EUTELSAT W3B & BSAT 3b = Ariane 5 ECA (V197) – FRGUI – 28.10.10 21:51 UTC

[Salo]

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

Early September      Ariane 5  •  W3B &  BSAT 3b
Launch window: TBD
Launch site: ELA-3, Kourou, French Guiana

Arianespace Flight 197 will use an Ariane 5 rocket with a cryogenic upper stage to launch Eutelsat's W3B communications satellite to serve Europe, Africa and the Middle East and Japan's BSAT 3b satellite to broadcast high definition direct broadcasting television programming. [June 25]

[Salo]

http://www.arianespace.com/news-feature-story/2010/02-25-10-w3b-launch.asp

Eutelsat's W3B is on a fast track for launch by Ariane 5

February 25, 2010

Arianespace's ability to accommodate its customers' launch timing requirements is being demonstrated once again with the scheduling of Eutelsat's W3B telecommunications satellite for an Ariane 5 launch this August/September.


W3B will provide Eutelsat with significant new capacity for broadcasting, telecommunications and broadband services.

The newly-signed contract for this payload extends a highly successful 25-year cooperation with Eutelsat – as more than half of the telecommunications operator's satellite fleet has been orbited by Ariane launchers, and W3B will be the 25th satellite lofted by Arianespace.

"One of Arianespace's priorities is meeting the critical mission timing needs of our customers, and we appreciate Eutelsat's confidence in entrusting us with its latest satellite for a fast-track launch," said Arianespace Chairman & CEO Jean-Yves Le Gall.  "Eutelsat is one of the world's largest telecommunications satellite operators, and its latest agreement to launch W3B with us confirms the capabilities of Arianespace's Service & Solutions offer in the global launch services marketplace."

The W3B satellite is being built by Thales Alenia Space, and is based on the manufacturer's Spacebus 4000 platform.  With a liftoff mass of 5,400 kg., it will offer significant flexibility in providing a wide range of services, notably TV broadcasting to professional data networks.

Arianespace's mission with W3B will be part of a busy 2010 launch schedule, which targets a total of seven Ariane 5 missions, along with the initial medium-lift Soyuz launches from the Spaceport in French Guiana and the anticipated first flight of the lightweight Vega.  

[Salo]

http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=25217

B-SAT Awards Lockheed Martin Contract for BSAT-3b Satellite
 
PRESS RELEASE
Date Released: Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Source: Lockheed Martin Corporation

Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) has been awarded a contract by the Broadcasting Satellite System Corporation (B-SAT) of Japan to build its next geostationary telecommunications satellite. Designated BSAT-3b, the satellite will provide high-definition (HD) direct broadcast services throughout Japan following its scheduled launch the third quarter of 2010 aboard an Arianespace launch vehicle.

BSAT-3b will be the second consecutive satellite order B-SAT has awarded to Lockheed Martin. Lockheed Martin successfully built and launched BSAT-3a in August 2007. BSAT-3b will comprise 12 130 W Ku-band channels (8 operating at one time) and will be located at 110 degrees East longitude. With a design life of 15 years, BSAT-3b is based on the A2100A platform manufactured by Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems (LMCSS), Newtown, Pa. BSAT-3b also marks the 13th Lockheed Martin satellite ordered in the 1- to 4-kW class satellite range.

"The Lockheed Martin team is extremely gratified by the continuing support of B-SAT," said LMCSS Vice President and General Manager Marshall Byrd. "This contract award for the design and construction of BSAT-3b reaffirms our solid relationship with our valued customer, B-SAT. The A2100 team is dedicated and focused on producing a highly reliable spacecraft for B-SAT."

"We have been very pleased with the performance of the BSAT-3a spacecraft, and are pleased to once again procure another highly reliable spacecraft from LMCSS," said B-SAT President & CEO Kazuo Takenaka. "We believe that the LMCSS team will provide us with the same enthusiasm and dedication for BSAT-3b that it showed us in the manufacture of BSAT-3a. It is our strong expectation that BSAT-3b will be a perfect satellite at handover, and that it will fully perform its mission throughout its design life."

The Lockheed Martin A2100 geosynchronous spacecraft series is designed to meet a wide variety of telecommunications needs including Ka-band broadband and broadcast services, fixed satellite services in C-band and Ku-band, high- power direct broadcast services using the Ku-band frequency spectrum and mobile satellite services using UHF, L-band, and S-band payloads. The A2100's modular design features a reduction in parts, simplified construction, increased on-orbit reliability and reduced weight and cost.

The A2100 spacecraft design accommodates a large range of payloads. This design modularity enables the A2100 spacecraft to be configured for a wide variety of missions in addition to communication. The A2100 serves as the platform for critical Lockheed Martin government communications programs such as the Advanced Extremely High Frequency program and Mobile User Objective System.

The A2100 platform design has been adapted for geostationary earth orbit (GEO)-based earth observing missions and is currently baselined for Lockheed Martin's Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite Series-R (GOES-R) proposal. The A2100 platform also is the foundation for Lockheed Martin's Transformational Satellite Communications System (TSAT) offering for the U.S. Government.

