Zenit-2SB40 is two-stage rocket for Zenit-3SLBF three-stage rocket with Fregat-SB upper stage. I did not see Zenit-2SB80 nowhere.2008Date – Satellite(s) – Zenit type – Organization – Time (UTC)July 16 – Echostar 11 – 3SL – SL – 05:21August 21 – Measat-3A – 3SLB – LLSeptember – Galaxy 19 – 3SL – SL4Q (TBD) – Telstar 11N – 3SLB – LL (or 2009)2009Date – Satellite(s) – Zenit type – Organization – Time (UTC)February – Eutelsat W2A – 3SL – SL2Q – Asiasat 5 – 3SLB – LL2Q – Intelsat 15 – 3SLB – LL3Q – Eutelsat W7 – 3SL – SL3Q – AMC 1R – 3SLB – LLTBD – XM 5 – 3SL – SL2010Date – Satellite(s) – Zenit type – Organization – Time (UTC)1Q – Intelsat 16 – 3SLB – LL3Q – MSV 2 – 3SL – SL
In 2007 the contract for launch in 2008 Sicral-1B satellite was signed by Sea Launch as this mission is not compatible with Ariane-5 double launch capabilities in some points. Is it still valid in Zenit manifest?