Author Topic: LIVE: Proton-M launch with ProtoStar 2 satellite (Read 36187 times)

satlaunch · « **on:** 03/18/2009 01:59 pm »

Proton-M launcher which will carry ProtoStar 2 satellite has been sent to Baikonur. Launch is planned for late April.

http://www.roscosmos.ru/NewsDoSele.asp?NEWSID=5691

anik · « **Reply #1 on:** 03/19/2009 02:55 pm »

http://www.ilslaunch.com/news-031809x

"The LV will be readied for the IndoStar II/ProtoStar II satellite launch scheduled for early May"

anik · « **Reply #2 on:** 03/27/2009 02:12 pm »

http://www.roscosmos.ru/NewsDoSele.asp?NEWSID=5787

Proton-M rocket was delivered to Baikonur cosmodrome on March 25. Unloading of blocks from carriage and assembly of the first stage of rocket are continuing.

anik · « **Reply #3 on:** 04/01/2009 03:14 pm »

http://www.federalspace.ru/NewsDoSele.asp?NEWSID=5838

The launch is scheduled in the middle of May.

satlaunch · « **Reply #4 on:** 04/14/2009 10:25 am »

ProtoStar 2 blog is on-air.

Launch date: May 14, 2009 - 00:58 UTC.

http://www.ilslaunch.com/indostar-ii-protostar-ii-mission-control

satlaunch · « **Reply #5 on:** 04/16/2009 02:02 pm »

Boeing Ships IndoStar II / ProtoStar II Satellite to Baikonur Launch Site

EL SEGUNDO, April 15, 2009 -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] today announced that it has shipped the IndoStar II/ProtoStar II satellite from the company's satellite manufacturing facility in El Segundo to the Baikonur Cosmodrome launch facility in Kazakhstan. Upon arrival, the spacecraft will undergo final preparations for launch this May aboard an International Launch Services Proton/Breeze M rocket.

http://www.boeing.com/news/releases/2009/q2/090415a_nr.html

anik · « **Reply #6 on:** 04/16/2009 03:32 pm »

http://www.federalspace.ru/NewsDoSele.asp?NEWSID=5969
http://www.federalspace.ru/NewsDoSele.asp?NEWSID=5972

Briz-M upper stage and ProtoStar 2 satellite were delivered to Baikonur cosmodrome by An-124 aircrafts today.

Gorizont · « **Reply #7 on:** 04/29/2009 04:16 pm »

Preparation for the launch of Protostar-2 occurs according to plan

At the spaceport Baikonur continues the work on launch preparation of the Proton-M with the Briz-M upper stage and the telecommunication satellite “[Protostar]-2”.
The day before the specialists of the company Boeing (creator of Protostar) completed the autonomous tests of the satellite and today they approached the joint operations with the specialists of Khrunichev.

The satellite was delivered into the hall 101 assembly and testing housing 92-50, its joining with the transitional system was executed after that.
After conducting of operations on checking of assembling (sat+ trans.system]) it will be butted with the Briz-M upper stage, work on autonomous preparation of which are already completed.

Press service Roskosmos and TSENKI

http://www.roscosmos.ru/NewsDoSele.asp?NEWSID=6099

Gorizont · « **Reply #8 on:** 04/30/2009 12:20 pm »

Protostar-2 is connected with Briz-M

Today the teams of Roskosmos mated the satellite and adaptor with the Briz-M upper stage.
Work on the campaign will be continued during the holidays.

Press service Roskosmos and TSENKI

http://www.roscosmos.ru/NewsDoSele.asp?NEWSID=6107

satlaunch · « **Reply #9 on:** 05/07/2009 11:03 am »

Launch has been moved to May 15th, 00:57 UTC.

Media Advisory

anik · « **Reply #10 on:** 05/07/2009 02:48 pm »

Detailed info about launch from Khrunichev:

http://coopi.khrunichev.ru/eng/pl_pusk.htm

anik · « **Reply #11 on:** 05/07/2009 07:58 pm »

According to Novosti kosmonavtiki forum, May 15 is a wish of customer, but probably there will not be enough time on cosmodrome to finish preparation, so launch may be postponed to May 16 or 17.

patchfree · « **Reply #12 on:** 05/07/2009 08:17 pm »

According to Roscosmos site the launch is set on May 16 but no indication of geo reference, so May 16 where? Baïkonour? Moscow or EDT USA?

anik · « **Reply #13 on:** 05/08/2009 04:18 pm »

According to http://coopi.khrunichev.ru/eng/pl_pusk.htm the launch is planned at 00:57:38 UTC on May 16.

