Author Topic: LIVE: Ariane 5 ECA launch with Astra 3B and COMSATBw 2 satellites - May 21, 10 (Read 84525 times)

anik · « **on:** 02/06/2010 07:00 am »

http://www.arianespace.com/news-mission-update/2010/667.asp
February 5, 2010

The heavy-lift Ariane 5 ECA for Arianespace’s kick-off mission of 2010 was transferred from the Spaceport’s Launcher Integration Building to the Final Assembly Building this morning, readying it to receive a dual-satellite payload.

This flight is scheduled for March 24, carrying the ASTRA 3B telecommunications satellite for SES ASTRA, and the German COMSATBw-2 secure military relay platform.

satlaunch · « **Reply #1 on:** 02/13/2010 08:52 am »

ASTRA 3B arrives for Arianespace’s year-opening launch of 2010
February 11, 2010

http://www.arianespace.com/news-mission-update/2010/668.asp

The first of two satellite payloads for Arianespace’s initial Ariane 5 mission of 2010 has arrived in French Guiana.

SES ASTRA’s ASTRA 3B spacecraft was delivered by an Antonov An-124 cargo jetliner, which landed yesterday at Rochambeau International Airport near the capital city of Cayenne.

Built by EADS Astrium, ASTRA 3B is a state-of-the-art Ku- and Ka-band spacecraft designed for the distribution of both direct-to-home broadcast services and two-way broadband services across Europe and the Middle East. It will be positioned at the increasingly important 23.5 deg. East orbital position for SES ASTRA.

ASTRA 3B has a payload power of 10 kW, and can operate at a relay capacity of up to 60 transponders in Ku-band and 4 in Ka-band. It is based on the Eurostar E3000 satellite bus, and is equipped with six mission antennas – four of which are side-mounted and will be deployed in orbit. With a launch mass of 5,470 kilograms, ASTRA 3B has been designed for a nominal lifetime of 15 years.

Liftoff of the upcoming dual-payload Ariane 5 mission is set for March 24, initiating another busy schedule in which Arianespace has planned a total of seven flights for its heavy-lift workhorse during 2010. In addition, three missions are targeted with the medium-lift Soyuz from its new Spaceport launch facility, and the lightweight Vega vehicle’s maiden flight also could occur before year-end from the Spaceport.

Satori · « **Reply #2 on:** 02/23/2010 02:39 pm »

Payload preparations are underway for Arianespace’s first launch of 2010.

The first-arrived payload for Ariane 5’s year-opening flight is undergoing initial checkout at Europe’s Spaceport as preparations move forward for a dual-passenger mission set for March 24.

Art LeBrun · « **Reply #3 on:** 02/23/2010 09:47 pm »

It appears Ariane 5 has the largest gap between itself and the umbilical tower of all major launchers. Just observing......

satlaunch · « **Reply #4 on:** 02/24/2010 08:03 am »

French Guiana welcomes the second passenger for Ariane 5’s upcoming mission
February 23, 2010

http://www.arianespace.com/news-mission-update/2010/670.asp

Both payloads for Arianespace’s initial Ariane 5 flight of 2010 are now in French Guiana, following last week’s arrival of COMSATBw-2 at Rochambeau International Airport near the capital city of Cayenne.

COMSATBw-2 is a secure relay platform that will deliver key services for the German Bundeswehr (German armed forces), and is a follow-on spacecraft to COMSATBw-1 – which was orbited by Ariane 5 in October 2009.

Together, the COMSATBw satellites will provide a secure broadband network which guarantees uninterrupted communications between the government, military authorities and armed forces deployed around the world.

Based on the Spacebus 3000B2 platform, COMSATBw-2 was designed, integrated and tested by satellite prime contractor Thales Alenia Space on behalf of EADS Astrium – which is the program’s space segment prime contractor.

With this spacecraft’s delivery to French Guiana, COMSATBw-2 joins its “sister” payload for the upcoming mission – ASTRA 3B, which currently is undergoing pre-launch checkout at the Spaceport. ASTRA 3B was built by Astrium for commercial telecommunications operator SES ASTRA.

An Ariane 5 ECA will orbit COMSATBw-2 and ASTRA 3B from Europe’s Spaceport on March 24. This year-opening flight will initiate Arianespace’s busy launch schedule in 2010, which plans for seven missions with the heavy-lift vehicle.

satlaunch · « **Reply #5 on:** 02/24/2010 06:54 pm »

According to CNES-CSG launch window is opening at 19:03 local time, 22:03 UTC.

jacqmans · « **Reply #6 on:** 03/03/2010 09:20 pm »

ASTRA 3B is “topped off” for Arianespace’s year-opening flight
March 3, 2010

http://www.arianespace.com/news-mission-update/2010/671.asp

Satellite preparations for Ariane 5’s initial launch of 2010 have moved into a new phase with the fueling of ASTRA 3B – which is one of two passengers to be orbited by the heavy-lift vehicle on March 24.

