Alphasat I-XL, Insat-3D - Ariane 5ECA (VA214) - Куру ELA-3 - 25.07.2013 19:54 UTC

[Salo]

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/tracking/index.html

July     Ariane 5  •  Alphasat XL & GSAT 7
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: ELA-3, Kourou, French Guiana

Arianespace will use an Ariane 5 ECA rocket, designated VA214, to launch the Alphasat XL and GSAT 7 communications satellites. Alphasat XL, also called Inmarsat XL, is the first satellite to use the Alphabus platform in a public-private partnership between the European Space Agency, Astrium, Thales Alenia Space and Inmarsat. Alphasat XL will provide mobile communications services to Africa and Europe and test experimental technologies for ESA. GSAT 7 will provide communications services for the Indian Navy and other defense units. [April 2]

[Salo]

http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/gsat-7.htm

GSat 7, 7A (Insat 4F)

GSAT-7 / INSAT-4F is a multi-band satellite carrying payloads in UHF, S-band, C-band and Ku-band. It is planned to be launched during 2011 onboard GSLV and positioned at 74º East. The satellite weighs 2330 kg with a payload power of 2000W and mission life of 9 years.
INSAT-4 series is planned to have seven satellites, INSAT-4A through INSAT-4G with INSAT-4D as a spare. The transponder capacity of this series has been worked out after evaluating the requirement projected by different uses/user departments. It is planned that, by 2007, INSAT system will have about 250 transponders in various bands catering to a demand of up to 11 Giga Bits Per Second (GBPS) capacity.

Nation: India
Type / Application: Communication
Operator: Insat
Contractors: ISRO
Equipment: UHF, S-band, C-band and Ku-band transponders
Configuration: I-2K (I-2000) Bus
Propulsion: 440 Newton thrust liquid apogee motor
Power: 2 deployable solar arrays, batteries
Lifetime: 9 years
Mass: 2550 kg
Orbit: GEO

[fagot]

Ну вот, пока реальные спутники на платформе Альфабас оказались не столь тяжелыми, как некоторые опасались.

[instml]

GSAT-7 никакой не Альфабас

[Salo]

А Alphasat?

[fagot]

instml пишет:
GSAT-7 никакой не Альфабас

Зато он позволяет оценить массу Альфабаса, в паре с которым летит.

[Salo]

http://www.arianespace.com/news-mission-update/2013/1029.asp

Activity for the next two Ariane 5 missions is underway at the Spaceport

April 11, 2013 – Ariane Flights VA213 and VA214

ATV Albert Einstein is "topped off" in the S5A fueling and integration hall of the Spaceport's S5 payload preparation building for its upcoming launch on Ariane Flight VA213.

Launcher components for the third Arianespace Ariane 5 mission of 2013 have been delivered to French Guiana, while payload preparations for this year's second heavy-lift flight have marked a new milestone at the Spaceport.

The Ariane 5 to be used for Arianespace's no. 3 flight with its workhorse vehicle in 2013 arrived aboard the MN Colibri, which is one of two roll-on/roll-off ships used to transport Arianespace launchers from Europe to South America. This will be the 214th mission of an Ariane family vehicle – with the mission designated Flight VA214 – and is scheduled for a July liftoff with two satellite passengers.


The Ariane 5's cryogenic core stage for Ariane Flight VA214 enters the Spaceport after its delivery to French Guiana by the MN Colibri.

[Salo]

Смена в ходе встречи - теперь с Альфасатом летит Insat-3D:
http://www.arianespace.com/news-mission-update/2013/1035.asp

Arianespace's launcher cadence continues with four missions being prepared for Ariane 5, Soyuz and Vega

April 26, 2013 – Arianespace Flights VA214, VA213, VS05 and VV02

The Spaceport is operating to the rhythm of Arianespace's launcher family, with four parallel mission campaigns now underway in French Guiana for the heavy-lift Ariane 5, medium-lift Soyuz and lightweight Vega vehicles.

