SpaceX F9 : Ovzon-3 : CCSFS SLC-40 : 3 January 2024 (23:04 UTC)

[Steven Pietrobon]

The SSL 500 is designed for LEO and GEO, payload up to 250 kg and delta-V up to 800 m/s. Maybe the spacecraft will be be piggybacking on a larger spacecraft going to GEO. The configuration below shows a small sat attached to a truss on a larger satellite below.

http://sslmda.com/html/smallsat.php

[Llian Rhydderch]

https://spacenews.com/spacex-loses-falcon-heavy-customer-to-arianespace/

In an interview Aug. 24, Ovzon CEO Magnus René told SpaceNews the company received a more appealing launch offer from Arianespace.
...
René, in the interview, said Ovzon’s agreement with SpaceX was tentative, because Ovzon had not secured financing for its first telecommunications satellite, Ovzon-3.

Ovzon used its financing to cement a manufacturing agreement with Maxar Technologies in July to build Ovzon-3 using a Legion-class satellite platform (formerly called the SSL-500), and to finalize its launch arrangements. René said Ovzon-3 will have a mass of 1,500 kilograms.

René said Ovzon-3’s Ariane 5 launch is planned for the second half of 2021, and didn’t experience a change in schedule through the switch in vehicles.

Seeing competition in the launch industry--a situation where Arianespace can attract a launch contract away from the acknowledged low-price provider SpaceX--is awesome!

Hope we see a lot more of the competitive effects from the various launch service providers in the coming decade.  More space access for everyone! 

[speedevil]

Can't be an Ariane 5 for sure tho. That's impossible for sure. It would also make no sense for it to be a dedicated Ariane 62 launch. It still has to be a rideshare as a dedicated recoverable Falcon 9 could have done that mission as well.

If it's still getting to GEO somehow then F9 couldn't do it.  Options could be it raises its own orbit from GTO, or it rides something else from GTO to GEO, or it's not actually on Ariane 5 (I found the company release to be less than definitive on that point).

I'm not sure F9 can't, or maybe I'm confused, which has happened.

If it's going to GEO, it would need ~2500+1800m/s burns, seperated by 6 hours.

The rocket equation says if you start out with 17000kg as the latest Starlink launch, for 19000kg initial mass possible, you end up with ~5500kg in GEO.

FH-Tesla demonstrated 6 hour coast.

M1 vac throttle lower limit may be an issue, there is modest evaporation allowed for a 1500kg sat.

[jacqmans]

Arianespace will launch the Ovzon-3 satellite for Ovzon

August 26, 2019

Arianespace today announced the signature of a launch services contract with Ovzon for the company’s first geostationary-orbiting telecommunications satellite: Ovzon-3. With offices in Sweden and the United States, Ovzon is dedicated to meeting the demand for increased mobile broadband connectivity in underserved regions.

Ovzon-3 will have a mass at liftoff of approximately 1,500 kg. and will be placed in geostationary transfer orbit by an Ariane 5 launch vehicle in 2021 from the Guiana Space Center – Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana (South America).

As an innovative small geostationary satellite, Ovzon-3 will feature multiple high-performance steerable beams to meet challenging communication requirements. In addition, the proprietary on-board processor developed by Ovzon enables such new functionalities as single-hop communications between very small terminals, reduced latency and more efficient use of the bandwidth.

The next generation Ovzon service is based on complete end-to-end proprietary components and patented technology. Ovzon-3 will significantly increase service performance, lead to new types of services, enable the use of even smaller terminals, expand coverage areas and increase the amount of available bandwidth.

As a result, Ovzon is to offer a revolutionary mobile broadband service via satellite that combines high bandwidth satellite communications services with highly mobile terminals.

Ovzon selected Maxar Technologies to build the satellite, using Maxar’s mid-size SSL-500 spacecraft platform.

Following the contract signature, Magnus René, CEO of Ovzon AB said: “Arianespace has won our confidence to serve Ovzon for this first launch. Ovzon 3 is an important first step towards fulfilling our strategy to revolutionize mobile broadband by satellite, offering the highest bandwidth with the smallest terminals. Ovzon 3 is the first of a number of satellites planned for global coverage of our high-end service. We are happy to engage Arianespace and Ariane 5, both synonymous with reliability and excellence for our important first launch.”

Stéphane Israël, Chief Executive Officer of Arianespace, added: “We are pleased and honored that Ovzon has entrusted Arianespace with the launch of its first satellite. The mobile broadband connectivity services to be offered with Ovzon-3 are particularly innovative. Ariane 5 will be at the ready for this mission, once again confirming its role as the champion for launches toward geostationary orbit.”
 

