LIVE: Proton-M/Briz-M – Ekspress-AM5 – 26th December 2013 (10:50 UTC)

[Stan Black]

Payload: Ekspress-AM5
Rocket: Proton-M 8К82КМ with improved energy-mass characteristics (phase 3)
Upper stage: Briz-M 14С43 with improved energy-mass characteristics (phase 3)
Fairing: 14С75.15 with improved energy-mass characteristics (phase 3)
Launch site: Baikonur 8П882К (ПУ № 24)

State Centre for Space Research and Production, in the name of M.V. Khrunichev
Государственный космический научно-производственный центр имени М.В. Хруничева

Proton-M

 - Launch vehicle manufactured and paid for in 2011; with the delay to this launch was instead used to launch Quetzsat-1.
[source]

Briz-M

Fairing 14С75

Изготовление и поставка головного обтекателя 14С75.15 для запуска КА «Экспресс-АМ5» (14С75-0000-0ТУ)

138 986 200 Russian ruble
Order placed: 25th March 2011
Contractual period: March 2011 to December 2011
Delivery: November 2011
[source] [source] [source]

Launch vehicle support

Проведение работ по адаптации КРК «Протон-М» и КРБ «Бриз-М» для обеспечения запусков космических аппаратов «Экспресс-АМ5» и «Экспресс-АМ6»

115 000 000 Russian ruble
 - for both Ekspress-AM5 and Ekspress-AM6
Order placed: 15th November 2012
Contractual period: up to 25th November 2013
[source] [source]

Proton-M and 14С75 delivery to launch site

Транспортировка ракеты-носителя «Протон-М» с ГО 14С75 для запуска КА «Экспресс-АМ5»

25 972 400 Russian ruble
Order placed: 19th July 2012
Contractual period: July 2012 to 25th November 2013
[source] [source]

Briz-M delivery to launch site

Транспортировка разгонного блока «Бриз-М» для запуска КА «Экспресс-АМ5»

14 500 000 Russian ruble
Order placed: 19th July 2012
Contractual period: July 2012 to 25th November 2013
Delivered: 23rd November 2013
[source] [source] [source] [source]

Centre for Operation of Land-Based Space Infrastructure (TsENKI)
Центр эксплуатации объектов наземной космической инфраструктуры (ЦЭНКИ)

Launch campaign

Проведение работ по обеспечению подготовки и запусков космических аппаратов «Экспресс-АМ5» и «Экспресс-АМ6

603 000 000 Russian ruble
Order placed: 2nd August 2012
Contractual period: up to 25th November 2013
Delivery: 2012
[source] [source]

Ingosstrakh
Ингосстрах

Insurance

Открытый конкурс по выбору страховой организации на страхование запуска и эксплуатации на орбите космического аппарата «Экспресс-АМ5»

1 064 478 223 Russian ruble
Order placed: 5th September 2011
[source]

Joint Stock Company «Information Satellite Systems» in the name of Academician M.F. Reshetnev
Открытое акционерное общество «Информационные спутниковые системы» имени академика М.Ф. Решетнёва

Ekspress-AM5

Проектирование, разработка и изготовление космических аппаратов «Экспресс-АМ5» и «Экспресс-АМ6»

11 879 900 000 Russian ruble
 - for both Ekspress-AM5 and Ekspress-AM6
Order placed: 29th April 2009
[source] [source]

Mass: 3,200 kilogrammes
Platform: Express-2000
Service life: 15 years
Transponders: 30 C-band, 40 Ku-band, 12 Ka-band, 2 L-band
Propellants: xenon 284 kilogrammes, hydrazine 75 kilogrammes
[source] [source]

[Artyom.]

Express-AM5 satellite arrives at launch site

November 18, 2013 – the telecommunications spacecraft Express-AM5, developed and built by ISS-Reshetnev Company, has arrived safely at the Baikonur cosmodrome in preparation for launch.