About B-SAT

B-SAT is a unique operator of broadcasting satellites in 12GHz BSS band in Japan. The company was established in April 1993 and is located in Tokyo, Japan. Since then, B-SAT has worked toward providing stable satellite operations and continuity of broadcast services. B-SAT currently owns and manages five satellites, BSAT-1a and-1b for analogue services, BSAT-2a and -2c for digital services and BSAT-3a for both analogue and digital services.

[Salo]

http://www.arianespace.com/news-mission-update/2010/715.asp

Basic assembly is completed for the next Ariane 5 to be launched in 2010

August 4, 2010 – Ariane Flight V197


Ariane 5's upper composite (which consists of its ESC-A cryogenic upper stage and vehicle equipment bay) is installed on the heavy-lift vehicle inside the Launcher Integration Building.

The fourth Ariane 5 for launch in 2010 has finished its initial build-up, as preparations move forward for another of Arianespace's trademark dual-payload missions from the Spaceport in French Guiana.

During activity inside the Spaceport's Launcher Integration Building, the assembly milestone was achieved this week with installation of the ESC-A cryogenic upper stage and vehicle equipment bay – which were fitted on the heavy-lift vehicle as a single unit.

The combined integration step is part of a streamlining introduced in Ariane 5's build-up process to optimize the preparation workflow and support Arianespace's flight rate.

Once final check-out steps are completed, this Ariane 5 ECA will be ready for transfer to the Final Assembly Building at the Spaceport – where it will receive its dual-satellite payload of Eutelsat's W3B and the BSAT-3b spacecraft for B-SAT Corporation.

The Final Assembly Building is now able to accommodate this launcher following yesterday's rollout of the third Ariane 5 in 2010 – which successfully orbited the NILESAT 201 and RASCOM-QAF1R spacecraft today.

Liftoff of the Ariane 5 with W3B and BSAT-3b is scheduled for September 15.

[Salo]

Ходят слухи http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=22124.msg629457#msg629457 что пуск может уйти вправо на несколько недель из-за проблем с W3B.

[Salo]

Ушли вправо на октябрь:
http://www.aeroplans.fr/Europespace/ariane5-vol197-lourd-retard.html

[Salo]

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

Oct. 28     Ariane 5  •  W3B &  BSAT 3b
Launch window: TBD
Launch site: ELA-3, Kourou, French Guiana

Arianespace Flight 197 will use an Ariane 5 rocket with a cryogenic upper stage to launch Eutelsat's W3B communications satellite to serve Europe, Africa and the Middle East and Japan's BSAT 3b satellite to provide high definition direct broadcasting television programming. Delayed from Sept. 15 due to issue on W3B payload. [Sept. 8]

[Salo]

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=6114.msg642917#msg642917

28 October - Eutelsat W3B & BSAT-3b - Ariane 5 ECA (V197) - 21:51-23:17 UTC

[Pol]

http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=31771


Eutelsat W3B Satellite on Track for October 28 Ariane Launch
Source: EUTELSAT Posted Monday, October 4, 2010

The W3B satellite of Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL) was flown into French Guiana on September 30 and has been transferred to the Guiana Space Centre to be readied for launch by Arianespace on October 28. Lift-off of the Ariane 5 ECA launch vehicle is scheduled for October 28 in a launch window opening at 21.51 to 23.17 GMT (23.51 to 01.17 CET).

Built by Thales Alenia Space, and weighing in at 5.4 tonnes, Eutelsat's new satellite will be located at 16 degrees East to renew and expand resources at a longstanding orbital position that reaches out to some of the most dynamic markets in the satellite business.

In addition to providing increased capacity for rapidly-expanding video platforms in Central Europe and Indian Ocean islands, W3B will initiate a new mission at 16 degrees East, with bandwidth and coverage for telecom operators and Internet Service Providers in Africa to meet sustained demand for enterprise networks and GSM connectivity.

Scheduled to enter service at 16degrees East in December this year, the satellite will replace Eutelsat's EUROBIRD(TM) 16, W2M and SESAT 1 satellites which will all subsequently be redeployed to alternative positions.

W3B's 56 transponders will be connected to four distinct footprints:

- A high-power footprint of Central Europe for Direct-to-Home broadcasting;

- A widebeam spanning Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia for professional video links and data networks;

- A high-power beam over Madagascar and Indian Ocean Islands for DTH broadcasting;

- A beam sweeping across Sub-Saharan Africa and Indian Ocean islands for regional telecoms and Internet services. Interconnectivity with Europe will also be possible via a combination of Ka-band frequencies in Europe and Ku-band frequencies in Africa.

The satellite's launch marks the latest step in Eutelsat's far-reaching investment programme of seven satellites (W3B, KA-SAT, W3C, ATLANTIC BIRD(TM) 7, W5A, W6A, EUROBIRD(TM) 2) to be launched by early 2013 to expand, renew and secure the Group's in-orbit resources.