ProtoStar 2/Intelsat 2 [IndoStar 2 - anik] Satellite Mated With Its Proton Launch Vehicle
http://www.khrunichev.ru/main.php?id=1&nid=371

The ProtoStar 2/IndoStar 2 spacecraft began yesterday its integration on a Proton M launcher scheduled for lift off in mid–May from Baikonur. The Ascent Unit (consisting of the spacecraft mated to the Breeze M upper stage and encapsulated inside the fairings) was successfully mechanically mated with its three–staged Proton launch vehicle, with the works carried out by Khrunichev’s personnel in Assembly and Testing Building “MIK” (pad 92 of the launch site). During the next couple of days, the Khrunichev team will conduct series of fully integrated launcher checks and functional tests of its components and subsystems. These operations will be completed by the end of this week.

Next Monday, on 11 May, the integrated space launcher will be rolled out from “MIK” processing facility to the fuelling station, where the upper stage low pressure tanks fuelling will be performed. Onсе the fuelling is completed, Russian State Commission will be held to make decision on the readiness of the Proton LV with the ProtoStar 2/IndoStar 2 payload for installation on its launch pad.

anik · « **Reply #14 on:** 05/11/2009 05:38 pm »

http://www.federalspace.ru/NewsDoSele.asp?NEWSID=6194

Today Proton-M rocket was transported to the fueling station for fueling of low pressure tanks of Briz-M upper stage by propellants.

The rollout of rocket to the launch pad 200/39 is planned on May 13.

Gorizont · « **Reply #15 on:** 05/12/2009 03:19 pm »

At the spaceport Baikonur continues intensive work on preparation for the liftoff of Proton-M/Briz-M with Protostar-2.

During two days at the technical servicing station occurred the servicing with propellant components and compressed gases of the low pressure tanks of the Briz-M upper stage.

This evening it was successfully completed. This evening in Baikonur took place the conference of technical direction and the meeting of the state commission, on which were discussed questions of the readiness of spaceport for the removal and the launching.

State commission made the decision to tomorrow in the morning conduct the removal of rocket to the launching system. The transportation of rocket from the technical servicing station to the launching system of the area 200 will begin at 4.30 Moscow time.

Launch is planned for 4.57 minutes Moscow time on May 16, 2009.

Press service Baykonur

http://www.roscosmos.ru/NewsDoSele.asp?NEWSID=6202

Gorizont · « **Reply #16 on:** 05/13/2009 07:32 am »

During two days at the technical servicing station occurred the servicing with propellant components and compressed gases of the low pressure tanks of the Briz-M upper stage. This evening it was successfully completed.

In the evening on May 12 in Baikonur took place the conference of technical direction and the meeting of the state commission, on which were discussed questions of the readiness of spaceport for the removal and the launching.

State commission made a decision to transport the rocket to the launch site.
The transportation of rocket from the technical servicing station to the launch site in area 200 began at 4.30 Moscow time.

Launch is planned for 4.57 minutes Moscow time on May 16, 2009.

Press service Baykonur

http://www.roscosmos.ru/NewsDoSele.asp?NEWSID=6209

Gorizont · « **Reply #17 on:** 05/13/2009 09:57 am »

Today by the teams of the enterprises of rocket-space industry was conducted the transport to the launch site in area 200.

The rocket is established to the vertical position. Work according to the plans of the first starting day is conducted.

Liftoff is planned on 04:57 Moscow time on May 16 of this year.

Press service of Roskosmos

http://www.roscosmos.ru/NewsDoSele.asp?NEWSID=6213

Stan Black · « **Reply #18 on:** 05/13/2009 05:27 pm »

PLF-BR13305 fairing?
RD-276 engines on the first stage

Gorizont · « **Reply #19 on:** 05/14/2009 07:15 am »

"PLF-BR13305 fairing?"

Yes, looks like this shorter variant.

jan_carlo_bascu · « **Reply #20 on:** 05/14/2009 06:56 pm »

Proton-M / ProtoStart 2 Rollout courtesy ROSKOSMOS Youtube channel

http://www.youtube.com/v/jJCxRqGw1xM&hl=en&fs=1

Gorizont · « **Reply #21 on:** 05/15/2009 12:41 pm »

At Baikonur occurs the work according to the plan of the third starting day

Today on the launching system in area 200, the teams of the space-enterprises of Russia carried out work according to the plan of the third starting day.