Joining the activity this week are preparations for an Ariane 5 flight planned in the second half of July with the Alphasat and Insat-3D satellites. The mission is designated VA214 in Arianespace's numbering system, and the assembly process for its vehicle began inside the Spaceport's Launcher Integration Building with the placement of Ariane 5's cryogenic core stage over one of two mobile launch tables available for the heavy-lift workhorse.



Ariane 5's core cryogenic stage for Flight VA214 is readied to begin the launcher's build-up process at the Spaceport,


while one of the heavy-lift vehicle's two solid propellant boosters is rolled out for mating to the cryogenic stage.

[Salo]

http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/insat-3d.htm

Insat 3D


Insat 3D [ISRO]

INSAT-3D is a pure meteorological satellite without additional communication payload as in the other INSAT satellites. It features a 19-channel sounder, a 6-channel imager and a DRT & SAR payload.

Nation:    India
Type / Application:    Meteorology
Operator:    Insat
Contractors:    ISRO
Equipment:    19-channel sounder, a 6-channel imager, DRT & SAR payload
Configuration:    Insat-2/-3 Bus
Propulsion:    440 Newton thrust liquid apogee motor
Power:    Deployable solar array, batteries
Lifetime:    
Mass:    2100 kg
Orbit:    GEO

[Salo]

http://www.arianespace.com/news-mission-update/2013/1045.asp

Ariane Flight VA214's launch vehicle marks a preparation milestone

May 15, 2013 – Ariane Flight VA214

The third Ariane 5 for launch in 2013 has now completed basic build-up at the Spaceport, taking the next step toward Arianespace's two-passenger mission planned fr om French Guiana in July.

This heavy-lift workhorse was equipped with its upper cryogenic stage and vehicle equipment bay inside the Spaceport's Launcher Integration Building, installed as a single "upper composite" atop the core cryogenic stage by prime contractor Astrium.

The launcher will now be readied for transfer to the Final Assembly Building in French Guiana, wh ere Arianespace will take responsibility for final launch preparations and integration of the satellite payloads – Alphasat and INSAT-3D – before a liftoff targeted for the second half of July.

Built by Astrium, Alphasat will weigh more than six metric tons at launch and provide additional L-band capacity for coverage of Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Operated under an agreement between the European Space Agency (ESA) and European commercial satellite operator Inmarsat, it will be the first satellite to use Alphabus, the high-powered European telecommunications platform co-developed by Astrium and Thales Alenia Space under joint contract from ESA and the French CNES space agency.

INSAT-3D is a dedicated meteorological satellite built by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), India's space agency. It will carry weather forecasting payloads, along with a search and rescue relay system, and has a liftoff mass of 2,100 kg., offering 1,100 W of power.

Designated Flight VA214 in Arianespace's numbering system, this launch represents the 214th flight of an Ariane vehicle since this family's maiden liftoff in December 1979.

Flight VA214 is one of two Ariane 5 missions currently being prepared in French Guiana – and is part of Spaceport activity for four launch campaigns in May that involves members of Arianespace's entire launcher family. Pre-flight operations are continuing for Ariane 5's Flight VA213, which will carry Europe's fourth Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) into orbit next month; and for Soyuz Flight VS05 which will loft four satellites for O3b Networks – scheduled in June as well.  On May 7, Arianespace's lightweight Vega completed its second mission with the successful launch of three passengers – VNREDSat-1, Proba-V and ESTCube-1.


Ariane Flight VA214's  "upper composite," comprised of the combined cryogenic upper stage and vehicle equipment bay, is hoisted inside the Spaceport's Launcher Integration Building


 and lowered for installation atop the launcher's core cryogenic stage to complete the Ariane 5's initial build-up.

[Salo]

http://www.spacenews.com/article/satellite-telecom/35377europe-readies-first-alphasat-telecom-platform#.UZZl3UqBXTo

Europe Readies First Alphasat Telecom Platform

By Peter B. de Selding | May. 17, 2013


Astro Aerospace technicians work on the Alphasat 1-XL satellite's AstroMesh reflector. Credit: Northrop Grumman photo

Спойлер

Europe's billion-dollar Alphasat I-XL telecommunications satellite, financed by the French and European space agencies to maintain Europe's commercial competitiveness against the likes of Boeing, Space Systems/Loral and Lockheed Martin, is being prepared for a first launch that may be the program's last.