W3B vital statistics




    Platform:                           Thales Alenia Space Spacebus 4000

    Dimensions:
    Height:                              5.8 m
    Length:                              2.0 m
    Width:                               2.2 m
    Width with solar panels deployed:    34 m
    Mass at launch:                      5.4 tonnes
    Power at end-of-life:                12 kW
    Operational life:                    15 years +
    Orbital position:                    16 degrees East


About Eutelsat Communications

Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL, ISIN code: FR0010221234) is the holding company of Eutelsat S.A.. With capacity commercialised on 26 satellites that provide coverage over the entire European continent, as well as the Middle East, Africa, India and significant parts of Asia and the Americas, Eutelsat is one of the world's three leading satellite operators in terms of revenues. At 30 June 2010, Eutelsat's satellites were broadcasting more than 3,600 television channels. More than 1,100 channels broadcast via its HOT BIRD(TM) video neighbourhood at 13 degrees East which serves over 120 million cable and satellite homes in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. The Group's satellites also serve a wide range of fixed and mobile telecommunications services, TV contribution markets, corporate networks, and broadband markets for Internet Service Providers and for transport, maritime and in-flight markets. Eutelsat's broadband subsidiary, Skylogic, markets and operates access to high speed internet services through teleports in France and Italy that serve enterprises, local communities, government agencies and aid organisations in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas. Headquartered in Paris, Eutelsat and its subsidiaries employ nearly 661 commercial, technical and operational employees from 28 countries. http://www.eutelsat.com

[Salo]

http://www.lockheedmartin.com/news/press_releases/2010/1026_ss_bsat.html

Lockheed Martin-Built BSAT-3b Satellite Ready for Launch for the Broadcasting Satellite System Corporation of Japan
[/size]
26-Oct-2010 10:05 AM

NEWTOWN, Pa., Oct 26, 2010 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- The BSAT-3b broadcasting satellite, designed and built by Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) for the Broadcasting Satellite System Corporation (B-SAT) of Japan, is ready for liftoff on Oct. 28 aboard an Ariane 5-ECA launch vehicle provided by Arianespace. The launch window opens at 5:51 p.m. ET and closes at 7:01 p.m. ET.

BSAT-3b features 12 130 W Ku-band channels, eight operating simultaneously, and will be located at 110 degrees East longitude. With a design life of 15 years, BSAT-3b is based on the A2100A platform manufactured by Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems (LMCSS), Newtown, Pa. BSAT-3b marks the 12th Lockheed Martin A2100 satellite launched in the 1- to 4-kW class satellite range. The satellite is comprised entirely of equipment based on proven A2100 designs and flight heritage, enhancing reliability on orbit. Lockheed Martin successfully built and launched BSAT-3a for B-SAT in August 2007 and is currently constructing BSAT-3c/JCSAT-110R, which is scheduled for launch in the second quarter of 2011.

BSAT-3b will be the 37th commercial communications satellite based on the A2100 platform delivered to customers world-wide. All 36 A2100 spacecraft successfully launched are operational and continue to perform their missions.

The Lockheed Martin A2100 geosynchronous spacecraft series is designed to meet a wide variety of telecommunications needs including Ka-band broadband and broadcast services, fixed satellite services in C-band and Ku-band, high-power direct broadcast services using the Ku-band frequency spectrum and mobile satellite services using UHF, L-band, and S-band payloads. The A2100's modular design features simplified construction, increased on-orbit reliability and reduced weight and cost. The A2100 design accommodates a large range of communication payloads and serves as the platform for critical government communications programs, including the Advanced Extremely High Frequency and Mobile User Objective System satellites.

The A2100 spacecraft can also be configured for missions other than communication. It has been adapted for Lockheed Martin's Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite Series-R earth observing mission and serves as the spacecraft platform for Lockheed Martin's GPS III program.

About B-SAT

B-SAT is a unique operator of broadcasting satellites in 12GHz BSS band in Japan. The company was established in April 1993 and is located in Tokyo, Japan. Since then, B-SAT has worked toward providing stable satellite operations and continuity of broadcast services. B-SAT currently owns and manages four satellites: BSAT-3a for both analogue and digital services, BSAT-2a for analog services, BSAT-2c for digital services, and BSAT-1b for a backup satellite.

[Старый]

Б-саты - традиционно самые маленькие геостационарные спутники связи.

[Salo]

http://www.arianespace.com/news-mission-update/2010/730.asp

October 26, 2010 – Ariane Flight 197

Arianespace's fourth Ariane 5 flight of 2010 has been approved for its October 28 liftoff following today's launch readiness review, performed at the Spaceport in French Guiana.

This traditional milestone prior to each Ariane 5 mission validated the heavy-lift launch vehicle's status, along with its W3B and BSAT-3b satellite payloads, the infrastructure at Europe's Spaceport and the network of downrange tracking stations.

The readiness review clears Ariane 5 for tomorrow's transfer from the Spaceport's Final Assembly Building to the ELA-3 launch zone, followed by a final countdown leading to liftoff during a two-hour launch window that opens on October 28 at 6:51 p.m. local time in French Guiana.

Ariane 5's payload lift performance for this latest mission is 8,263 kg., which includes a combined total of approximately 7,460 kg. for the W3B and BSAT-3b spacecraft, plus the launch vehicle's dual-passenger dispenser system and satellite integration hardware

Launch kit:
http://www.arianespace.com/images/launch-kits/launch-kit-pdf-eng/W3B-BSAT3b-GB.pdf

Постер:
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=22124.0;attach=249309

Стикер:
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=22124.0;attach=249311

[Salo]

http://www.arianespace.com/news-mission-update/2010/731.asp

Ariane 5 rolls out for its launch with the W3B and BSAT-3b satellites[/size]

October 27, 2010 - Ariane Flight 197

The heavy-lift Ariane 5 completes its rollout – approaching the Spaceport's ELA-3 launch zone at left, where it was locked in position for tomorrow's liftoff with the W3B and BSAT-3b satellites.

