Astra 3B,COMSATBw 2-Ariane 5ECA- 22.05.10 02:01 ЛМВ -Kourou

[Salo]

А где комментарий на английском есть?

[Dude]

Не знаю, я так понял слова комментатора. Хотя можно понять, как из-за проблем в интерфейсе РН-СК.

[Salo]

Кина не будет.

[Salo]

Перенос минимум на сутки.

[Dude]

Cегодня отменяется. No Go for tonight.

Сказали была проблема c надувом у РН. Будут разбираться.

[Salo]

http://www.arianespace.com/news-press-release/2010/04-09-2010-v194-launch-delay.asp

Flight 194 - ASTRA 3B & COMSATBw-2: Launch delayed

Kourou, April 9, 2010

Due to a launch vehicle pressurization anomaly during final countdown operations for Flight 194, Arianespace has decided to postpone the launch.

The launch vehicle and its ASTRA 3B and COMSATBw-2 satellite payloads have been placed in stand-by mode and maintained in fully safe conditions.

A new date for the mission will be announced as soon as possible.

[Salo]

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=20359.msg571951#msg571951

The problem is with the "sphere helium", located near Vulcain-2 engine. It provides pressurisation for the oxygen tank of the first stage (EPC).

[Разъём]

Причина переноса запуска в отказе регулятора давления. Его назначение понижение давления с 300 бар в гелиевых шаро-баллонах до 70 бар используемых для открытия основного клапана подачи ЖК к двигателю. На 45 с сработал предохранительный клапан стоящий между этим регулятором и ЭПК, что позволило избежать повреждения как самого ЭПК так и основного пневмоклапана подачи ЖК, и стартовый отсчет был остановлен. Поставщик регулятора и ЭПК Microtecnica (Италия).
Перенос пуска в конце марта, а также, задержка пуска в декабре также была связана с не номинальной работой ЭПК того же производителя.
В связи с повторяющимися замечаниями по качеству изделий одного и того же производителя, была организована комиссия по качеству которая должна сделать свои выводы до 15/04 о причинах и влиянии на этот и последующие пуски.

[Salo]

Nonetheless, Le Gall said the launch is unlikely to occur before the first half of May. While it will be Arianespace's first Ariane 5 launch of the year, the company still plans seven launches in 2010 and likely will shorten or eliminate a planned mid-summer break to reach the target.

http://www.spacenews.com/launch/100416-arianespace-quality-control.html

[Salo]

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=6114.msg581431#msg581431

Re: Arianespace launch schedule
« Reply #326 on: 04/23/2010 03:41 PM »
   
V194 launch is expected on 21 or 22 May (also there are rumours about launching in early June) according to FCS.

[Брабонт]

Откладывавшийся трижды запуск ракеты Ariane-5 намечен на 21 мая

ПАРИЖ, 11 мая - РИА Новости, Владимир Добровольский. Европейский космический концерн Arianespace надеется 21 мая с четвертого раза запустить ракету-носитель Ariane 5 со спутником для бундесвера, пуск которой откладывался из-за технических проблем, сообщил во вторник в интервью изданию Figaro глава Arianespace Жан-Ив Ле Галль.

[Salo]

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=6114.msg584254#msg584254

21 May - Astra 3B & COMSATBw-2 - Ariane 5 ECA (V194) - 22:01 UTC

[Salo]

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n1005/14sealaunch/

Arianespace sets date for next launch after inquiries
BY STEPHEN CLARK
SPACEFLIGHT NOW
Posted: May 13, 2010

After a month-long review of nagging problems with the Ariane 5 rocket's helium pressurization system, the commercial workhorse is scheduled to return to flight May 21 with two communications satellites, Arianespace's top executive said Wednesday.
 
"We corrected what went wrong, which is a helium subsystem that regulates the pressurization of the launch vehicle," said Jean-Yves Le Gall, Arianespace's chairman and CEO. "Now, we are ready and we will launch on the 21st of May."

The company's first launch of the year has been postponed three times since mid-March, including a last-minute scrub April 9 attributed to a faulty pressure regulator on the Ariane 5 rocket's first stage.

According to Le Gall, the component is used to keep the Ariane 5's hydrogen and oxygen propellant tanks pressurized during the flight. Helium is used to pressurize the tanks during the countdown.