[gongora]

https://twitter.com/pbdes/status/1166355014937382915

Startup sat operator @OvzonAB: Moving from @SpaceX to @Arianespace Ariane 5 will cost time in getting to final position, but we'll still get 20-yr service life for all-electric @Maxar-built, 1,500-kg spacecraft.

[woods170]

https://twitter.com/pbdes/status/1166355014937382915

Startup sat operator @OvzonAB: Moving from @SpaceX to @Arianespace Ariane 5 will cost time in getting to final position, but we'll still get 20-yr service life for all-electric @Maxar-built, 1,500-kg spacecraft.

Big difference in mass in between messages. Originally this bird was reported to be a 500 kg satellite. It now turns out to be actually 3 times as heavy: 1500 kg.

[gongora]

https://twitter.com/Maxar/status/1321486787747958784

We’re building Ovzon-3 using our Legion-class bus. At 1,500 kg, Ovzon’s custom built #satellite is small compared to traditional geostationary communications satellites. Launch is currently scheduled in the fourth quarter of 2021 on an Ariane 5 rocket.

Ovzon, As of October 21, 2020: https://www.ovzon.com/en/interim-report-january-september-2020/

Ovzon 3 on schedule

Ovzon 3, which is now under production at our partner Maxar in the US, is planned to be launched during the fourth quarter of 2021. ...

EDIT

[zubenelgenubi]

Cross-posts:

Planned launches:
Date - Satellite(s) - Rocket - Launch Site - Time (UTC)

2021
March 4 - Star One D2, Eutelsat Quantum - Ariane 5 ECA+ (VA254) - Kourou ELA-3
Q3 - SES-17, Ovzon-3 - Ariane 5 ECA+ (VA255) - Kourou ELA-3
Q4 - Ovzon-3 - Ariane 5 ECA - Kourou ELA-3
October 31 - JWST (James Webb Space Telescope) - Ariane 5 ECA+ (VA256) - Kourou ELA-3
December - MEASAT-3d, Syracuse 4A (Comsat-NG 1) - Ariane 5 ECA+ (VA257) - Kourou ELA-3 (or January 2022)
Late - Syracuse 4A (Comsat-NG 1) - Ariane 5 ECA - Kourou ELA-3

Changes on January 10th

I got some information about the flights for this year:

<snips>
VA254 - Officially March 4th (most likely late May or June, due to delays related to new modifications to the launcher fairing)
VA255 - Mid-August, IF the VA254 campaign is not delayed any further
VA256 - Officially October 31st, with JWST

There may be another Ariane 5 flight this year, but it's unlikely.

However:

Ovzon, As of October 21, 2020: https://www.ovzon.com/en/interim-report-january-september-2020/

Ovzon 3 on schedule

Ovzon 3, which is now under production at our partner Maxar in the US, is planned to be launched during the fourth quarter of 2021. ...

Spaceflight [N]ow sees the launch of Syracuse 4A with SES-17. [dated January 11]

EDIT

[GWR64]

Belated schedule confirmation:

https://spaceflightnow.com/launch-schedule/ [March 31 update]

August • Ariane 5 • SES 17 & Ovzon 3
Launch window: TBD
Launch site: ELA-3, Kourou, French Guiana

What is confirmed?
Ovzon says again: Ovzon-3 launch in Q4 / 2021!

https://www.ovzon.com/en/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2016/02/annual-report-2020.pdf [dated March 18, see pp. 18 & 21]

edit Ovzon-3 launch: super-GTO 250 km x up to 71000 km

EDIT

[gongora]

OvZon-3 has two roll out solar arrays (from Maxar quarterly earnings)

[zubenelgenubi]

Cross-post re: SES-17:

SFN Launch Schedule, updated June 18
SES 17 and Syracuse 4A = VA255
Launch in late September 2021

[zubenelgenubi]

Ariane 5 ECA+ scheduled launches--no slots remain in 2021.

[GWR64]

https://www.ovzon.com/en/interim-report-january-june-2021/ [Aug 18]

...
Ovzon 3 and future growth

Ovzon 3, which is in final production and testing with our partner Maxar was planned to be launched during Q4 2021 and operational in Q2 2022. We have worked hard to maintain our launch schedule, but as communicated in a press release on August 17, this will unfortunately not be possible. The global pandemic and industry-wide supply chain issues have forced our production partner Maxar and one of their subcontractors, Honeywell, to delay the completion of Ovzon 3. We therefore plan for a rescheduled launch at the end of the second quarter 2022, and the satellite is thus expected to be operational during the fourth quarter. We have informed our customers and they continue to be committed and motivated to take advantage of our satellite’s unique strength in their global networks. The delay will not affect Ovzon’s current business and deliveries to existing or new customers. We have previously, strategically, secured leased satellite capacity for Ovzon’s requested Satcom-as-a-Service offering. The launch of Ovzon 3 is a daily focus for myself and our team, and we confidently look forward to the launch during 2022.
...

