Author Topic: LIVE: Ariane Flight VA207 - MSG-3 & Jupiter/EchoStar XVII - July 5, 2012 (Read 62951 times)

Lewis007 · « **Reply #20 on:** 07/03/2012 09:56 am »

More info on the MSG-3 launch campaign can be found on the Eumetsat website; see page http://www.eumetsat.int/msg3/news.html

For pictures; see http://www.flickr.com/photos/eumetsat/sets/72157629845835726/

bolun · « **Reply #21 on:** 07/03/2012 04:24 pm »

ESA’s mission control ready for MSG-3 launch

http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Operations/SEMO432VW3H_0.html

jacqmans · « **Reply #22 on:** 07/04/2012 07:53 am »

Arianespace’s heavy-lift Ariane 5 mission with EchoStar XVII and MSG-3 is given its “go” for liftoff

July 3, 2012 – Ariane Flight VA207

Ariane 5’s third flight of 2012 has received the green light for its liftoff on Thursday, July 5 from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. The go-ahead for this mission – which will orbit a mixed payload of telecommunications and meteorological spacecraft – was given following today’s launch readiness review.

This important pre-launch step, which is performed prior to each Arianespace mission, checks the “go” status of the launcher, the flight’s dual-passenger payload, the Spaceport’s infrastructure and the network of tracking stations which will follow the flight.

Over 9,600 kg. of payload lift performance will be delivered with this mission, which includes a combined total of more than 7,500 kg. for the EchoStar XVII and MSG-3 spacecraft, plus the launch vehicle’s dual-passenger dispenser system and satellite integration hardware.

The EchoStar XVII telecommunications spacecraft is based on Space Systems/Loral’s 1300 series satellite platform and will be operated by Hughes Network Systems. It is to deliver broadband services to consumers, businesses and government customers across North America.

MSG-3 is a meteorological spacecraft for EUMETSAT (the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites), and was produced by a Thales Alenia Space-led consortium. After its deployment by Ariane 5, MSG-3 will operate in geostationary orbit and provide detailed images of Europe, Africa and the North Atlantic for use by meteorologists and national weather forecasters.

The launch of EchoStar XVII and MSG-3 follows the May 15 orbiting of two telecommunications satellites for Asia: JCSAT-13 and VINASAT-2; and the March 23 liftoff with Europe’s third Automated Transfer Vehicle for servicing of the International Space Station.

http://www.arianespace.com/news-mission-update/2012/919.asp

bolun · « **Reply #23 on:** 07/04/2012 05:05 pm »

http://blogs.esa.int/eolaunches/2012/07/04/msg-3-ready-for-roll-out/

MSG-3: ready for roll out

Lewis007 · « **Reply #24 on:** 07/05/2012 06:21 am »

The Ariane rocket is on the pad, awaiting launch !

http://msg-3launchcampaign.blogspot.nl/2012/07/msg-3-on-launch-pad.html

jacqmans · « **Reply #25 on:** 07/05/2012 07:14 am »

Ariane 5 rolls out with the EchoStar XVII and MSG-3 satellites for Arianespace’s next launch

July 4, 2012 – Ariane Flight VA207

Arianespace has delivered another Ariane 5 to the launch zone at Europe’s Spaceport, positioning this heavy-lift vehicle for liftoff tomorrow with a mixed telecommunications and meteorological satellite payload.

This Ariane 5 today rolled out from the Spaceport’s Final Integration Building to the ELA-3 launch zone, where it is scheduled for liftoff during a time slot that opens at 6:36 p.m. and continues to 7:05 p.m. in French Guiana.

For the 63rd launch of an Ariane 5 – and the 207th mission of an Ariane family launcher overall – the payload lift performance is approximately 9,640 kg., which includes a combined total of more than 7,560 kg. for the EchoStar XVII and MSG-3 spacecraft, plus the launch vehicle’s dual-passenger dispenser system and satellite integration hardware.

The EchoStar XVII relay platform will be operated by Hughes Network Systems, and is based on Space Systems/Loral’s 1300-series satellite bus. It is designed to deliver broadband services to consumers, businesses and government customers across North America.