Having left ISS-Reshetnev’s facilities in Zheleznogorsk, the satellite had a smooth trip to its launch site – everything went off according to plan. This large-sized spacecraft was shipped in a dedicated climate-controlled (cleanliness, temperature, humidity) container which ensured proper conditions for highly sensitive and sophisticated payload instruments.

ISS-Reshetnev’s team jointly with Baikonur technicians will soon commence preparing the Express-AM5 spacecraft for launch which is due to take place on December 26, 2013.

Express-AM5 is the first satellite built around ISS-Reshetnev’s heavy-class Express-2000 platform. Manufactured under a contract with the national operator RSCC (Russian Satellite Communications Company), the spacecraft is intended to provide digital television and radio broadcasting services across Russia, mobile presidential and government communications, multimedia services (telephony, videoconferencing, data transmission, Internet access) as well as solutions based on VSAT network technologies.

http://www.iss-reshetnev.com/?cid=news&nid=304

[Galactic Penguin SST]

[Stan Black]

Briz-M delivered 23rd November 2013
http://www.khrunichev.ru/main.php?id=1&nid=2920

[Artyom.]

http://www.federalspace.ru/20051/

[Artyom.]

Today the team engineers and technicians from Reshetnyov, Khrunichev and the Yuzhny Space Center began integration of the Ascent Unit. They installed the Ekspress-AM5 satellite on a Briz-M upper stage.

http://www.federalspace.ru/20054/ (In Russian)

[Artyom.]

Engineers and technicians from Khrunichev and the Yuzhny Space Center performed overall Proton M/Ekspress-AM5 integration.

The launch vehicle is being processed for roll-out to the Fueling Station where the Briz-M low-pressure tanks will be loaded with propellants.

http://www.roscosmos.ru/20063/ (In Russian)

[Artyom.]

[Artyom.]

http://www.tsenki.com/news/news_tsenki/?ELEMENT_ID=105125

[Artyom.]

Subject to the decision by the State Commission, the Proton M integrated launch vehicle with a Briz-M upper stage carrying the Ekspress-AM5 spacecraft was delivered to the Launch Facility, Area 81 earlier this morning.

http://www.federalspace.ru/20076/  (In Russian)

[Artyom.]

Photo of the roll-out 

http://www.tsenki.com/news/news_tsenki/?ELEMENT_ID=105177

[Artyom.]

And...

[Artyom.]

And video of the roll-out

[Prober]

burr too cold working conditions.....was surprised the engine nozzles were not covered before going vertical.
Looked like a bunch of ice/snow in the nozzles before vertical.

[woods170]

burr too cold working conditions.....was surprised the engine nozzles were not covered before going vertical.
Looked like a bunch of ice/snow in the nozzles before vertical.

Most will have fallen out upon going vertical. As for the rest...At ignition, that stuff will thaw out really fast

[input~2]

NOTAM for 1st stage debris

K0733/13 -  ATS ROUTE SEGMENTS CLSD 1.A113 TIROK-GISIR FM 25 KM TO 65 KM 2.B822 BETIK-LUGER FM 95 TO 140 KM SFC/UNL. 26 DEC 10:00 2013 UNTIL 26 DEC 11:30 2013. CREATED: 23 DEC 14:16 2013

NOTAM for 2nd stage and fairing debris

P7195/13 -  ATS RTE CLSD AS FLW: A814 ARNUL-ADOBA, B206 ARNUL-AKTAS, G489 TELRU-AKTAS. SFC - UNL, DAILY 1000-1130, 26 DEC 10:00 2013 UNTIL 28 DEC 11:30 2013. CREATED: 22 DEC 05:00 2013