Propellant loading of ASTRA 3B was performed in the Spaceport’s S5 satellite preparation facility, readying this EADS Astrium-built spacecraft for integration with its Ariane 5 ECA launcher.

ASTRA 3B is a state-of-the-art Ku- and Ka-band spacecraft designed for the distribution of both direct-to-home broadcast services and two-way broadband services across Europe and the Middle East. It will be positioned at the increasingly important 23.5 deg. East orbital position for SES ASTRA.

Based on the Eurostar E3000 satellite bus, ASTRA 3B will have a liftoff mass of 5,470 kg. and is equipped with six mission antennas – four of which are side-mounted, to be deployed in orbit. The spacecraft has been designed for a nominal lifetime of 15 years.

ASTRA 3B will be joined on the upcoming mission by COMSATBw-2, a secure relay platform that will deliver key services for the German Bundeswehr (German armed forces).

COMSATBw-2 is based on the Spacebus 3000B2 platform, and was designed, integrated and tested by satellite prime contractor Thales Alenia Space on behalf of EADS Astrium – which is the program’s space segment prime contractor.

This upcoming mission from Europe’s Spaceport is the first of seven scheduled for Ariane 5 in 2010 as Arianespace maintains the heavy-lift vehicle’s flight pace.

satlaunch · « **Reply #7 on:** 03/10/2010 02:26 pm »

ASTRA 3B begins its integration with launcher hardware for Ariane 5’s March 24 mission
March 9, 2010

Satellite preparations for Arianespace’s first mission of 2010 have transitioned into their final phase, with the ASTRA 3B payload making its first contact with Ariane 5 launcher hardware.

During activity inside the Spaceport’s S5 payload integration building, ASTRA 3B was installed atop a two-piece adapter unit that will serve as the satellite’s interface with Ariane 5.

This clears the satellite for integration in Ariane 5’s payload “stack,” which will be completed inside the Spaceport’s Final Assembly Building with its companion spacecraft – COMSATBw-2.

The Ariane 5 ECA heavy-lift vehicle with ASTRA 3B and COMSATBw-2 is scheduled for launch on March 24, opening another busy year for Arianespace’s workhorse vehicle. A total of seven Ariane 5 flights are planned during 2010, maintaining the mission pace in response to the company’s growing international order book.

Produced by EADS Astrium, ASTRA 3B is a state-of-the-art Ku- and Ka-band spacecraft designed for direct-to-home broadcast services and two-way broadband relay across Europe and the Middle East. After its deployment by Ariane 5, it will be positioned at SES ASTRA’s important 23.5 deg. East orbital position.

ASTRA 3B is based on the Eurostar E3000 satellite bus, and will have a liftoff mass of 5,470 kg. The spacecraft is designed for a nominal lifetime of 15 years.

http://www.arianespace.com/news-mission-update/2010/673.asp

satlaunch · « **Reply #8 on:** 03/13/2010 09:17 am »

Final payload integration begins for Arianespace’s upcoming Ariane 5 flight
March 12, 2010 – Ariane Flight V194

Arianespace has initiated the payload “stack” build-up for its year-opening heavy-lift Ariane 5 ECA mission, which will orbit a dual payload of commercial and military telecommunications satellites from the Spaceport in French Guiana.

The integration activity moved into full swing this week with ASTRA 3B’s installation atop the Ariane 5 SYLDA dual-payload dispenser system, which occurred in the Spaceport’s launch vehicle Final Assembly Building.

Riding as the flight’s upper passenger, ASTRA 3B will be deployed first in the launch sequence – to ultimately be positioned at SES ASTRA’s important 23.5 deg. East orbital location, where it will provide direct-to-home broadcast services and two-way broadband relay across Europe and the Middle East.

This EADS Astrium-produced spacecraft is based on the Eurostar E3000 satellite bus, and will have a liftoff mass of 5,470 kg. ASTRA 3B is designed for a nominal lifetime of 15 years.

ASTRA 3B and its SYLDA dispenser will be positioned over the Ariane 5 ECA’s lower passenger for the upcoming mission, COMSATBw-2, which is continuing its pre-launch processing at the Spaceport. As a secure relay platform, it will deliver key services for the German Bundeswehr (German armed forces), and is a follow-on spacecraft to COMSATBw-1 – which was orbited by an Ariane 5 ECA version in October 2009.

Liftoff for this upcoming Ariane 5 mission is set for March 24 – initiating Arianespace’s busy launch schedule in 2010, which has seven missions planned with the workhorse vehicle.