The helium pressurization system was also blamed for a scrub of the last Ariane 5 launch in December. Engineers resolved that problem and the rocket successfully lifted off nine days later, after another unrelated delay.

Arianespace officials announced parallel inquiries into the technical cause of the helium subsystem glitches and an overall audit of the Ariane 5's quality control procedures.

"This is the first time we have done this without a launch failure because we had some trouble with parts, and this is why we needed to perform this quality control [review]."

Le Gall said managers replaced parts of the troublesome helium pressure regulator and the new hardware has passed ground testing. In a meeting Wednesday at the Guiana Space Center, officials signed off on the repairs and gave the green light for launch next week.

Liftoff is scheduled for a launch window that opens at 2201 GMT (6:01 p.m. EDT) May 21. The 50th Ariane 5 mission will haul into orbit the ASTRA 3B broadcasting satellite and the German military's COMSATBw 2 communications platform.

But the top-level inquiry into Ariane 5 quality issues is still continuing as workers in French Guiana prep the next rocket for liftoff.

"In parallel, we are proceeding with the quality audit to be sure that the rest of the launch vehicle is not affected by other problems," Le Gall said Wednesday. "Today we got the preliminary report of this quality review, which cleared the way for this launch, but we will have the full report by the end of June."

Arianespace will be playing catch-up the rest of the year to overcome the two-month delay of its first launch of 2010. Le Gall said he still expects the company to fly seven Ariane 5 rockets this year, ending with the launch of the second Automated Transfer Vehicle for the International Space Station.

[Salo]

http://www.arianespace.com/news-press-release/2010/05-18-2010-v194-launch-scheduled.asp

Arianespace: next Ariane 5 launch scheduled for Friday, May 21

Evry, May 18, 2010

Arianespace has set the date for the next Ariane 5 launch for Friday, May 21, 2010.

An Ariane 5 ECA will loft into orbit the ASTRA 3B and COMSATBw-2 satellites. This will be the 50th launch of an Ariane 5.

Liftoff of the Ariane 5 launcher is now set for the night of Friday, May 21, as early as possible in the following launch window:

From 7:01 p.m. to 7:44 p.m., local time in Kourou, French Guiana
From 6:01 p.m. to 6:44 p.m. in Washington, D.C.
From 10:01 p.m. to 10:44 p.m. UTC, on May 21.
From 12:01 a.m. to 12:44 a.m. in Paris, on May 22.

[Salo]

http://www.arianespace.com/news-mission-update/2010/689.asp

Ariane 5's liftoff with ASTRA 3B and COMSATBw-2 is set for May 21

May 18, 2010 – Ariane Flight V194

Arianespace's next heavy-lift Ariane 5 mission is scheduled for this Friday, May 21, carrying a mixed payload of commercial and military telecommunications satellites.

Liftoff of the Ariane 5 ECA with its ASTRA 3B and COMSATBw-2 spacecraft is set at the start of a launch window that opens at 7:01 p.m. local time in French Guiana and continues to 7:44 p.m.

ASTRA 3B is riding in the upper position of Ariane 5's dual-payload "stack," with COMSATBw-2 installed below it, housed inside a 6.4 meter-tall SYLDA 5 dispenser.  The payloads are protected by a 17-meter-tall fairing, which will be jettisoned after the launcher's initial ascent through the atmosphere's dense layers.

To be launched for SES ASTRA, 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.  It was produced by EADS Astrium, and will be positioned at SES ASTRA's important 23.5 deg. East orbital position.

COMSATBw-2 is designed to deliver key communications 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.

[Salo]

http://www.arianespace.com/news-mission-update/2010/690.asp

May 20, 2010 – Ariane Flight V194


Arianespace's Ariane 5 mission with the ASTRA 3B and COMSATBw-2 satellite payloads is on track for a liftoff tomorrow evening, following the heavy-lift vehicle's rollout to the launch zone at the Spaceport in French Guiana this morning.

Riding atop its mobile launch table, Ariane 5 emerged from the Final Assembly Building under a sunny French Guiana sky and was transferred to the launch pad to be secured in place.

