Proton-M/DM-03 - Angosat-2 - Baikonur 81/24 - 12 October 2022 (15:00 UTC)

[russianhalo117]

The Chinese still launch Long March rockets that use UDMH. Where do they get it? There are reports the Chinese refused Russian asks for airliner parts and maintenance, would they sell Russia UDMH?

It is domestically manufactured for military and government use. Supplies are available satellites manufactured in the country otherwise the spacecraft fuels are ordered from abroad for select missions. They do export to a few other countries but I haven't come across any approved for public release documentation yet as to which countries they export to.

Unlikely as they are increasingly not on great terms hence why the inclination was changed for CSS before launch. And declined further joint mars missions after the Phobos-Grunt tug failure. The Central Committee has not approved any formal cooperation on the Moon either only non binding MoU's. China really only wants involvement with Russia if it includes heavy technical exchange and allows positively sanctioned industrial espionage.

[smoliarm]

In early March 2022, following Putin's invasion of Ukraine, all work on the Angosat-2 project was reported to be terminated, essentially killing the project.

https://www.russianspaceweb.com/angosat2.html

Well, here is RIA Novosti's article from October 2021:
https://ria.ru/20211008/angosat-2-1753622217.html

Россия получила попавшие под санкции комплектующие для спутника Angosat-2
...
МОСКВА, 8 окт - РИА Новости. Европейский производитель передал России комплектующие для производства ангольского спутника связи Angosat-2, сообщил в интервью РИА Новости генеральный директор компании "Информационные спутниковые системы" имени Решетнева" Николай Тестоедов.
"22 сентября полезная нагрузка космического аппарата Angosat-2 доставлена самолетом в Красноярск", - сказал Тестоедов.
По его словам, задержка не скажется на сроках запуска спутника. "Мы планируем запуск во втором квартале 2022 года", - отметил Тестоедов.

Google-translate:

Russia receives sanctioned components for Angosat-2 satellite
...
MOSCOW, October 8 - RIA Novosti. The European manufacturer handed over to Russia components for the production of the Angolan communications satellite Angosat-2, Nikolay Testoyedov, general director of the Reshetnev Information Satellite Systems company, said in an interview with RIA Novosti.
"On September 22, the payload of the Angosat-2 spacecraft was delivered by plane to Krasnoyarsk," Testoedov said.
According to him, the delay will not affect the timing of the launch of the satellite. "We plan to launch in the second quarter of 2022," Testoedov said.

So, it looks like the communication payload by Airbus is already at Reshetnev Plant, and it's been there for five months.
What else could "essentially kill the project" ?

[russianhalo117]

In early March 2022, following Putin's invasion of Ukraine, all work on the Angosat-2 project was reported to be terminated, essentially killing the project.

https://www.russianspaceweb.com/angosat2.html

Well, here is RIA Novosti's article from October 2021:
https://ria.ru/20211008/angosat-2-1753622217.html

Россия получила попавшие под санкции комплектующие для спутника Angosat-2
...
МОСКВА, 8 окт - РИА Новости. Европейский производитель передал России комплектующие для производства ангольского спутника связи Angosat-2, сообщил в интервью РИА Новости генеральный директор компании "Информационные спутниковые системы" имени Решетнева" Николай Тестоедов.
"22 сентября полезная нагрузка космического аппарата Angosat-2 доставлена самолетом в Красноярск", - сказал Тестоедов.
По его словам, задержка не скажется на сроках запуска спутника. "Мы планируем запуск во втором квартале 2022 года", - отметил Тестоедов.

Google-translate:

Russia receives sanctioned components for Angosat-2 satellite
...
MOSCOW, October 8 - RIA Novosti. The European manufacturer handed over to Russia components for the production of the Angolan communications satellite Angosat-2, Nikolay Testoyedov, general director of the Reshetnev Information Satellite Systems company, said in an interview with RIA Novosti.
"On September 22, the payload of the Angosat-2 spacecraft was delivered by plane to Krasnoyarsk," Testoedov said.
According to him, the delay will not affect the timing of the launch of the satellite. "We plan to launch in the second quarter of 2022," Testoedov said.

So, it looks like the communication payload by Airbus is already at Reshetnev Plant, and it's been there for five months.
What else could "essentially kill the project" ?

Most likely the interaction of the joint team during final spacecraft manufacturing and spacecraft testing at the plant and at Baikonur for the launch campaign. Interaction between the payload team and Russian control Centre during LEOPS phase. These interactions and possibly others are prohibited by the EU and other countries. The two companies ceased joint operations and projects. That is all that is known. The outcome of this payload remains to be confirmed as we do not know how far along the timeline is at the plant.