NOTAM for 3rd stage debris

A5615/13 -  THE RUSSIAN FEDERAL SPACE AGENCY HAS PLANNED A MISSILE LAUNCH. DEBRIS FROM THIS LAUNCH WILL FALL WITHIN AN AREA BOUNDED BY 2515N/16000E  2600N/16045E  2330N/16335E  2245N/16248E BACK TO THE POINT OF ORIGIN.  IN THE INTEREST OF SAFETY ALL NON-PARTICIPATING AIR TRAFFIC ARE ADVISED TO AVOID THE NOTAMED AREA.  IFR AIRCRAFT UNDER ATC JURISDICTION SHOULD ANTICIPATE CLEARANCE AROUND THE NOTAMED AREA. SFC - UNL, DAILY 1030-1200, 26 DEC 10:30 2013 UNTIL 29 DEC 12:00 2013. CREATED: 24 DEC 04:16 2013

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Any launch time line available? Apparently Khrunichev is again silent on the day before the launch... 

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Any launch time line available? Apparently Khrunichev is again silent on the day before the launch... 

And what is the target orbit at S/C separation? I understand that the satellite might be just a little bit overweight for direct geosynchronous injection.... 

[Stan Black]

Any launch time line available? Apparently Khrunichev is again silent on the day before the launch... 

And what is the target orbit at S/C separation? I understand that the satellite might be just a little bit overweight for direct geosynchronous injection.... 

−   запуски на геостационарную орбиту КА «Экспресс-АМ5» (2012 г.), «Экспресс-АМ6» (2013 г.) массой до 3200 кг каждый;

http://www.zakupki.gov.ru/pgz/public/action/orders/info/common_info/show?notificationId=3691515

From what I have read, direct was the intention but reliant on a Proton flying to a 48° first orbit; also Ekspress-AM6. After the JCS-11 failure that route was closed; and to regain the loss in capabilities the Proton phase III and IV upgrades initiated. As for Ekspress-AM5 and Ekspress-AM6 drastic weight loss was required to reduce them from over 3,400 kg to 3,200 kg.

[Artyom.]

Today the State Commission confirmed the pre-scheduled lift-off time of the Proton-M/Ekspress-AM5 integrated LV and gave the go-ahead to loading the LV with propellants.

http://www.federalspace.ru/20081/ (In Russian)

[Artyom.]

TsENKI Live coverage:

Start: 12:50:00 December 26, 2013 (Moscow time, MSKS).
End: 15:50:00 December 26, 2013 (Moscow time, MSKS).
Launch time: 14:49:56 December 26, 2013 (Moscow time, MSKS)

MSKS= +4 UTC

http://www.tsenki.com/broadcast/broadcast/live1.php

http://www.tv-tsenki.com/live6.php

[Artyom.]

As per - http://ria.ru/space/20131226/986490948.html, Briz-M separation - at 10:59 UTC, Ekspress-AM5 separation - at 20:12 UTC.

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Live broadcast already up and running....

[Chris Bergin]

Moved for live coverage!

[tehwkd]

vlc: http://tsenki.cdnvideo.ru/tsenki-live/tsenkitv.sdp/playlist.m3u8

[sdsds]

It looks ... cold there.

[Chris Bergin]

Camouflaged Proton!

[Chris Bergin]

Close up of the business end.

[Chris Bergin]

T-15 mins.

[Chris Bergin]

T-10 mins.

[Chris Bergin]

T-5 mins.

[bastro]

Hard to see the thermal cover in this weather.

[Chris Bergin]

T-60 seconds!

[sdsds]

Launch

[Chris Bergin]

LAUNCH!!

[bastro]

Launch.
And soon gone in the clouds

[Chris Bergin]

Vanished into the clouds....

[Chris Bergin]

And back to the launch site view because of that.

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Per NK - now into 3rd stage flight, fairing has separated.

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Orbital unit has separated from the 3rd stage.

[Borklund]

What a beautiful snow launch! Thanks for the coverage everyone

[Artyom.]

I'm a little late (school KVN)  ..

Roscosmos video of the launch:

[youtube]1gnvuejaWvM[/youtube]

[Galactic Penguin SST]

NORAD has already found 2013-077A/39487 in the standard 5000 km apogee intermediate orbit (263 x 4993 km x 50.57 deg.) about 2 hours ago.