MSG-3 was produced by a Thales Alenia Space-led consortium for EUMETSAT (the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites). Once operational in geostationary orbit, it will provide detailed images of Europe, Africa and the North Atlantic for use by meteorologists and national weather forecasters.

http://www.arianespace.com/news-mission-update/2012/920.asp

bolun · « **Reply #26 on:** 07/05/2012 12:54 pm »

http://www.arianespace.com/news-mission-update/2012/920.asp

Launch window for VA207

UTC: From 09:36 p.m. to 10:05 p.m. on July 5, 2012

Paris, France: From 11:36 p.m. to 12:05 a.m. on July 5-6, 2012

Kourou, French Guiana: From 06:36 p.m. to 07:05 p.m. on July 5, 2012

Washington, D.C., USA: From 05:36 p.m. to 06:05 p.m. on July 5, 2012

Tokyo, Japan: From 06:36 a.m. to 07:05 a.m. on July 6, 2012

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #27 on:** 07/05/2012 01:04 pm »

Moved for live coverage.

bolun · « **Reply #28 on:** 07/05/2012 01:13 pm »

http://www.flickr.com/photos/eumetsat/7507545098/

Ariane 5 with MSG-3 ready for launch in Kourou, French Guyana.

jacqmans · « **Reply #29 on:** 07/05/2012 01:18 pm »

Press Release
N°21-2012

Paris, 5 July 2012

MSG-3 set to ensure quality of Europe’s weather service from geostationary orbit

The latest weather satellite in Europe’s highly successful Meteosat second-generation series is on its way after lifting off on an Ariane 5 at XX:XX GMT (XX:XX CEST) on Thursday, 5 July from Europe’s Spaceport at the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, French Guiana.

The satellite’s sensors will ensure that Europe and Africa continue to receive up-to-date weather coverage.

Some XX minutes into flight, the third Meteosat Second Generation satellite was released into its targeted elliptical transfer orbit. It is now being controlled from ESA’s European Space Operations Centre, in Darmstadt, Germany.

In ten days, once the initial operations are completed, MSG-3 will be handed over to the satellite’s owner, the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites – EUMETSAT – to commission the payload.

After commissioning, when MSG-3 has become Meteosat-10, it will be stationed at 0° longitude, over the Gulf of Guinea on the Equator, in geostationary orbit, where its speed precisely matches Earth’s rotation.

“Tonight’s launch allows EUMETSAT and ESA to continue providing Europeans with high quality observations of weather from space, with MSG-3 being especially valuable in rapid detection and warning of extreme weather situations,” said ESA’s Director General, Jean-Jacques Dordain.

“For more than three decades now, the exemplary cooperation between ESA and EUMETSAT has been the basis of the success of the Meteosat and EPS/Metop programmes.

“These programmes have ensured high-quality weather forecasts, the successive generations have improved these forecasts and they have brought tangible economic benefits for and improving the daily life of every European. Two generations have now been developed by ESA and EUMETSAT.”

“MSG-3 ensures the continuity of the present service. Together with EUMETSAT, ESA is working on the development of the next series of weather satellites, Meteosat Third Generation”, said ESA’s Director of Earth Observation, Volker Liebig.

“Once operational at the end of this decade, this next generation will provide a quantum leap in terms of technology and performance, providing among others faster imaging, more spectral channels and an atmospheric sounding capability allowing for the measurements of trace gas profiles.”

ESA’s role in weather and climate watch is not limited to the Meteosat series of satellites. It has also developed the MetOp series of polar-orbiting weather satellites - also operated by EUMETSAT - planned to be followed by the MetOp Second Generation series– to be submitted to the ESA Ministerial Council in November for approval.

The second MetOp is at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, ready for launch on 19 September.

About Meteosat Second Generation
MSG is a joint programme undertaken by ESA and EUMETSAT. ESA is responsible for the development of satellites fulfilling user and system requirements defined by EUMETSAT and of the procurement of recurrent satellites on its behalf. ESA also performs the Launch and Early Orbit Phase operations required to place the spacecraft in geostationary orbit, before handing it over to EUMETSAT for exploitation.

EUMETSAT develops all ground systems required to deliver products and services to users and to respond to their evolving needs, procures launch services and operates the full system for the benefit of users.

MSG-3 is the third in a series of four satellites introduced in 2002. These spin-stabilised satellites carry the primary Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager, or SEVIRI.

SEVIRI focuses on Europe and Africa to deliver enhanced weather coverage, in order to improve local forecasts, in particular for rapidly developing storms. It scans Earth’s surface and atmosphere every 15 minutes in 12 different wavelengths, to track cloud development and measure temperatures.