The Ariane 5 for Arianespace's next mission has moved to the launch pad at Europe's Spaceport, readying it for tomorrow's liftoff with a dual payload of telecommunications satellites for Europe and Japan.

Emerging under clear French Guiana skies at 10:45 a.m. local time today, the heavy-lift Ariane 5 ECA was transferred during a one-hour process from the Spaceport's Final Assembly Building to the launch zone.

Preparations now are underway for tomorrow's final countdown, which will lead to liftoff during a launch window that opens at 6:51 p.m. local time and continues to 8:01 p.m.

Ariane 5's payload lift performance for this mission is a total of 8,263 kg., which includes a mass of approximately 7,460 kg. for its satellite passengers, along with the associated integration hardware and the launcher's SYLDA multi-payload dispenser system.

Riding as the upper passenger in Ariane 5's payload "stack" is Eutelsat's W3B, which will be released at just over 28 minutes into the flight.  This Thales Alenia Space-built telecommunications spacecraft weighs approximately 5.4 metric tons and carries 56 transponders.

To be located at an orbital position of 16 deg. East, W3B will renew and expand resources at a slot that reaches some of the most dynamic markets in the satellite business.

The 2,060-kg. BSAT-3b spacecraft – which was manufactured by Lockheed Martin Commercial Systems for Japan's B-SAT Corporation – will be deployed from Ariane 5's lower passenger position at approximately 38 minutes into the flight. It is to provide direct television broadcast services from an orbital slot of 110 deg. East.

Tomorrow's mission is designated 197, signifying the 197th launch of an Ariane family vehicle since 1979.

The October 28 mission also will be Ariane 5's fourth flight of 2010, which follows three previous dual-payload launches: Arianespace's August 4 flight with RASCOM-QAF 1R and NILESAT 201; the June 26 mission that orbited the Arabsat-5A and COMS spacecraft, and the May 21 launch with ASTRA 3B and COMSATBw-2.

[Salo]

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

[Salo]

Улетела! :wink:

[Salo]

Есть отделение первой ступени!

[Salo]

Сброс ГО.

[Alex D]

Оба спутника отделились.

[Salo]

Аплодисменты! :wink:

[LRV_75]

Поздравляем и французских товарищей ))

[Salo]

http://www.arianespace.com/news-mission-update/2010/732.asp

Ariane 5's latest success: W3B and BSAT-3b are orbited on the fourth Arianespace heavy-lift mission of 2010[/size]

October 28, 2010 – Ariane Flight 197

The fourth Ariane 5 mission of 2010 successfully delivered two telecommunications satellites to geostationary transfer orbit today, marking the 53rd flight for Arianespace's heavy-lift workhorse and its 39th consecutive success.


Ariane 5 makes an on-time liftoff from the ELA-3 launch zone with its dual payload of the W3B and BSAT-3b satellites.

Lifting off on time at 6:51 p.m. from the Spaceport's ELA-3 launch zone in French Guiana, the Ariane 5 deployed its W3B and BSAT-3b passengers during a flight lasting just under 38 minutes.  The launcher's payload lift performance was approximately 8,260 kg., which included a combined 7,460 kg. mass for the two satellites, along with Ariane 5's SYLDA 5 multi-payload dispenser system and associated integration hardware.

"With this evening's success, we already have launched eight large telecommunications satellites since the beginning of 2010, which is more than all of our competitors combined," said Arianespace Chairman & CEO Jean-Yves Le Gall. "This follows our Soyuz mission last week, performed from Baikonur by our friends at Starsem, which orbited six constellation satellites – all of which shows the relevance, efficiency and availability of our launcher family."

Ariane 5 delivered another highly accurate performance in tonight's mission, with the following provisional orbital parameters at the injection of its cryogenic upper stage:
- Perigee: 249.2 km. for a target of 249.3 km.
- Apogee: 35,907 km. for a target of 35,911 km.
- Inclination:  2.00 deg. for a target of 2.00 deg.

The 5,370-kg. W3B satellite for Eutelsat was deployed on tonight's Ariane 5 flight was deployed at 28 minutes into the mission, marking a new step in Arianespace's uninterrupted relationship with Europe's leading satellite operator, which has spanned more than 25 years.

W3B is the 25th Eutelsat satellite orbited by Arianespace, and it will offer significant flexibility for a wide range of services from TV broadcasting to professional data networks and broadband access.

Based on Thales Alenia Space's 4000 spacecraft platform, W3B will have a coverage area over Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands, with an operational design lifetime of 15 years.  It initially will be located at 16 deg. East, followed by a move to an orbital slot of 7 deg. East for collocation with Eutelsat's W3A satellite.

The BSAT-3b satellite launched by Arianespace today was lofted for Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems on behalf of Japan's B-SAT Corporation.  This was the seventh B-SAT spacecraft orbited by Arianespace.  Manufactured using Lockheed Martin's A2100 A platform, the 2,060-kg. relay satellite is fitted with 12 130-watt Ku-band channels – with eight operating at a time.  B-SAT will deliver direct-to-home television programming to Japan during its planned 15-year-plus lifetime.