[Steven Pietrobon]

We therefore plan for a rescheduled launch at the end of the second quarter 2022,...

Late second quarter would be June, probably after JUICE on 9 June.

[GWR64]

We therefore plan for a rescheduled launch at the end of the second quarter 2022,...

Late second quarter would be June, probably after JUICE on 9 June.

This is the former JUICE launch slot. The JUICE launch is no longer planned for June 2022.

https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=29300.msg2283094#msg2283094

[zubenelgenubi]

We therefore plan for a rescheduled launch at the end of the second quarter 2022,...

Plausible, less-massive payload aboard a hypothetical VA259?

My hypothesis places one of the Eutelsat satellites, scheduled to launch in H1 2022, on top of the Sylda.

See here for my VA258 hypothesis.

[zubenelgenubi]

Cross-post; my bold:

https://www.ovzon.com/en/ovzon-reschedules-launch-of-the-ovzon-3-satellite-until-the-second-half-of-2022/

February 18, 2022
Regulatory
Ovzon reschedules launch of the Ovzon 3 satellite until the second half of 2022

Ovzon is today announcing that the Ovzon 3 satellite launch will be delayed and is planned to be launched in the second half of 2022. The rescheduling is due to continued insufficiencies and delivery of key components affecting the completion of Ovzon 3 and of a large number of other satellites in the industry.

[zubenelgenubi]

Syracuse 4B

THALES ALENIA SPACE AND AIRBUS DEFENCE AND SPACE WIN FRENCH GOVERNMENT CONTRACT TO SUPPLY COMSAT NG MILITARY SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM, December 23, 2015

French defense procurement agency DGA (Direction générale de l’armement), part of the Defense Ministry, has selected the consortium formed by Thales Alenia Space (65%) and Airbus Defence and Space (35%) to build and deliver the military satellite communications system, Comsat NG. As lead contractor, Thales Alenia Space will be in charge of relations with the Ministry of Defense.

The Comsat NG contract covers the construction and launch of two military communications satellites for the French armed forces, to replace the Syracuse 3A and Syracuse 3B satellites, launched in 2005 and 2006, respectively. These new satellites will enter in service in 2021 and will give France a higher performance system featuring new services.

Offering a design life of 15 years, the two satellites will have identical X and Ka-band payloads, built by Thales Alenia Space as prime contractor. One will use the full electric Spacebus Neo platform, while the other will be built on the Eurostar 3000 platform. The Comsat NG satellites will feature unrivaled resistance to even the most extreme jamming methods, thanks to state-of-the-art equipment, including an active anti-jamming antenna and a digital onboard processor.

The contract also includes an extensive ground segment, including construction of the ground control and mission facilities, mainly calling on Thales Alenia Space’s Space Ops solutions. It will also include the refurbishment of ground stations in France and operating and maintenance support for a period of 17 years.

“I would like to thank the French Ministry of Defense for choosing us for this strategic contract, reflecting their renewed confidence in Thales Alenia Space,” said Jean Loïc Galle, President and Chief Executive Officer of Thales Alenia Space

The Comsat NG satellites will extend and enhance the mission carried out by the Syracuse satellites in terms of exchanging information between mainland France and theaters of operation, and between different theaters, no matter how far apart they may be. They will also address growing data capacity requirements, driven in large part by the increased use of video transmissions.

[GWR64]

The partnership with Maxar on the production of the Ovzon
3 satellite continues to function well. However, the global
challenges of a component shortage and delivery problems
have unfortunately continued, affecting the completion of
Ovzon 3 as well as a large number of other satellites in the
industry. We have announced that the launch of the Ovzon 3
satellite will be delayed. It is now planned for late 2022.

source page 7 Ovzon Annual Report 2021

The launch partner also has to wait.

[zubenelgenubi]

Cross-post:

https://www.satellitetoday.com/partner-content/2022/05/27/ovzon-ceo-details-how-ovzon-3-launch-will-boost-its-satcom-as-service-offering/  [May 27]

[Ovzon CEO Pers] Norén: 2022 will be a phenomenal year. Ovzon 3 is truly a unique capability that has never been more relevant than today. We are looking forward to welcoming what we believe is a very disruptive capability into our core service and solutions. We are working closely with our production partner, Maxar, and making progress in finalizing the satellite and getting ready to launch sometime toward the end of the year.