LIVE: Proton-M launch with Astra 1M satellite - November 5, 2008

• #60 by Satori on 05 Nov, 2008 19:52

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• #61 by William Graham on 05 Nov, 2008 19:52
• 2/3 and fairing sep confirmed
• #62 by Chris Bergin on 05 Nov, 2008 19:53
• Launch Video to 1-2 Sep:
  http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=14837.0
  
  (Free video section - just need to be logged into the forum to access and download).
• #63 by faustod on 05 Nov, 2008 19:55
• Thanks, this is a very good coverage!
• #64 by William Graham on 05 Nov, 2008 19:55
• T+ 11 minutes. Briz-M should have separated from the Proton by now.
• #65 by William Graham on 05 Nov, 2008 19:58
• Briz-M ignition confirmed at 11:19 into flight.
• #66 by satcomuk on 05 Nov, 2008 19:59
• Good raw satellite TV coverage continues direct from Baikanur , presently showing tracking screen.
  This is the feed that is sent to ILS.
  
  All seems nominal at T plus 15 mins
• #67 by Chris Bergin on 05 Nov, 2008 20:01
• Thanks John. We're just getting arty commercials right now.
• #68 by William Graham on 05 Nov, 2008 20:06
• Cutoff should have been 2 minutes ago.
• #69 by William Graham on 05 Nov, 2008 20:07
• Briz-M shutdown confirmed.
  
  Everything looking good so far.
• #70 by Chris Bergin on 05 Nov, 2008 20:11
• Good work everyone. By all means post updates from the ILS site on the burns if you see them.
• #71 by satcomuk on 05 Nov, 2008 20:17
• I'll sort out the first ten minutes , without any commentary apart from the official translation.
  
  
• #72 by pm1823 on 06 Nov, 2008 01:04
• Video from Khrunichev Center
  http://coopi.khrunichev.ru/video/astra1m.avi
• #73 by DaveS on 06 Nov, 2008 02:16
• The ILS Launch blog reports that the burns so far have been nominal and the APT has been jettisoned as planned. Both the Briz-M and the payload is now in a 5-hour coast period after which the final burn will take place.
  
  Payload separation is expected 12 minutes after that last burn.
• #74 by DaveS on 06 Nov, 2008 05:18
• Launch is successful:
  
  Posted by ILS Communications Team, 01:10 a.m. EST on 6 November 2008 | 0 Comments
  
  We are pleased to announce another successful launch mission
  with the Proton M Breeze M rocket, carrying the Astra 1M
  satellite built by EADS Astrium for SES ASTRA. Spacecraft
  separation occurred, as scheduled, at 4 minutes before 1
  a.m. EST. Total launch time was 9 hours, 12 minutes.
  
• #75 by pm1823 on 06 Nov, 2008 09:15
• per internal Breez-M data
  http://coopi.khrunichev.ru/eng/2008/astra1m/astra_e09.htm
  Parameter Estimation Nominal Deviation
  T [h: m: s] 12:6:8.5 12:6:8.8 = 0:0:0.2
  a [km] 26761.35 26761.45  = 0.09
  e 0.5755509 0.5755450 = 0.0000059
  i 21°29'39"  21°30'2"  =  0°0 '24 "
  Hp [km] 4980.69 4980.89 = 0.20
  Ha [km] 35785.74 35785.73 = 0.01
  
  orbit parameter estimation per Ballistic Center
  http://coopi.khrunichev.ru/eng/2008/astra1m/astra_e11.htm
  
  T [h.m.s] 12:6:33.9 12:6:8.8 = +0:0:25.1
  a [km] 26771.71 26761.45 = +10.27
  e 0.5756837 0.5755450 = 0.0001387
  i 21 °29 '30 " 21 °30 '2 " = 0 °0 '32 "
  Hp [km] 4981.54 4980.89 = +0.64
  Ha [km] 35805.62 35785.73 = +19.89
  
  
• #76 by Satori on 06 Nov, 2008 09:26
• Some nice images of the 8K82KM Proton-M/Briz-M on the pad... From Roskosmos.

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• #77 by Nicolas PILLET on 06 Nov, 2008 16:43
• According to my classification, it was 1300th orbital launch attempt from Baïkonur, and 3003rd overall Soviet/Russian orbital launch attempt !
• #78 by Satori on 06 Nov, 2008 17:10
• That's interesting. According to my records I have:
  
  4600th successful orbital launch since October 4, 1957
  2818th successful orbital launch for Russia / USSR
  1216th successful orbital launch from GIK-5 (NIIP-5) Baikonur.
  
  And launch photo...

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• #79 by Satori on 19 Nov, 2008 17:55
• Interesting video of the preparation of 8K82KM Proton-M/Briz-M that launched Astra-1M in this Tsenki archive.