[smoliarm]

...

So, it looks like the communication payload by Airbus is already at Reshetnev Plant, and it's been there for five months.
What else could "essentially kill the project" ?

Most likely the interaction of the joint team during final spacecraft manufacturing and spacecraft testing at the plant and at Baikonur for the launch campaign. Interaction between the payload team and Russian control Centre during LEOPS phase. These interactions and possibly others are prohibited by the EU and other countries. The two companies ceased joint operations and projects. That is all that is known. The outcome of this payload remains to be confirmed as we do not know how far along the timeline is at the plant.

Thank you RH117, we all here benefit from your expertise. Thanks a lot for sharing once again!

[GWR64]

opinion:
Now they seem to be left empty-handed.
After more than 10 years and I belive over 300 Million $, which the project at Energia has cost in total.
Angosat-1 + launch (was originally intended with SEA-Launch together with a other Energia satellite) + ground stations in Angola and Russia + training of Angolan personnel.
When I first read about it (Sea-Launch still existed then) I thought what a rip off for such a weak satellite.
Similar projects like Bangabandhu-1 by TAS or Bulgariasat by Maxar were significantly cheaper.
And these satellites work.
After the failure of Angosat-1, the Angolans should have ended the project and collected the insurance money,
even if it only covers a fraction of the cost.
The money could have been invested in a joint satellite. (similar to Azerspace-2/Intelsat-38 e.g.)

[russianhalo117]

After the country filed a request the launch is back on the cards for NET Fall (Q3) 2022 however it is to be the last foreign commercial launch for the foreseeable future. All is subject to change without notice.

Paywalled article: Proton loses payloads in Ukraine war

[input~2]

[Launch] should take place between the end of July and the beginning of August

https://www.verangola.net/va/en/042022/Telecommunications/30532/Angosat-2-expected-to-enter-orbit-before-elections.htm

[Rondaz]

Ambassador to Angola called the reasons for the postponement of the launch of the Angosat-2 satellite.

Ambassador to Angola Tararov: the launch of the Angosat-2 satellite in March was disrupted due to the actions of Airbus.

10:14 03.05.2022 (updated: 11:26 03.05.2022)

MOSCOW, May 3 - RIA Novosti. The French contractor Airbus, in violation of the contract, refused to supply parts and technical documentation for the Russian-Angolan satellite Angosat-2, as a result of which its launch was delayed until September from March, Russian Ambassador to Angola Vladimir Tararov said in an interview with RIA Novosti.
...
https://ria.ru/20220503/sputnik-1786619684.html

[Rondaz]

The Ambassador told why Russia is building an Angosat-2 satellite in Angola.

Ambassador Tararov called the Angosat-2 satellite a link in the chain of cooperation with Angola in space.

10:21 03.05.2022 (updated: 11:25 03.05.2022)

MOSCOW, May 3 - RIA Novosti. Russian Ambassador to Angola Vladimir Tararov said in an interview with RIA Novosti why Russia is building an Angosat-2 satellite in Angola, which can be launched in the near future.

"The Angosat-2 satellite assumes a larger payload (than Angosat-1), somewhere around 250-300 kilograms. This means that the additional equipment that we will deliver will provide not only the initial tasks that we planned with the launch Angosat-1, but also much broader opportunities that already involve broadband Internet, the use of mechanisms in medicine. And this can be in any corner of Angola , even in the most remote, where sometimes there is even no telephone connection," the ambassador said.
...
https://ria.ru/20220503/sputnik-1786620667.html

[zubenelgenubi]

Cross-post:

Two Proton-M + upper stages delivered April 15 to Baikonur: DM-03 for Angosat-2 and Briz-M for ExoMars:

Source: Arrived at Baikonur "Proton-M" will launch the satellite AngoSat-2.

Proton-M heavy rocket arrived at Baikonur to launch AngoSat-2 satellite into orbit.

03:26 16.04.2022

[Fmedici]

https://twitter.com/katlinegrey/status/1533688460590125056

[Vahe231991]

Does the Angosat-2 satellite have any technological improvements over the Angosat-1, given that the latter experienced a number of problems in establishing contact with ground controllers days after launch in late December 2017?

[russianhalo117]

Does the Angosat-2 satellite have any technological improvements over the Angosat-1, given that the latter experienced a number of problems in establishing contact with ground controllers days after launch in late December 2017?

Completely different spacecraft bus and payload module by different manufacturers so they aren't really comparable except by quality control and production rate.