"Japan is one of the major partners of our company," explained Le Gall.  "Out of a total of 36 Japanese satellites open to competition for launch services, we have signed 27 of the contracts.  And for the past several years, we have won 100 percent of the market – which really is quite significant."

The next Ariane 5 mission is set for November 25 with another heavy-lift launch, carrying the Intelsat 17 and HYLAS 1 satellites. It will be followed by one additional mission of this workhorse vehicle before the end of 2010.

[Salo]

http://www.arianespace.com/news-press-release/2010/10-28-2010-v197-launch-success.asp

Flight 197: Arianespace orbits satellites for Eutelsat and B-SAT[/size]

Kourou, October 28, 2010

On Thursday, October 28, Arianespace orbited two communications satellites: W3B for the European operator Eutelsat, and BSAT-3b for the American manufacturer Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems (LMCSS), as part of a turnkey contract with Japanese operator Broadcasting Satellite System Corporation (B-SAT).

53rd Ariane 5 launch, 39th success in a row

This latest successful launch of Ariane 5, the fourth in 2010, once again proves the launcher's operational capabilities. Ariane 5 is the only commercial satellite launcher now on the market capable of simultaneously launching two payloads and handling a complete range of missions, from commercial launches into geostationary orbit to scientific satellites boosted into special orbits.

The 53rd launch of an Ariane 5, and 39th successful mission in a row, clearly demonstrate the launcher's reliability and availability. Arianespace's launch service & solutions continue to set the global standard and guarantee independent access to space for all customers, including national and international space agencies, private firms and governments.

With the launch this evening, Arianespace has now orbited eight commercial geostationary communications satellites out of the total of 14 launched since the beginning of the year, giving it over half of the market. Last week Arianespace and Starsem orbited six satellites for the Globalstar-2 constellation, using a Soyuz launch vehicle from the Baikonur Cosmodrome.

Long-standing customers

Arianespace and Eutelsat have built a very fruitful, uninterrupted relationship for more than 25 years, with the European launcher orbiting over half of Eutelsat's fleet. W3B is the 25th Eutelsat satellite launched by Arianespace.

Out of a total of 36 launch contracts open to competition in Japan, Arianespace has signed 27, with a 100% market share over the last few years. BSAT-3b is the seventh satellite for which B-SAT Corp. has chosen Ariane, and the 40th Lockheed Martin-built platform to be launched by Arianespace. The Arianespace order book still has two more Japanese satellites to be launched.

Confidence, responsiveness, quality and timeliness

Following this latest successful mission, Arianespace Chairman and CEO Jean-Yves Le Gall said: "With this superb launch, I would like to tell our friends Giuliano Berretta and Michel de Rosen for W3B, and Joe Rickers and Kazuo Takenaka for BSAT-3b, how much I appreciate their continued confidence in us. I would also like to pay tribute to everybody who has contributed to this success: the member-states of ESA, whom I would like to thank for supporting the launcher sector, and for their responsiveness in setting up Ariane production support programs. All of our industrial partners who produce the launcher, whom I would like to congratulate for their efforts in guaranteeing the quality of their products and ensuring perfect launches, enabling us to meet our customers' expectations. And CNES' teams, in France and at the Guiana Space Center, plus Arianespace's own operations team, whose skill, commitment and professionalism guarantee successful, on-time launches.

W3B/BSAT-3b 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 Thursday, October 28, 2010 at 6:51 pm local time in Kourou (5:51 pm in Washington, D.C., 21:51 UT, 11:51 pm in Paris, and on Friday, October 29, at 6:51 am in Tokyo).

The W3B satellite was built by Thales Alenia Space as prime contractor, using a Spacebus 4000 C3 platform. It weighed 5,400 kg at launch. W3B is equipped with 53 active Ku-band transponders and three Ka-band transponders. Offering a design life of 15 years, it will enhance operational security for customers using "W" series satellites in various orbital positions, particularly at 16 degrees East.

BSAT-3b was built by Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems in Newtown, Pennsylvania, using an A2100 A platform. Weighing 2,060 kg at launch, it will be positioned at 110 degrees East in geostationary orbit, and offers a design life exceeding 15 years. BSAT-3b is fitted with eight 130 Watt Ku-band transponders, and is primarily designed to provide direct TV broadcast links for all of Japan.

[Новый]

Из-за отказа апогейной двигетельной установки W3B потерян.

[LRV_75]

фигасе.
Подробности?

[Alex D]

http://www.eutelsat.com/news/compress/en/2010/pdf/PR4810W3Bloss-post-launch.pdf

EUTELSAT STATEMENT ON LOSS OF W3B SATELLITE

Paris, 29 October 2010

Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL) announces the loss of the W3B satellite
following an anomaly which was detected on the satellite's propulsion subsystem after its
launch by an Ariane 5 rocket.

W3B was scheduled to be located at 16° East to replace Eutelsat's EUROBIRD™ 16, W2M
and SESAT 1 satellites. With the loss of W3B, the three satellites will now remain in full
service at 16° East until the arrival of W3C, whose launch is on track for mid-2011. Eutelsat
will also immediately initiate a new satellite programme, called W3D, for a planned launch in
the first quarter of 2013.