SEVIRI can pick out features as small as a kilometre across in the visible bands, and three kilometres in the infrared.

In addition to its weather-watching mission and collection of climate records, MSG-3 has two secondary payloads.

The Global Earth Radiation Budget sensor will measure the amount of solar energy that is radiated back into space to determine how much energy is introduced into the climate system and to provide insights into the atmospheric circulation between the day and night sides.
A Search & Rescue transponder will turn the satellite into a relay for distress signals from emergency beacons.

The MSG satellites were built in Cannes, France, by a European industrial team led by Thales Alenia Space, France. More than 50 subcontractors from 13 European countries are involved.

The last of the series, MSG-4, is planned for launch in 2015.

jacqmans · « **Reply #30 on:** 07/05/2012 02:25 pm »

Press Release
N°21-2012

By mistake tonight's press release was sent out too early. Indeed the launch is currently scheduled for tonight 23:36 CEST.

Our apologies for this incident.

Lewis007 · « **Reply #31 on:** 07/05/2012 08:21 pm »

Attached is the EADS-Astrium launch kit for VA-207

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #32 on:** 07/05/2012 08:24 pm »

ESA Operations ‏@esaoperations
Msg from Mission control #MSG3launch: A-team are now on console. Roll-call complete. Weather in Kourou good, so launch likely tonight.

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #33 on:** 07/05/2012 08:25 pm »

Jonathan Amos ‏@BBCAmos
And the weather looks good for the #Meteosat-10 launch tonight. We know because Meteosat-9 has imaged Kourou. #MSG-3

https://twitter.com/BBCAmos/status/220943655974866944/photo/1

jacqmans · « **Reply #34 on:** 07/05/2012 08:25 pm »

Arianespace’s Ariane 5 flight with EchoStar XVII and MSG-3 enters its final countdown for liftoff tonight

July 5, 2012 – Ariane Flight VA207

The final countdown is now underway for this evening’s Arianespace Ariane 5 flight from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, which is to orbit a dual payload consisting of the EchoStar XVII broadband telecommunications relay platform and EUMETSAT’s MSG-3 meteorological satellite.

Liftoff is scheduled during a launch window that opens at 6:36 p.m. and continues to 7:05 p.m. local time, with EchoStar XVII and MSG-3 being deployed during a 34-minute flight.

This will be the 63rd launch of an Ariane 5, and Arianespace’s third flight of its heavy-lift workhorse in 2012.

EchoStar XVII is a Space Systems/Loral-built 1300-series satellite platform, and is to be operated by Hughes Network Systems – delivering broadband services from geostationary orbit to consumers, businesses and government customers across North America.

MSG-3 is a weather observation spacecraft for EUMETSAT (the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites). Produced by a Thales Alenia Space-led consortium, MSG-3 will operate in geostationary orbit – providing detailed images of Europe, Africa and the North Atlantic for use by meteorologists and national weather forecasters.

http://www.arianespace.com/news-mission-update/2012/921.asp

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #35 on:** 07/05/2012 08:27 pm »

50 mins to the live coverage:
http://www.arianespace.tv/

jacqmans · « **Reply #36 on:** 07/05/2012 08:28 pm »

14:21 (L-4h 15 min). MSG-3 started battery charging.
14:28 (L-4h 08 min). EPC (Etage de Propulsion Cryogénique/Cryogenic Propulsion Stage) fuelling started
15:08 (L-3h 28 min) ESC (Etage Superieur Cryogénique/Upper Cryogenic stage) fuelling
15:31 (L-3h 05 min ) MSG-3 reported parameters from LBC-1 to Jupiter are green

16:36 (L-2h 00 min) MSG-3 spacecraft status is green. Here under, a snapshot of the Launch vehicle from the TV monitor in LBC-1. Weather looks fine.

http://msg-3launchcampaign.blogspot.nl/2012/07/launch-day.html

bolun · « **Reply #37 on:** 07/05/2012 08:35 pm »

Watch online: MSG-3 launch

http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/MSG/SEMI592VW3H_0.html

jacqmans · « **Reply #38 on:** 07/05/2012 08:51 pm »

18:36 (L-1 hour). MSG-3 status is green. All other parameters are green. The clock below gives the UT (Universal Time) and the exact L -1 hour of the chronology...

Hog · « **Reply #39 on:** 07/05/2012 09:06 pm »

10 mins to live coverage, thanks for the link Chris!