In the morning past the conference of technical direction, at which were supplied the sums of work on the launching system during the first two days.

After the completion of conference the specialists of spaceport approached the padding of servicing communications from the rocket to the fuelling equipment, their jointing and checkings.
Direct work on launch preparation will begin today in 18.00 Moscow time.

Launch is planned for 4.57 Moscow time on May 16, 2009.

Press service of Roskosmos

http://www.roscosmos.ru/NewsDoSele.asp?NEWSID=6230

Satori · « **Reply #22 on:** 05/16/2009 12:23 am »

...and we are at T-36m 59s and counting for the launch of ProtoStar-2 by a 8K82KM Proton-M/Breeze-M from the Baykonur Cosmodrome!!!

Satori · « **Reply #23 on:** 05/16/2009 12:28 am »

Satori · « **Reply #24 on:** 05/16/2009 12:31 am »

ILS live coverage will start in a few minutes...

Satori · « **Reply #25 on:** 05/16/2009 12:33 am »

T-26 minutes. The Sun slowly rises on Baykonur...

Satori · « **Reply #26 on:** 05/16/2009 12:35 am »

Nick L. · « **Reply #27 on:** 05/16/2009 12:35 am »

Satori: What stream is that? Not the ILS one but the other one showing the LV.

Satori · « **Reply #28 on:** 05/16/2009 12:36 am »

ILS live coverage is starting!!!

Nick L. · « **Reply #29 on:** 05/16/2009 12:37 am »

Another day launch! Nice!

Satori · « **Reply #30 on:** 05/16/2009 12:38 am »

Quote from: Nick L. on 05/16/2009 12:35 am

Satori: What stream is that? Not the ILS one but the other one showing the LV.

It is the Khrunichev stream. See here how to get it http://coopi.khrunichev.ru/eng/default.htm

Satori · « **Reply #31 on:** 05/16/2009 12:39 am »

Satori · « **Reply #32 on:** 05/16/2009 12:40 am »

Satori · « **Reply #33 on:** 05/16/2009 12:40 am »

Mission poster!

Satori · « **Reply #34 on:** 05/16/2009 12:42 am »

A very nice blue sky in Baykonur!

Satori · « **Reply #35 on:** 05/16/2009 12:44 am »

Satori · « **Reply #36 on:** 05/16/2009 12:46 am »

Nick L. · « **Reply #37 on:** 05/16/2009 12:47 am »

Weather looking good.

Satori · « **Reply #38 on:** 05/16/2009 12:47 am »

Nick L. · « **Reply #39 on:** 05/16/2009 12:48 am »

Around 10 minutes to go.

Satori · « **Reply #40 on:** 05/16/2009 12:48 am »

Satori · « **Reply #41 on:** 05/16/2009 12:49 am »

MKremer · « **Reply #42 on:** 05/16/2009 12:49 am »

ILS direct webcast link:

http://www.ccistream.com/ils051309/300.asx

Satori · « **Reply #43 on:** 05/16/2009 12:50 am »

T-7m 56s

Satori · « **Reply #44 on:** 05/16/2009 12:51 am »

Satori · « **Reply #45 on:** 05/16/2009 12:53 am »

Satori · « **Reply #46 on:** 05/16/2009 12:55 am »

Nick L. · « **Reply #47 on:** 05/16/2009 12:56 am »

Less than 2 minutes to go.

Satori · « **Reply #48 on:** 05/16/2009 12:57 am »

Nick L. · « **Reply #49 on:** 05/16/2009 12:57 am »

T-60 seconds. Go Proton!

Nick L. · « **Reply #50 on:** 05/16/2009 12:58 am »

LIFTOFF!

Satori · « **Reply #51 on:** 05/16/2009 12:58 am »

Liftoff!!!

Nick L. · « **Reply #52 on:** 05/16/2009 12:59 am »

Looking beautiful! T+60.

Satori · « **Reply #53 on:** 05/16/2009 12:59 am »

Nick L. · « **Reply #54 on:** 05/16/2009 01:00 am »

1-2 sep!

Nick L. · « **Reply #55 on:** 05/16/2009 01:01 am »

Everything looking good. T+150 sec.

Satori · « **Reply #56 on:** 05/16/2009 01:01 am »

Nick L. · « **Reply #57 on:** 05/16/2009 01:01 am »

And we have already cut away to the customer videos!