Alphasat I-XL has been purchased by mobile satellite services operator Inmarsat, which will use the satellite to add to its core L-band business. Inmarsat officials attending an Alphasat briefing at Astrium Satellites' facilities here May 17 said Alphasat I-XL offers Inmarsat unsurpassed flexibility of coverage and power, allowing the company to direct power as demand requires among the satellite's 400 spot beams.

London-based Inmarsat will operate Alphasat at 25 degrees east longitude, where the company's Inmarsat 4F2 is currently stationed. Inmarsat Chief Technology Officer Ruy Pinto said that after six months of Alphasat I-XL operations, the Inmarsat 4F2 satellite would be moved to a new slot to broaden Inmarsat's coverage.

When it was first approved by the 20-nation European Space Agency (ESA) and the French space agency, CNES, the Alphabus program, which funded Alphasat I-XL's development, was intended to have Europe's two big satellite prime contractors work together on a satellite design they could use when bidding jointly on big international commercial programs.

It has not quite worked that way. Astrium Satellites and Thales Alenia Space continue to bid together on the occasional program, but they are mainly commercial telecommunications competitors. Neither has won a competition using the Alphabus/Alphasat design, which is too heavy for most commercial satellite projects.

Alphabus/Alphasat is designed to provide up to 22 kilowatts of on-board power on a satellite whose launch mass could be up to 8,800 kilograms. At one point it appeared the commercial market was moving in that direction, and that Boeing and Space Systems/Loral had products that appealed to it.

To keep Europe in the race, ESA agreed to invest some 438 million euros, which when expressed in today's currency is more than 500 euros, or $650 million. The French space agency invested a lesser sum on its own. ESA is flying four technology demonstration payloads on Alphasat I-XL, including a laser communications terminal and a new-generation star tracker, that Inmarsat has agreed to operate for at least three years.

Later in the program's development, ESA made Alphasat into a public-private partnership with Inmarsat. Inmarsat Chief Executive Rupert Pearce said here May 17 that the company has spent $370 million on Alphasat I-XL, a figure that includes the satellite's construction, insurance and launch aboard a European Ariane 5 heavy-lift rocket.

Inmarsat's financing of the program was helped by a low-interest European Investment Bank loan of up to 225 million euros, and by financial support from several British regional governments in support of Astrium's British operation.

Alphasat I-XL is currently scheduled for launch in late July from Europe's Guiana Space Center in South America.

But if Alphabus/Alphasat as an integrated product no longer seems to coincide with the commercial market, several technologies developed for it have found their way into the current commercial satellite platforms of both Astrium Satellites and Thales Alenia Space.

These technologies include a 100-volt power supply regulator that Astrium has ins erted into its Eurostar production line; a plasma-electric propulsion system, called PPS 1350 developed by Snecma of France; and a communications module structure that permits heavier payloads to be supported by a satellite's main structure.

Eric Beranger, chief executive of Astrium Satellites, said the company is still integrating an Alphabus/Alphasat offer into commercial bids. While it is not at the core of today's commercial demand, Alphasat is well-suite to certain high-power applications, of which mobile communications such as Inmarsat's service is only one, Beranger said.

Inmarsat and Astrium officials here stressed above all the digital signal processor that Astrium provided for Alphasat I-XL.

Pinto said the processor is actually eight integrated signal processors, working in two groups of four, with a combined mass of nearly 250 kilograms. Each of the processors is composed of 17 core computers. The ensemble is capable of performing 2 trillion operations per second.

It is this technology that will give Alphasat IX-L its ability to move power and thus bandwidth around the coverage area of the satellite, which includes all of Africa, the Middle East, most of Europe and Central Asia.

Other commercial satellite operators have said they are seeking flexibility but cannot afford the cost of a digital signal processor. As a result, they opt for bent-pipe satellites that do not feature on-board processing. But with ESA and CNES in the financial loop, Inmarsat concluded that Alphabus/Alphasat was good val ue for money, Pearce said.