The Ariane 5’s second launch of this year is targeted for late April, and will loft another pair of spacecraft: Arabsat 5A for satellite services provider Arabsat, and COMS for the Korean Aerospace and Research Institute of South Korea.

http://www.arianespace.com/news-mission-update/2010/676.asp

satlaunch · « **Reply #9 on:** 03/15/2010 10:15 pm »

COMSATBw-2 is readied for integration on its Ariane 5 launcher
March 15, 2010 – Ariane Flight V194

The payload processing for Arianespace’s year-opening Ariane 5 flight is continuing apace as the mission’s two passengers are prepared for their March 24 liftoff.

During the activity, Germany’s COMSATBw-2 made its initial contact with Ariane 5 launcher hardware inside the Spaceport’s state-of-the-art S5 facility, where the spacecraft is undergoing the checkout and fueling process. This step involved COMSATBw-2’s fit-check with its cone-shaped payload adapter – which serves as the satellite’s interface with Ariane 5.

COMSATBw-2 is a secure relay spacecraft that will deliver key services for the German Bundeswehr (German armed forces). Based on the Spacebus 3000B2 satellite bus, this platform was designed, integrated and tested by Thales Alenia Space on behalf of EADS Astrium – the program’s space segment prime contractor.

Together with COMSATBw-1 – which was orbited by Ariane 5 last year – the spacecraft will provide a secure broadband network that guarantees uninterrupted communications between the government, military authorities and armed forces deployed around the world.

COMSATBw-2 will ride as the lower passenger during Arianespace’s upcoming mission, to be deployed after its companion payload – ASTRA 3B, which has been installed atop the Ariane 5 SYLDA dual-payload dispenser system inside the Spaceport’s launch vehicle Final Assembly Building.

ASTRA 3B was built by Astrium for commercial telecommunications operator SES ASTRA, and will provide direct-to-home broadcast services and two-way broadband relay across Europe and the Middle East.

Liftoff of the dual-payload Ariane 5 mission with ASTRA 3B and COMSATBw-2 will initiate Arianespace’s busy launch schedule in 2010, which includes a total of seven flights for its heavy-lift workhorse.

http://www.arianespace.com/news-mission-update/2010/677.asp

Lewis007 · « **Reply #10 on:** 03/16/2010 11:06 am »

The Kourou launch poster for the V194 flight has been published (this is different from the one to be published by Arianespace shortly).

satlaunch · « **Reply #11 on:** 03/17/2010 07:55 pm »

Launch kit has published.

Official launch window is 22:03-22:52 UTC.

Satori · « **Reply #12 on:** 03/18/2010 03:04 pm »

We have a delay...

http://www.arianespace.com/news-mission-update/2010/679.asp

Stephan · « **Reply #13 on:** 03/22/2010 04:18 pm »

Launch on 26th of march according this thread of FCS.

Satori · « **Reply #14 on:** 03/23/2010 09:38 pm »

Quote from: Stephan on 03/22/2010 04:18 pm

Launch on 26th of march according this thread of FCS.

Confirmation of new launch date from Arianespace http://www.arianespace.com/news-mission-update/2010/680.asp

Satori · « **Reply #15 on:** 03/25/2010 02:03 pm »

Ariane 5’s initial heavy-lift mission of 2010 is cleared for its March 26 liftoff

Mighty-T · « **Reply #16 on:** 03/26/2010 11:43 am »

The message goes round that the launch is postponed. Standing by for confirmation of that

Nicolas PILLET · « **Reply #17 on:** 03/26/2010 11:49 am »

Launch is postponed (about ten days).

http://www.aeroplans.fr/Europespace/tir-report-ariane.html

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #18 on:** 03/26/2010 02:20 pm »

Wow, 10 days? Will they have to push the the Arabsat 5A and COMS 1 back from April 22?

jacqmans · « **Reply #19 on:** 03/26/2010 04:21 pm »

Ariane 5's launch with ASTRA 3B and COMSATBw-2 is postponed
March 26, 2010 – Ariane Flight V194

http://www.arianespace.com/news-mission-update/2010/683.asp

The year-opening Ariane 5 mission was delayed today after an anomaly occurred in a launcher subsystem during final count-down operations.

A decision was made by Arianespace to replace this part, resulting in the postponement for several days.

Both the Ariane 5 and its mixed civilian and military telecommunications satellite payload of ASTRA 3B and COMSATBw-2 have been placed in stand-by mode and are maintained in fully safe conditions at the Spaceport.

ASTRA 3B is installed in the upper passenger position of Ariane 5’s dual payload “stack”, and will provide direct-to-home broadcast services and two-way broadband relay across Europe and the Middle East. Produced by EADS Astrium, it will be positioned at SES ASTRA’s important 23.5 deg. East orbital position.

COMSATBw-2 is riding as the Ariane 5’s lower passenger, and will deliver key services for the German Bundeswehr (German armed forces). Based on the Spacebus 3000B2 satellite bus, the platform was designed, integrated and tested by Thales Alenia Space on behalf of EADS Astrium – the program’s space segment prime contractor.