Satori · « **Reply #58 on:** 05/16/2009 01:02 am »

Nick L. · « **Reply #59 on:** 05/16/2009 01:02 am »

T+4:34.

Satori · « **Reply #60 on:** 05/16/2009 01:03 am »

Nick L. · « **Reply #61 on:** 05/16/2009 01:03 am »

2-3 sep!

Nick L. · « **Reply #62 on:** 05/16/2009 01:04 am »

Fairing jettison.

Satori · « **Reply #63 on:** 05/16/2009 01:04 am »

Satori · « **Reply #64 on:** 05/16/2009 01:05 am »

Fairing sep and nominal Stage 2-3 sep!!!

Satori · « **Reply #65 on:** 05/16/2009 01:06 am »

Nick L. · « **Reply #66 on:** 05/16/2009 01:07 am »

Interesting that they continue to track the spent stages as they fall away from the vehicle.

Satori · « **Reply #67 on:** 05/16/2009 01:08 am »

Nick L. · « **Reply #68 on:** 05/16/2009 01:08 am »

3-4 sep.

Satori · « **Reply #69 on:** 05/16/2009 01:09 am »

Signing of the Proton-M fairing...

Nick L. · « **Reply #70 on:** 05/16/2009 01:10 am »

The guy putting "THIS WAY UP" on the fairing was a nice touch...

Satori · « **Reply #71 on:** 05/16/2009 01:11 am »

Nick L. · « **Reply #72 on:** 05/16/2009 01:14 am »

Briz-M started. Now into the first burn.

Satori · « **Reply #73 on:** 05/16/2009 01:15 am »

Quote from: Nick L. on 05/16/2009 01:07 am

Interesting that they continue to track the spent stages as they fall away from the vehicle.

The first stage falls on Areas 15 / 25 on the Karaganda Oblast, Republic of Khazakstan; the second stage falls on Area 327 on the Altai Republic, Russian Federation; the third stage falls on the Pacific Ocean.

Satori · « **Reply #74 on:** 05/16/2009 01:16 am »

Satori · « **Reply #75 on:** 05/16/2009 01:18 am »

Nick L. · « **Reply #76 on:** 05/16/2009 01:19 am »

The Indonesian folks saying "thank you" in their native tongue.
(I actually recognized little bits here and there - my parents come from Malaysia and their language is nearly identical)

Satori · « **Reply #77 on:** 05/16/2009 01:19 am »

Nick L. · « **Reply #78 on:** 05/16/2009 01:22 am »

Briz-M shutdown confirmed.

Satori · « **Reply #79 on:** 05/16/2009 01:23 am »

Confirmation of the end of the Breeze-M first burn!

Nick L. · « **Reply #80 on:** 05/16/2009 01:24 am »

ILS webcast ending as the Briz-M flies out of TM range.

Satori · « **Reply #81 on:** 05/16/2009 01:24 am »

Remember that this is a 9 hour 15 minutes mission!!

Satori · « **Reply #82 on:** 05/16/2009 01:27 am »

ILS live coverage is ending! Bye Marla!!!

robertross · « **Reply #83 on:** 05/16/2009 01:28 am »

Quote from: Satori on 05/16/2009 01:24 am

Remember that this is a 9 hour 15 minutes mission!!

Ahhh...thanks for that heads-up!

Well, thanks for the covergae guys. Very much appreciated!

Satori · « **Reply #84 on:** 05/16/2009 01:28 am »

Satori · « **Reply #85 on:** 05/16/2009 01:30 am »

Khrunichev will provide information about the flight... and there you can ear classic music!!!

Satori · « **Reply #86 on:** 05/16/2009 01:33 am »

...and that's all for me guys! Going to bed!!!

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #87 on:** 05/16/2009 02:12 am »

Great work with the coverage guys. Obvious concentration on STS-125, so the teamwork on here is very much appreciated!

Gorizont · « **Reply #88 on:** 05/16/2009 06:43 am »

Thank you for the coverage! I read it now.
The launch was to late/early for me. (3o clock in the morning) ;-)

Roskosmos has some nice photos.

http://www.roscosmos.ru/NewsDoSele.asp?NEWSID=6236

anik · « **Reply #89 on:** 05/16/2009 07:06 am »

IndoStar II/ProtoStar II Second Burn Completion
http://www.ilslaunch.com/indostar-ii-protostar-ii-second-burn-completion/

As the Breeze M upper stage of our Proton M rocket continues its climb into space with the IndoStar II/ProtoStar II satellite, we have received confirmation that the 2nd burn of the upper stage occurred and shut down as scheduled.