[Artyom.]

As per http://novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/forum/messages/forum12/topic13089/message1179025/#message1179025, this mission utilized a four burn Briz-M mission design.

[jcm]

As per http://novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/forum/messages/forum12/topic13089/message1179025/#message1179025, this mission utilized a four burn Briz-M mission design.

So, similar to AM-33 except for inclination. We should next see the DTB drop tank in a 400 x 35500 km x 47? deg orbit
following MECO-3 which should have happened around 1437 UTC (so 2 hours ago). That will leave just the
apogee burn which should come sometime in the 1930-2010 UTC range, presumably at the end of that range given
the quoted Briz/payload separation time.

[input~2]

Launch time was 1049:56UTC
http://www.federalspace.ru/20083/

[Artyom.]

Launch time was 1049:56UTC
http://www.federalspace.ru/20083/

And as per anik, exact launch time was 10:49:56.026 UTC .

[Artyom.]

Roscosmos photo of the launch:
http://www.federalspace.ru/20083/

[input~2]

S/C separation OK
http://ria.ru/space/20131227/986725034.html

[input~2]

"The satellite separated from the  Briz-M upper stage and went into geostationary orbit"
so, does it mean that it was a direct injection into GEO?...let's wait for next TLE

Final orbital position will be 140°E
http://itar-tass.com/nauka/860491

[Artyom.]

My congratulations  !

[jcm]

"The satellite separated from the  Briz-M upper stage and went into geostationary orbit"
so, does it mean that it was a direct injection into GEO?...let's wait for next TLE

Final orbital position will be 140°E
http://itar-tass.com/nauka/860491

Still waiting for the next TLE!  But yes, my guess is direct to GEO on the last burn.

[anik]

so, does it mean that it was a direct injection into GEO?...

No, GTO.

[input~2]

so, does it mean that it was a direct injection into GEO?...

No, GTO.

Right:GTO
" Express-AM5 will continue to move to the target orbit with the help of electro-propulsion. This scheme is for the first time used in the Russian space industry. Final ascent of the spacecraft to the target orbit will last about 90 days. "
http://www.iss-reshetnev.ru/?cid=news&nid=1724

TLE for injection orbit not available at this time.

[Stan Black]

so, does it mean that it was a direct injection into GEO?...

No, GTO.

Right:GTO
" Express-AM5 will continue to move to the target orbit with the help of electro-propulsion. This scheme is for the first time used in the Russian space industry. Final ascent of the spacecraft to the target orbit will last about 90 days. "
http://www.iss-reshetnev.ru/?cid=news&nid=1724

TLE for injection orbit not available at this time.

This is an interesting development. For the future Yenisey-A1, based around the same Ekspress-2000 platform, in the documentation it references communication via the Luch-5 satellite network whilst climbing to orbit under electric propulsion.
It also raises the question about Yamal-401 which is another Ekspress-2000 based satellite; will it also do the same or is it to fly on a phase IV Proton-M Briz-M?

[jcm]

And as of Dec 31, still no more TLEs from any of the objects of this launch after the 262 x 4992 km MECO-2 orbit.

Surprising that at least the DTB drop tank has not been located in GTO; the amateurs have found something that
might be the payload in near-GEO, JSPOC needs to get its act together...

[edkyle99]

And as of Dec 31, still no more TLEs from any of the objects of this launch after the 262 x 4992 km MECO-2 orbit.

Surprising that at least the DTB drop tank has not been located in GTO; the amateurs have found something that
might be the payload in near-GEO, JSPOC needs to get its act together...

Space Fence shutdown?

 - Ed Kyle

[jcm]

And as of Dec 31, still no more TLEs from any of the objects of this launch after the 262 x 4992 km MECO-2 orbit.