This flight will mark another of Arianespace's missions with a mixed civilian/military payload, as ASTRA 3B is to provide direct-to-home (DTH) services, plus public and private satellite communications for SES ASTRA; while COMSATBw-2 will serve as a secure relay spacecraft for the delivery of key telecommunications capacity to Germany's armed forces.

Lift performance for the Ariane 5 ECA will be more than 9,110 kg., including approximately 7,970 kg. for the two spacecraft passengers, plus the mass of the vehicle's dual-passenger dispenser system and satellite integration hardware.

ASTRA 3B is riding in the upper position of the launcher's payload "stack" and will be deployed at just under 28 minutes into the flight, with COMSATBw-2 located below it in the SYLDA 5 dispenser for a separation at 33 minutes after liftoff.

[Salo]

Трансляция пуска:
http://www.videocorner.tv/videocorner2/live_flv/index.php?langue=en

[Чебурашка]

Улетела

Оба спутника на расчётной орбите  

[Salo]

http://www.arianespace.com/news-mission-update/2010/692.asp

Ariane 5 makes history with its successful mission to orbit ASTRA 3B and COMSATBw-2

May 21, 2010 – Ariane Flight V194

Arianespace delivered another dual-satellite payload into orbit today with a milestone flight that utilized the 50th Ariane 5 launch vehicle.


Tonight's mission with ASTRA 3B and COMSATBw-2 was the 50th launch of an Ariane 5 vehicle.

Lifting off from the Spaceport in French Guiana, this Ariane 5 ECA version successfully orbited the ASTRA 3B commercial telecommunications satellite for Luxembourg-based SES ASTRA, along with the COMSATBw-2 secure military relay spacecraft for Astrium GmbH on behalf of the German Bundeswehr (armed forces).

With today's mission, Arianespace's workhorse heavy-lift launch vehicle has lofted payloads weighing a combined total of more than 300,000 kg. since its maiden liftoff in 1996.  

During the past 50 flights, Ariane 5s have carried commercial telecommunications satellites; military relay, reconnaissance and early warning spacecraft; Earth observation platforms and meteorological satellites; scientific space probes, experimental and developmental payloads, and the first Automated Transfer Vehicle for servicing of the International Space Station.

"And this success will continue: after today's flight Arianespace's order book still has 34 geostationary orbit satellites to launch – which is a new record – along with six missions with the ATV [Automated Transfer Vehicle] and 17 launches for Soyuz," said Arianespace Chairman & CEO Jean-Yves Le Gall in post-launch comments at the Spaceport's mission control center.  "Since the start of 2010, Arianespace already has signed seven new contracts, with several others now in advanced negotiations."

This evening's mission with ASTRA 3B and COMSATBw-2 was the 194th flight of an Ariane family launcher since 1979.  Payload lift performance for the launch was approximately 9,115 kg. – which included 7,970 kg. for the two satellites, plus the associated integration hardware and the launcher's SYLDA 5 dual-payload dispenser system.

The on-time liftoff occurred at the start of a launch window that opened at 7:01 p.m. local time in French Guiana.  Ariane 5 provided another high-precision delivery, with the following provisional parameters at the injection of the vehicle's cryogenic upper stage:
- Perigee: 248.5 km. for a target of 248.4 km.
- Apogee: 35,970 km. for a target of 35,969 km.
- Inclination:  3.00 deg. for a target of 3.00 deg.

ASTRA 3B was released first into geostationary transfer orbit, being separated from the upper passenger position of Ariane 5's dual payload "stack" at approximately 27 minutes into the flight.  The satellite was produced for SES ASTRA by EADS Astrium, and it had an estimated liftoff mass of 5,470 kg.


More than 300,000 kg. of payloads have been carried by Ariane 5 during this workhorse launcher's 50 missions.

Configured with 60 Ku-band transponders and four Ka-band transponders, ASTRA 3B was the 10th satellite orbited by Arianespace for SES ASTRA, and the 33rd for the SES group – one of the world's leading providers of satellite transmission capacity.  ASTRA 3B will be located at 23.5 degrees East, which is ASTRA's orbital position for delivering Direct-to-Home (DTH) broadcast services to Benelux and Eastern European countries, and this location also will serve public and private satellite communication networks across Europe and the Middle East.