Whether other commercial operators will come to the same conclusion without ESA and CNES remains to be seen.

[свернуть]

[Salo]

http://spaceinimages.esa.int/Images/2013/05/Alphasat_in_orbit

[Salo]

http://spaceinimages.esa.int/Images/2013/05/Alphabus

[Salo]

http://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/arianespace-to-launch-india-s-insat-3d-spacecraft-on-july-26-113061301104_1.html

Press Trust Of India | chennai/ Bangalore June 13, 2013 Last Updated at 20:31 IST
Arianespace to launch India's Insat-3D spacecraft on July 26
 
European space consortium Arianespace would launch India's Insat-3D, an exclusive meteorological satellite, from its spaceport of Kourou in French Guiana on July 26.

Insat-3D is configured with advanced meteorological payloads - a six Channel Imager, 19 Channel Sounder along with data relay transponder and satellite aided search and rescue payloads, an official of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said here today. "The spacecraft platform is adopted from the standard I-2K bus with a power handling capability of around 1,100 W with a lift off mass of 2,090 kg," the official said.

[Salo]

http://www.crazyengineers.com/threads/insat-3d-indias-exclusive-meteorological-satellite-will-launch-on-26-july.68503/

INSAT-3D - India's Exclusive Meteorological Satellite Will Launch On 26 July
                                                      Discussion in 'InFocus : News Talk' started by Kaustubh Katdare, Today at 5:39 PM.

by Kaustubh Katdare, Jun 13, 2013 at 5:39 PM
   
INSAT-3D, India's exclusive meteorological satellite configured with some advance meteorological payloads which includes a 6-channel imager, 19-channel sounder along with data relay transponder and satellite aided search & rescue will be launched on July 26, 2013 from Kourou in French Guiana. The satellite will be launched by European space consortium, Arianespace. An ISRO executive has informed PTI that the spacecraft platform is adopted from the standard I-2K bus with a power handling capability of around 1100 W with a lift off mass of 2090 kg.
 
 INSAT-3D has been developed for high resolution monitoring of temperature and to trace chemical species in the atmospheric regions between the troposphere and stratosphere. It's one of the 3 satellites developed by ISRO to focus on weather forecasting and tracking of cyclone and monsoons that originate from the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. ISRO has collaborated with the University of Reading for the development of MWIR and SWIR narrow-bandpass filters defining the spectral band definition of the satellite. The overall lifetime of the payload is expected to be about 7 years from the day of launch.
      
 The mission of the INSAT-3D is "to provide an operational, environmental & storm warning system to protect life & property and also to monitor earth's surface and carryout oceanic observations and also provide data dissemination capabilities." Arianespace has also been contracted by India to launch the GSAT-7, a multi-band satellite carrying payloads in UHF, S-Band, C-Band and Ku-Band. The launch is scheduled in August this year.
 
 ISRO is also gearing up for the launch of GSLV-D5 (Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle—Development flight 5) in August. The launch is likely to take place from the spaceport of Sriharikota.
 
 We'll bring you the latest updates from the INSAT-3D launch. Stay tuned to CrazyEngineers for further updates.

[Salo]

http://www.arianespace.com/news-mission-update/2013/1055.asp

INSAT-3D is delivered to French Guiana for Arianespace's next Ariane 5 launch

 June 13, 2013 – Ariane Flight VA214
Payload preparations for Arianespace's third Ariane 5 mission in 2013 have commenced following this week's delivery of INSAT-3D, which is one of two spacecraft that will be lofted on a heavy-lift flight targeted for the second half of July.
INSAT-3D – built by India's space agency, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) – arrived in French Guiana aboard a chartered An-124 cargo jetliner, and was transported from Félix Eboué Airport near Cayenne to the Spaceport's payload preparation facilities.
The meteorological satellite will carry weather forecasting payloads, along with a search and rescue relay system. It is to have a mass at liftoff of approximately 2,100 kg. and offer 1,100 W of power.
INSAT-3D will be orbited along with its co-passenger, the Astrium-built Alphasat satellite, on another of Ariane 5's trademark dual-payload missions. Alphasat will be operated under an agreement between the European Space Agency (ESA) and European commercial satellite operator Inmarsat, and will provide additional L-band capacity for coverage of Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
 Designated Flight VA214 in Arianespace's numbering system, this upcoming mission represents the 214th launch of an Ariane family vehicle and will be the 70th flight of the heavy-lift Ariane 5.