Surprising that at least the DTB drop tank has not been located in GTO; the amateurs have found something that
might be the payload in near-GEO, JSPOC needs to get its act together...

Space Fence shutdown?

 - Ed Kyle

Perhaps for the DTB, yes. Space Fence wouldn't have found the two objects in GEO though - this speaks to wider deficiencies in the current US space surveillance posture.

[input~2]

13 days after launch, we still have no TLE for the spacecraft.
Object A (presumably Briz-M's DTB/APT) was yesterday in 394 x 37706 km x 49.43° orbit

[input~2]

Finally the spacecraft was tracked yesterday.
From TLEs published to-day:
Old Object A (the DTB/APT) is now object C (2013-077C/39489)
New Object A is the spacecraft:
2013-077A/ 39487 in 33772 x 37618 km x 0.163° (epoch Jan 10, 1745UTC)
New Object B is Briz-M:
2013-077B/ 39488 in 36825 x 41343 km x 0.694° (epoch Jan 10, 1640UTC)

Thanks JSPOC!

[fatjohn1408]

Finally the spacecraft was tracked yesterday.
From TLEs published to-day:
Old Object A (the DTB/APT) is now object C (2013-077C/39489)
New Object A is the spacecraft:
2013-077A/ 39487 in 33772 x 37618 km x 0.163° (epoch Jan 10, 1745UTC)
New Object B is Briz-M:
2013-077B/ 39488 in 36825 x 41343 km x 0.694° (epoch Jan 10, 1640UTC)

Thanks JSPOC!

It's interesting the Briz-M went into a higher orbit. Is there also a possibility for it to go to a 15000 x 34000 orbit for example or is that not a good graveyard orbit?

The question is because electric propulsion might be used more often to inject spacecraft GTO+ orbits might be used as target orbits. From a target orbit of e.g. 36000 x 15000 it will require a lot of fuel to put the upper stage into either a GEO+ orbit or a re-entry orbit.

[owais.usmani]

The satellite has reached its target GEO orbit. In-orbit testing has started, operational service expected to start in first half of May:

http://www.iss-reshetnev.ru/?cid=news&nid=1746

http://www.rscc.ru/news/news_company/1378.html

[Artyom.]

And in English  :

Express-AM5 satellite reaches operational orbit


The satellite which was launched on December 26, 2013 has arrived at the orbital slot of 145° East. It took the satellite 73 days instead of the expected 90 to arrive at its destination using on-board electrical propulsion system. Such a transfer injection scenario was applied for the first time not only in the history of ISS-Reshetnev Company but of the whole Russian aerospace industry as well. It was decided to do so because a Proton-M/Breeze-M rocket’s launch capacity appeared to be insufficient to deliver the 3358-kilogram Express-AM5 satellite directly to the assigned orbital position in GEO.

http://www.iss-reshetnev.com/?cid=news&nid=311

Russia’s new communications and broadcasting satellite, Express-AM5, now being tested

March 11, 2014 saw the beginning of Express-AM5 acceptance tests.  Express-AM5 is Russia’s new heavy satellite launched on 26 December 2013.

The satellite is scheduled to be commissioned by RSCC in May 2014. Positioned in the 140˚E orbital slot, the satellite will ensure robust coverage of Siberia and the Far East.

http://eng.rscc.ru/100/177/466.html

[russianhalo117]

Developing spacecraft anomaly with risk of loss of mission:
Ekspress-AM5, like one of its Ekspress-AM generational siblings AM6 has experienced a thermal control system cooling loop failure requiring increasing communications payload transponder shutdowns during the daylight solar exposure hours with others now permanently shutdown to avoid frying the spacecraft via excessive thermal loading triggering the risks of achieving thermal runaway. Customers are being transferred to available transponders on satellites of the Ekspress-AMU generation. So far these two Ekspress-AM generation anomalies are limited solely to spacecraft using the Ekspress-2000 spacecraft bus family.

https://russianspaceweb.com/proton_ekspress_am5.html#2023