Michel de Rosen, CEO of Eutelsat Communications, commented: "The loss of W3B is a
disappointment for Eutelsat and for our customers. We share it with our partners, in particular
Thales Alenia Space and with the insurance community. Our attention is now focused on
delivering the W3C satellite to 16° East in mid-2011 and on initiating a new programme to
compensate for this loss."

Eutelsat is fully insured for the investment in W3B, which guarantees that the Group does not
incur any direct financial loss. The non-availability of W3B does not change the financial
guidance issued by the company on 30 July 2010.

Подробностей пока нет, но вероятно отказ всего двигательного комплекса. Иначе бы или дотянули на двигателях ориентации, либо утопили ими же. Впрочем, перигей и так низкий, но сход будет тогда неконтролируемый.

Пуск был полностью застрахован, объявлено о создании W3D с запуском в 2013-м.

[Tiger]

А на чём и когда полетит W3C?

[Alex D]

А на чём и когда полетит W3C?

Выше же в релизе всё написано - в середине 2011-го, очевидно тоже на Ариане-5. Планировался на 7E, но теперь очевидно встанет на 13E.

Я правда не знаю, там Eutelsat вроде что-то на китайце отправить должен, ну и KA-SAT скоро на Протоне.

[Новый]

С учетом стоимости проекта, это самая большая космическая потеря  за последние лет десять.  Спутник с запуском стоил треть ярда.  :cry:

[Старый]

С учетом стоимости проекта, это самая большая космическая потеря  за последние лет десять.  Спутник с запуском стоил треть ярда.  :cry:

В смысле в беспилотной космонавтике? Бо есть ещё Колумбия...

[Новый]

В смысле коммерческого космоса.

[Aleksandras]

Скорее всего KA-SAT уйдёт вправо :?: . Одна платформа ведь-Spacebus 4000 C3

[Новый]

Если окажется, что виноват Ариан-5 (повышенные вибро/акустические нарузки, ударное воздействие при раскрытии ГО и т.д.), тогда может и не-.

Кстати, именно на этой платформе TASом будет изготовлен «Ямал-402» для ГКС.

[Aleksandras]

Gunter на своём сайте http://www.skyrocket.de/space/doc_sat/aeosp_spacebus-c-class.htm уже написал причину: Oxydizer leak after launch

[pragmatik]

Gunter на своём сайте http://www.skyrocket.de/space/doc_sat/aeosp_spacebus-c-class.htm уже написал причину: Oxydizer leak after launch

А почему произошла утечка? на сайте так и не понял.
Но судя по инфе из форумов и домыслам, виноват ариан.

[VSATman]

Скорее всего KA-SAT уйдёт вправо :?: . Одна платформа ведь-Spacebus 4000 C3

ВЫ не правы у КаСата другой производитель и другая платформа - гляньте у Гюньера или на ВИКи..

[VSATman]

Если окажется, что виноват Ариан-5 (повышенные вибро/Кстати, именно на этой платформе TASом будет изготовлен «Ямал-402» для ГКС.

ИМХО Вы не правы. Ямалы-400 пойдут на Протонах. Соответственно без Апогейного двигетеля, а на Бризах (или ДМ). т.е.данной проблемы, что у 3В там точно не будет..

[VSATman]

Хороший вопрос :-) следующие месяца 3, а то и 6 куча яйцеголовых инженеров будут пытаться это понять, хотя бы с точностью 70% :-)

[WackiBacki]

Ямалы-400 пойдут на Протонах. Соответственно без Апогейного двигетеля

БУГОГА  :lol:  :lol:

На Протоне = без апогейного двигателя
АБАРЖАТЬСЯ, а все западные КА, которые запускаются Протоном на чем чешут с ГПО на ГСО?

[Aleksandras]

Да насчет платформы был неправ. Где-то у меня была инфа , что ДУ одинаковая на них.

[Alex D]

Себя же и поправлю, из таблички следует что именно W3C и полетит на китайце. И если я правильно понял, то из этой же таблички следует, что эта платформа впервые летела на Ариане. До этого успешно летала 5 раз на Протоне, 3 раза на Чанжен-3Б, и 1 раз на Зените. Выбор для W3C Чанженя-3Б тогда вполне понятен. С дебютной для этой платформы Арианой увы косяк вышел, но вероятно всё же не ракета виновата.

[Ярослав]

да, видать вибрации при старте были спутнику неприятны...

[VSATman]

а все западные КА, которые запускаются Протоном на чем чешут с ГПО на ГСО?

Да, похоже был не прав..но ведь совсем глупо получается - тащим на "целевую орбиту" 5000х36000 км 2 маршевых ЖРД + остатки топлива.. вместо одного..

[Salo]

http://www.spacenews.com/launch/101029-eutelsat-w3b-declared-total-loss.html

Fri, 29 October, 2010
Eutelsat W3B Declared Total Loss; Plans Under Way To Deorbit Craft[/size]
By Peter B. de Selding

PARIS — The Eutelsat W3B satellite launched Oct. 28 was declared a total loss following discovery of a sizable leak in its fuel reservoir and ground teams, as of late Oct. 29, were preparing a maneuver to send it into the atmosphere to be destroyed, Eutelsat and satellite builder Thales Alenia Space.