The COMSATBw-2 lower passenger on Ariane 5 was deployed at approximately 33 min. into the flight.  This 2,440-kg. satellite was designed, integrated and tested by Thales Alenia Space on behalf of EADS Astrium – the program's space segment prime contractor – and it was the 34th military satellite orbited by Arianespace.

COMSATBw-2 will operate from an orbital position of 13.2 deg. East, providing secure broadband network for uninterrupted communications between the German government, military authorities and armed forces deployed around the world.  It is equipped with four SHF-band transponders and five UHF-band transponders, and will join COMSATBw-1 – orbited last October by another Ariane 5.

Today's launch had previously been postponed, and Le Gall thanked all who contributed to resolving the technical issues that were encountered.  "This flight is the 40th Ariane 5 launch since I joined Arianespace, and more than anyone, I fully appreciate what we owe all of you," Le Gall added. "I particularly want to thank you for the work performed during the past several weeks, which enabled us to succeed with this superb launch."

Le Gall announced that Arianespace's next Ariane 5 mission is planned for June, with the ARABSAT-5A and COMS-1 satellites.

[Salo]

http://www.arianespace.com/news-press-release/2010/05-21-2010-v194-launch-success.asp

Arianespace's double success: 50th Ariane 5 mission, 36th successful launch in a row - ASTRA 3B and COMSATBw-2 in orbit

Kourou, May 21, 2010

On Friday, May 21, Arianespace placed two communications satellites into geostationary transfer orbit: the ASTRA 3B commercial communications satellite for the Luxembourg-based operator SES ASTRA, and the COMSATBw-2 military communications satellite built by Astrium for the German Ministry of Defense.

50th Ariane 5 launch, 36th success in a row

The latest successful launch of an Ariane 5, the first in 2010, confirms that Arianespace's launch Service & Solutions continue to set the global standard for all telecommunications operators, whether civil or military. It also reflects the strategic facet of Arianespace, which guarantees independent access to space for all European governments.

Ariane 5 is the only commercial satellite launcher now on the market capable of simultaneously launching two payloads, giving Arianespace customers outstanding performance, flexibility and competitiveness.

This was the 50th launch of an Ariane 5 and the 36th successful launch in a row.

Supporting civil and military satcom solutions

Over the last two decades, Arianespace and SES have developed an exceptional relationship. ASTRA 3B, built by Astrium, is the 33rd satellite from the SES group (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Bourse: SESG) to have chosen the European launcher. SES ASTRA operates the leading direct-to-home (DTH) TV broadcast system in Europe, serving more than 125 million households via DTH and cable networks.

COMSATBw-2 is the 34th military payload to use the European launcher. Astrium chose Arianespace for the launch of two military communications satellites, COMSATBw-1, orbited in October 2009, and COMSATBw-2, as part of a satellite communications system set up by the German Ministry of Defense.

ASTRA 3B/COMSATBw-2 mission at a glance

The mission was carried out by an Ariane 5 ECA launcher from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. Liftoff was on Friday, May 21, 2010 at 7:01 pm local time in Kourou (6:01 pm in Washington, D.C., 22:01 UT, 12:01 am in Paris on Saturday, May 22, and at 2:01 am in Moscow).

ASTRA 3B was built by Astrium using a Eurostar 3000M platform, and weighed 5,500 kg at launch. Fitted with 60 active Ku-band transponders and four Ka-band transponders, ASTRA 3B will be positioned at 23.5 degrees East. It will deliver high-power broadcast services across all of Europe, and offers a design life of about 15 years.

COMSATBw-2 weighed 2,500 kg at launch and offers a design life of 15 years. Its coverage zone extends from the Americas to the Far East, and it will be operated from different sites by German aerospace agency DLR. German armed forces will  take advantage of a secure network for voice, data, fax, video and multimedia transmissions. Astrium is in charge of the space segment, including in-orbit delivery of the satellite. Thales Alenia Space designed, manufactured, integrated and tested the satellite, which it delivered before launch to Astrium. Most of the payload for the satellite was produced by Tesat, Astrium's German subsidiary. Through the joint venture Milsat Services, Astrium is also responsible for the satellite communications contract.