LIVE: Soyuz-U - EgyptSat-2 - April 16, 2014 (1620UTC)

[Nicolas PILLET]

The rocket has been delivered on 18th July 2013.

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=26990.msg1076284#msg1076284

[russianhalo117]

The rocket has been delivered on 18th July 2013.

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=26990.msg1076284#msg1076284

Via Anatoly Zak's website section for 2014 launches (http://www.russianspaceweb.com/2014.html (Last Updated on 16 July 2013)), the launch seems to be planned in the year of 2014.

2014: Russia to launch EgyptSat-2 satellite built by RKK Energia. (As of January 2013).

[Stan Black]

Адаптация СУ изделия 11А511У-ПВБ по спецификации для запуска изделия 559ГК

Выдача заключения о технической готовности ракетного комплекса К11А511У и СЗБ 11С517А2М для запуска изделия 559ГК

http://www.samspace.ru/zakupki/plany_zakupok/

The internal Energia code for this is 559ГК.

11С517А2 is the fairing used for Progress launches.

It will be interesting to see if the rocket has a ‘7’-series serial number as apposed to civilian ‘15000’ serial numbers; this is because I think the rocket is left over from the last Kobalt.

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Launch slipped to April 2014: http://www.interfax.ru/world/news.asp?id=340465

[Danderman]

Looking at the video from Energia, it is difficult to assess what bus is being used for this spacecraft. Did Energia develop a new bus?

[Artyom.]

EgyptSat-2 spacecraft was delivered by An-124 aircraft to Baikonur

http://www.interfax.kz/?lang=rus&int_id=21&news_id=13380 (in Russian)

[Satori]

At the Baikonur Cosmodrome are continuing the preparations for the launch of EgypSat-2.

Integration of the satellite is being done as well as the integration of the launcher second stage.

http://www.roscosmos.ru/20326/ (in Russian)

[Galactic Penguin SST]

IIRC this one is NOT going sun-synchronous - is that correct?

[Star One]

This is the last ever Soyuz-U launch with a non-Progress payload?

[russianhalo117]

This is the last ever Soyuz-U launch with a non-Progress payload?

For primary payloads yes. Secondary payloads are occasionally considered for Progress flights that unused capacity so they cannot yet be ruled out at this time. However given the upcoming switch to Soyuz 2-1A that scenario becomes increasingly unlikely.

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Roscosmos claims a launch time of 15:25:07 UTC on April 16: http://www.roscosmos.ru/20430/

Do such a precise launch time means that it is heading to SSO after all?  (apparently the satellite is only 1.5 tonne-ish so the Soyuz-U, even without the Fregat, may be overkill for direct injection)

Edit: http://rus.ruvr.ru/news/2013_08_29/Rossija-izgotovila-i-zapustit-k-koncu-goda-sputnik-dlja-Egipta-5839/ reports a 700 km altitude orbit for the satellite.

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Roscosmos claims a launch time of 15:25:07 UTC on April 16: http://www.roscosmos.ru/20430/

Do such a precise launch time means that it is heading to SSO after all?  (apparently the satellite is only 1.5 tonne-ish so the Soyuz-U, even without the Fregat, may be overkill for direct injection)

Edit: http://rus.ruvr.ru/news/2013_08_29/Rossija-izgotovila-i-zapustit-k-koncu-goda-sputnik-dlja-Egipta-5839/ reports a 700 km altitude orbit for the satellite.

Hmm looks like Roscosmos pulled the launch time out of thin air..... Andrey reports instead a launch time of 16:20:00 UTC. And in accord with previous reports the planned orbit is not a SSO, but instead has a "Progress-ish" inclination (~51 deg. ?).

[input~2]

K0186/14 -  ATS ROUTE SEGMENTS CLSD: 1.B944 ZHEZKAZGAN-GISIR FROM 10KM TO 90KM 2.A370 ZHEZKAZGAN-DITSO FROM 10KM 3.A359 ZHEZKAZGAN-LEMDU FROM 10KM TO 45KM 4.R482 ZHEZKAZGAN-BURIK FROM 10KM TO 40KM 5.R366 ZHEZKAZGAN-KUROL FROM 25KM TO 80KM SFC/UNL. DAILY 1620-1700, 16 APR 16:20 2014 UNTIL 19 APR 17:00 2014. CREATED: 09 APR 16:49 2014

P2170/14 -  ATS RTE SEGMENTS CLSD: B928 TELRU-NIGOR, P983 TELRU-NIGOR. SFC - UNL, DAILY 1620-1700, 16 APR 16:20 2014 UNTIL 19 APR 17:00 2014. CREATED: 09 APR 10:12 2014

[Artyom.]

Soyuz-U rocket transported to the launch pad

http://www.federalspace.ru/20450/ (in Russian)

[Artyom.]

Video of the roll-out

[Artyom.]

And photo

[Skyrocket]

Interesting - it is the first launch of the Progress-M type fairing with a non progress-family payload.

[Nicolas PILLET]

Interesting - it is the first launch of the Progress-M type fairing with a non progress-family payload.

Except if you consider Gamma satellite as a non Progress-family payload...

http://www.kosmonavtika.com/lancements/1990/11071990/11071990photos.html

[jacqmans]

Soyuz-U rocket carrying EgyptSat-2 spacecraft has been delivered to the launch site

 The pre-launch processing of Soyuz-U ILV and  EgyptSat-2  spacecraft continues at Baikonur.

 On April 13, in compliance with the State commission’s decision, Soyuz-U and  EgyptSat-2  were delivered from the assembly, integration and test building to the launch site, pad 31.

 The rocket has been installed upon the launch pad. The launch teams of  Russia’s rocket and space industry commenced the countdown day 1 operations.

 The launch of  Soyuz-U and  EgyptSat-2  is scheduled for 8:20 p.m. Moscow time, on April 16, 2014 .


 Yuzhny Space Center press service

[Skyrocket]

Interesting - it is the first launch of the Progress-M type fairing with a non progress-family payload.

Except if you consider Gamma satellite as a non Progress-family payload...

http://www.kosmonavtika.com/lancements/1990/11071990/11071990photos.html

Gamma had too much in common with the Progress craft not to consider it part of the family.