Starting Nov. 1, the 5,370-kilogram W3B will be guided toward an atmospheric re-entry, probably above the South Pacific Ocean, industry officials said. The procedure will likely force Eutelsat and Thales Alenia Space to work with regional maritime authorities to clear a corridor in the South Pacific for any W3B debris that might survive atmospheric re-entry.

W3B ground teams on Oct. 29 determined that the fuel leak aboard the satellite is so serious that it was not feasible to attempt to place the spacecraft in geostationary orbit, and then to push it into a graveyard orbit at least 250 kilometers above the geostationary arc 36,000 kilometers over the equator.

Europe's Ariane 5 ECA rocket, in what appeared to be a smooth flight, placed W3B into a transfer orbit with a perigee of 249.2 kilometers and an apogee of 35,907 kilometers, which was the satellite's intended destination.

From this transfer position, spacecraft use their own power to circularize their orbit in the days following launch to reach final geostationary position about 36,000 kilometers over the equator.

W3B ground teams spent much of the night of Oct. 28-29 debating whether it would be possible, or advisable, to conduct the series of firings of the satellite's on-board engine needed to raise the spacecraft into a graveyard orbit. That option was rejected later in the day Oct. 29 when the assessment of the extent of the fuel leak hit home.

What remained unknown as of late Oct. 29 was the cause of the leak. Emmanuel Grave, Thales Alenia Space executive vice president for telecommunications satellites, said the leak in the oxidizer tank is too large to have escaped notice as the satellite was being prepared for integration into the Ariane 5 rocket alongside Japan's BSat-3b satellite, which was launched at the same time and is reported in good health. That would suggest that the reservoir was somehow damaged after it was placed under the Ariane 5 ECA rocket's fairing.

Grave refused to speculate on what might have happened between that time and the moment W3B was released in orbit, saying a board of inquiry would be established to review the telemetry from W3B and from the Ariane 5 rocket.

Teams from Thales Alenia Space and Paris-based Eutelsat tracking the satellite after its separation from the Ariane 5 upper stage from a control center in Rambouillet, France, duly noted that it sent the expected signals once in orbit. But soon after, the satellite's telemetry also disclosed a leak in the propellant system that is so large that there is no hope of squeezing even a limited commercial life from W3B.

Grave said the priority now is to determine how best to dispose of W3B. From transfer orbit, the spacecraft is not within radio contact of ground teams for long periods. Decisions must be made as to how much fuel life is available, and whether that fuel should be used to raise W3B's perigee to provide a more-stable orbit, or guide it into a controlled destructive atmospheric re-entry, perhaps over the South Pacific Ocean.

Thales Alenia Space officials have experience in this type of maneuver, having been forced to send their Astra 1K satellite, owned by SES of Luxembourg, into the atmosphere after the malfunction of a Proton rocket upper stage in November 1995.

Grave declined to speculate on what caused the leak beyond saying it must have occurred after the launch. He said the components used are not new, and that nothing in the satellite's monthlong preparation at the French Guiana spaceport suggested an issue with the propellant reservoir.

An official with the Arianespace launch consortium said the company will be reviewing launch telemetry in detail but that, after a first view, the launch did not appear to encounter any special stresses as the rocket climbed through the atmosphere and sustained the usual period of maximum dynamic pressure on the vehicle.

In an Oct. 29 statement, Eutelsat said it will immediately order a new satellite, to be called W3D, as a result of the loss of W3B. The company will also keep at their current location at 16 degrees west the three satellites that W3B was intended to replace.

A nearly identical satellite, called W3C, is under construction at Thales Alenia Space and scheduled for launch, aboard a Chinese Long March rocket, in mid-2011.

W3B was insured as part of a $2.5 billion, seven-satellite package secured by Eutelsat in 2008. It is the second satellite in this group to suffer a major anomaly, following the W2M spacecraft, which had a solar array problem and is operating at reduced capacity.

Pending the results of the W3B failure investigation, the smooth countdown for the 39th consecutive Ariane 5 success makes it more likely that Evry, France-based Arianespace will be able to conduct the two next Ariane 5 missions as scheduled in late November and late December. Completing six flights before it closes its 2010 accounts is important for the company, whose financial equilibrium has been upset by launch delays of flights that have placed a seven-launch year beyond its reach.

W3B, a Spacebus 4000C3 satellite frame, carries 53 Ku- and three Ka-band transponders and was designed to produce more than 12 kilowatts of power at the end of its 15-year life. It was to have replaced the Eurobird 16, W2M and Sesat 1 satellites at the 16 degrees east slot. These three satellites then would have been redeployed to other locations.

In addition to serving Eutelsat's 11.2 million television homes in Central Europe, W3B's beams were to focus on Mauritius and Reunion islands in the Indian Ocean, and on sub-Saharan Africa. The African coverage was to provide cellular-telephone backhaul and Internet access.

W3B initially was intended for launch aboard a Chinese Long March vehicle. Eutelsat switched to Ariane, and transferred its Chinese launch reservation to another Eutelsat satellite, when a temporary shortage of certain made-in-Europe components raised questions about whether W3B as launched would be "ITAR-free," meaning devoid of U.S. parts prohibited for export to China.