The next events are scheduled for about 2 hours from now. The Breeze M upper stage will ignite for a 3rd time and burn for approximately 16 minutes; after that the additional propellant tank will be jettisoned, and the 4th burn will start. All this will happen in a span of almost 20 minutes while the vehicle is again out of range of a ground station. We should reacquire the vehicle shortly after the 4th burn ends.

IndoStar II/ ProtoStar II Third and Fourth Burn Completion
http://www.ilslaunch.com/indostar-ii-protostar-ii-third-and-fourth-burn-completion/

We have confirmed that the Breeze M upper stage has successfully completed its 3rd & 4th burns, as well as jettisoning its additional propellant tank. The vehicle is now in a 5-hour coast period, during which we will have nothing to report. The 5th burn is scheduled for around 5:50 am EDT, or 09:50 GMT. Separation of the IndoStar II/ProtoStar II spacecraft is scheduled to follow the 5th burn completion by about 15 minutes.

Nick L. · « **Reply #90 on:** 05/16/2009 07:50 am »

Great photos! Especially the last one.

lmikers · « **Reply #91 on:** 05/16/2009 09:55 am »

Gorizont, thanks for the photos. Someone with an good eye for angles/timing was behind that camera!

satlaunch · « **Reply #92 on:** 05/16/2009 10:33 am »

Spacecraft separation confirmed!
Successful mission for ILS Proton.

http://www.ilslaunch.com/indostar-ii-protostar-ii-mission-successful/

Nick L. · « **Reply #93 on:** 05/16/2009 10:44 am »

Cool! Congrats to ILS for another successful flight.

Gorizont · « **Reply #94 on:** 05/16/2009 01:17 pm »

Congratulations to Khrunichev, all ground teams and ILS for another "Mission success"!

greetings...
Soeren

Satori · « **Reply #95 on:** 05/16/2009 03:41 pm »

According to Khrunichev exact launch time was 0057:38.007UTC and ProtoStar-2 separation was at 1012:18.098UTC.

pm1823 · « **Reply #96 on:** 05/18/2009 10:26 am »

4 POVs, from start to staging.
http://www.tvroscosmos.ru/frm/video/start46.php
http://www.youtube.com/v/_rKxkmfj58M

eeergo · « **Reply #97 on:** 05/18/2009 12:02 pm »

Loving Roscosmos' videos, thanks for the link! That's an impressive noise at ignition.

ugordan · « **Reply #98 on:** 05/18/2009 04:47 pm »

Great video, any chance we'll get a higher resolution view? The initial view with the birds singing before the engines roar to life is just classic. Too bad there aren't any telescopic trackers to track this beast on the way out...

Nick L. · « **Reply #99 on:** 05/19/2009 10:56 am »

Awesome video.

Does Proton have hold-down capability? (like while the engines are running they can be shut down and the launch safely aborted if something is not right before liftoff)

Gorizont · « **Reply #100 on:** 05/19/2009 11:34 am »

"Does Proton have hold-down capability? (like while the engines are running they can be shut down and the launch safely aborted if something is not right before liftoff)"

As I know, the engines, when started, got thrusted up to ca. 30 percent 1,6 seconds before liftoff. Short time later they will fire to 100 percent.

I´m not sure with a hold down capability, but some Protons had problems during ignition and their engines shut down before liftoff. So perhaps (today) it´s possible, to stop the launch, also when the engines fired up to the first ca. 30 percent. After that, possibly it´s critical.

Hope, this helps.

greetings...
Soeren

SiberianTiger · « **Reply #101 on:** 05/22/2009 08:55 am »

Roscosmos TV's animation of the Prototar 2 launch:

Lewis007 · « **Reply #102 on:** 08/04/2009 07:07 am »

Satellite operator ProtoStar has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the USA. It will sell its two satellites. The Delaware Bankruptcy Court is handling the case for ProtoStar and its associated businesses.
It lists Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co <TEL.PS>, to which it owes $27.5 million, as its largest unsecured creditor.
ProtoStar was financed by Venture Capital cash. It is now seeking Debtor in Possession funding of $16m in order to finance the sale of the two satellites.

see the link http://www.rapidtvnews.com/index.php/200907304371/protostar-goes-bust.html
and http://sg.news.yahoo.com/rtrs/20090730/tap-protostar-c3bb44c.html