[Rondaz]

Launch of satellite for Angola postponed until October — source.

Russia and Angola earlier agreed to build the Angosat-2 satellite to replace the lost Angosat-1 satellite, launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome on December 26, 2017.

26 JUL, 21:19

MOSCOW, July 27. /TASS/. The launch of the Angosat-2 satellite for Angola, scheduled for early September, has been postponed to October, a source in Russia’s rocket and space industry has told TASS.

"The Angosat-2 launch from Baikonur has been postponed to October," the source said.

Russia and Angola earlier agreed to build the Angosat-2 satellite to replace the lost Angosat-1 satellite, launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome on December 26, 2017. Communication with the satellite was lost the next day. The new satellite will be designed and built by Reshetnev Information Satellite Systems.

Earlier, the enterprise sent a payload module for the telecommunication satellite to its foreign partner Airbus. The module includes relay equipment that provide communications and broadcast in C and Ku frequency bands.

https://tass.com/science/1485293

[Rondaz]

Satellite in Angola’s interests to be launched on October 12 — source.

Russia and Angola agreed to build an Angosta-2 communications satellite to replace the lost Angosta-1 satellite, which was launched from Baikonur on December 26, 2017.

3 AUG, 15:58

MOSCOW, August 4. /TASS/. The launch of the Angosat-2 satellite from the Baikonur spaceport is scheduled for October 12, a source in the space industry told TASS on Thursday.

"The launch of the Proton-M carrier rocket with the Angosat-2 satellite in the interests of Angola is scheduled for October 12," the source said.

Russia and Angola agreed to build an Angosta-2 communications satellite to replace the lost Angosta-1 satellite, which was launched from Baikonur on December 26, 2017 but lost contact with Earth of the following day. The new satellite was engineered and manufactured by the Reshetnev Information Satellite Systems Company (part of Russia’s State Space Corporation Roscosmos).

https://tass.com/science/1489039

[Vahe231991]

Satellite in Angola’s interests to be launched on October 12 — source.

Russia and Angola agreed to build an Angosta-2 communications satellite to replace the lost Angosta-1 satellite, which was launched from Baikonur on December 26, 2017.

3 AUG, 15:58

MOSCOW, August 4. /TASS/. The launch of the Angosat-2 satellite from the Baikonur spaceport is scheduled for October 12, a source in the space industry told TASS on Thursday.

"The launch of the Proton-M carrier rocket with the Angosat-2 satellite in the interests of Angola is scheduled for October 12," the source said.

Russia and Angola agreed to build an Angosta-2 communications satellite to replace the lost Angosta-1 satellite, which was launched from Baikonur on December 26, 2017 but lost contact with Earth of the following day. The new satellite was engineered and manufactured by the Reshetnev Information Satellite Systems Company (part of Russia’s State Space Corporation Roscosmos).

https://tass.com/science/1489039

Is there a reason the Angosat-2 launch has been delayed by a month?

[Rondaz]

Angola hopes to launch AngoSat-2 satellite by year-end, ambassador says.

The Ambassador of Angola said that the country hopes to launch the AngoSat-2 satellite before the end of the year.

10:03 08/27/2022 (updated: 10:04 08/27/2022)

MOSCOW, August 27 - RIA Novosti. The launch of the Russian-Angolan satellite AngoSat-2 is scheduled for 2022, the Angolan authorities have not yet heard of a postponement or cancellation of the launch, Augusto da Silva Cunha, the republic's ambassador to Russia, said in an interview with RIA Novosti.

"The launch of the satellite is scheduled for this year. I would like to believe that it will take place before the end of the year. So far, we have not heard a refutation of information about the timing or that something could interfere with the launch. As far as I know, the Russian side met the deadlines," - the ambassador said.

According to him, the project "will improve the national security system in terms of ensuring more thorough control of borders, both land and sea." The launch of the satellite will contribute to the development of telecommunications, broadband Internet, medicine and agriculture, industry and other areas.

"In general, all this will strengthen the country's economy," the diplomat concluded.

In April 2018, Russia and Angola agreed to build AngoSat-2 to replace AngoSat-1. The creation of the AngoSat-2 satellite was entrusted to RSC Energia , but in May 2020 it became known that, at the request of the Angolan side, this work was transferred to the Reshetnev ISS .

https://ria.ru/20220827/sputnik-1812484645.html

[Galactic Penguin SST]

https://twitter.com/katlinegrey/status/1578391533228785664

[xm11]

any time launch ? gmt

[russianhalo117]

any time launch ? gmt

It is a tad to early to be provided however keep checking back for posted updates.