The two photos above show INSAT-3D being removed from its shipping container during activity conducted inside the S5C hall of the Spaceport's S5 facility.

[Space Alien]

Alphasat, the most sophisticated commercial communications satellite ever built, has left Astrium's facilities in Toulouse today after completion of its final integration and test campaign and is now en route to Kourou, French Guyana, to be prepared for its launch aboard an Ariane 5, scheduled for the end of July.
 
http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Telecommunications_Integrated_Applications/Alphasat/Astrium_ships_Alphasat_to_launch_site

[Salo]

http://www.arianespace.com/news-mission-update/2013/1056.asp

Arianespace prepares for upcoming Soyuz and Ariane 5 missions at the Spaceport

June 19, 2013 – Flights VS05 and VA214
...
Separately, French Guiana yesterday welcomed the second satellite for Flight VA214 – an Ariane 5 mission planned in the second half of July. This is Europe's Alphasat, which is one of the world's most sophisticated communications satellites.  Built by Astrium as prime contractor, Alphasat carries a new-generation advanced mobile L-band communications payload, along with four technological demonstration payloads for the European Space Agency (ESA).
Alphasat will weigh more than six metric tons at launch and is to be operated under an agreement between the European Space Agency and European commercial satellite operator Inmarsat.
Alphasat will be orbited on Flight VA214 along with INSAT-3D, built by India's space agency – the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).


Alphasat was delivered to French Guiana aboard a chartered Antonov An-124 jetliner. This view is from inside the aircraft as Alphasat is moved out for its transfer by road to the Spaceport.
 
Launch window for Soyuz Flight VS05
UTC 6:53:51 p.m. June 24, 2013

[Salo]

http://www.arianespace.com/news-mission-update/2012/949.asp

The launch rhythm continues: Arianespace takes delivery of its next Ariane 5 at the Spaceport

June 27, 2013 – Ariane Flight VA214

Arianespace is keeping up the mission pace at its French Guiana base of operations with the acceptance of another heavy-lift Ariane 5, which now is being readied for the integration of a dual-satellite payload to be orbited on July 25.

The vehicle for this next Spaceport liftoff was transferred yesterday fr om the Spaceport's Launcher Integration Building – wh ere it underwent the basic build-up – to the Final Assembly Building, formally transferring authority for the Ariane 5 to Arianespace from industrial prime contractor Astrium.

Designated Flight VA214 in Arianespace's launcher family numbering system (signifying the 214th liftoff of an Ariane-series vehicle), the mission will mark the 70th launch of the workhorse Ariane 5 and is to loft the INSAT-3D meteorological satellite along with the Alphasat communications relay platform.

INSAT-3D was developed by India's space agency, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), and carries weather forecasting payloads along with a search and rescue relay system.  Its liftoff mass will be approximately 2,100 kg.

As part of the pre-launch checkout process, INSAT-3D underwent a test deployment of its solar panels in the Spaceport's clean room facilities – which is a typical checkout step performed by ISRO with its satellites once they are in French Guiana.

Riding as co-passenger on the upcoming Ariane 5 flight is Europe's Alphasat, which is ranked as one of the world's most sophisticated communications satellites.  Alphasat carries a new-generation advanced mobile L-band communications payload along with four technological demonstration payloads for the European Space Agency.

Built by Astrium as prime contractor, Alphasat will have a mass of more than six metric tons at launch, and is to be operated under an agreement between the European Space Agency and European commercial satellite operator Inmarsat.


Spaceport mission activity for Arianespace's Flight VA214 includes the transfer of Ariane 5 to its Final Assembly Building yesterday,


along with on-going checkout of the INSAT-3D satellite


and the Alphasat relay platform.

[che wi]

Так запуск 25-го или 26-го?