The BSat-3b satellite, built by Lockheed Martin Space Systems, uses Lockheed Martin's A2100 satellite skeletal structure and an example of how light this satellite frame can get. BSat-3b weighed just 2,060 kilograms at launch and carries 12 130-watt Ku-band transponders. It will be added to BSat's fleet for direct-to-home television and operate at 110 degrees east.

[YAV]

Да, жалко птичку. Видел его в сборочном цехе Талеса, красивая машина была, даже позавидовал белой завистью, как его любовно собирали.

[Salo]

http://www.spacenews.com/satellite_telecom/101103-eutelsat-strong-growth-key-markets.html

In response to the failure, Eutelsat will be leaving in place the three satellites it has stationed at 16 degrees east to assure service until the W3C spacecraft, now under construction, is launched in mid-2011. A W3D satellite is expected to be ordered in the coming weeks as well.

[Salo]

http://www.spacenews.com/satellite_telecom/101105-failed-w3b-satellite-orbit-decades.html

Fri, 5 November, 2010
Eutelsat Will Not Attempt To Deorbit Failed W3B Satellite[/size]
By Peter B. de Selding

    PARIS — The Eutelsat W3B satellite declared a total loss less than 24 hours after its Oct. 28 launch because of a leak in its propulsion system will spend the next 20 to 30 years in its parking orbit following ground teams' inability to guide it into a controlled atmospheric re-entry, satellite manufacturer Thales Alenia Space said Nov. 5.

    The company said that it has rendered the satellite inert to the extent possible — emptying its helium pressurization tank and whatever fuel remains in liquid state and can be discharged, as well as draining its batteries — to minimize the likelihood that W3B explodes on contact with any orbital debris it may encounter in its elliptical orbit.

    The satellite, which weighed 5,370 kilograms at launch, developed a large leak in a line delivering oxidizer to the propellant tank at some point between lifting off aboard an Ariane 5 ECA rocket from Europe's Guiana Space Center in French Guiana, and when it was released into orbit.

    Japan's BSat-3b telecommunications satellite, which was a co-passenger on the launch, is healthy in orbit and showing no sign that anything was amiss either during the launch or during the satellites' separation, BSat-3b manufacturer Lockheed Martin Space Systems of Newtown, Pa., announced Nov. 4.

    The Arianespace launch consortium of Evry, France, said its analysis of telemetry data from the launch likewise has turned up no evidence of out-of-boundary vibrations during the rocket's climb through the atmosphere, or any issues during the satellites' release into their parking orbits.

    An Arianespace official said the company, conscious of the questions that its customers may have, has sent written assurances to the owners of satellites on upcoming Ariane 5 launches stating that Arianespace sees no reason to delay the next launch, scheduled for Nov. 25. That launch will carry the Intelsat 17 satellite for Washington- and Luxembourg-based Intelsat, and the Hylas-1 satellite for Avanti Communications of London.

    The Thales Alenia Space statement said a board of inquiry has been established to investigate what happened with W3B. The board includes the satellite's owner, Paris-based Eutelsat, prime contractor Thales Alenia Space, and propulsion system provider Astrium Satellites. Arianespace  also is taking part in the inquiry as an observer, mainly to provide telemetry from the launch.

    The inquiry is expected to last one month, but may be extended. A preliminary report is expected in mid-November.

    In the 24 hours following the launch, Thales Alenia Space and Eutelsat concluded that W3B did not have enough usable propellant to be guided into a graveyard orbit, generally defined as 200-300 kilometers higher than the satellite's intended operating position 36,000 kilometers above the equator.

    The Ariane 5 ECA rocket had dropped off W3B in the specified transfer orbit, with a perigee of 249.2 kilometers and an apogee of 35,907 kilometers. With an orbit-raising maneuver excluded, the manufacturer began designing a series of steps to guide the satellite into the atmosphere, preferably over the southern Pacific Ocean.

    But by Nov. 3 the ground controllers concluded that de-orbiting the satellite would not be possible  in light of a propulsion situation  even more desperate than previously  thought. The fuel had begun to freeze, and while the usual partial deployment of the solar arrays provided battery power, the satellite could not be moved.

    After performing the propellant purge and other passivation efforts to reduce debris risk, Thales Alenia Space and Eutelsat informed the North American Aerospace Defense Command that W3B should be considered an inert object.

    Thales Alenia Space estimated that the satellite's elliptical orbit, which was not substantially changed in the abortive attempt to achieve ignition, will keep W3B in space for between 20 and 30 years before the natural forces of gravity and the Earth's residual atmosphere pull it down. While there are not many satellites that have been stranded in this position, there are numerous rocket upper stages that are left there after launch.

[Salo]

http://www.spacenews.com/satellite_telecom/101124-eutelsat-searching-answers-w3b-failure.html

Wed, 24 November, 2010
Eutelsat Still Searching for Answers in W3B Failure[/size]
By Peter B. de Selding

PARIS — Eutelsat Chief Executive Michel de Rosen on Nov. 24 said he remains confident that investigators will find the cause of the propulsion-system failure on Eutelsat's W3B telecommunications satellite. But he conceded that, one month after the failure, the inquiry is still searching for a smoking gun.

"We are lucky in the sense that, unlike some other satellite failures, we have been able to isolate the problem in the propulsion system," de Rosen said here during the "Space Perspectives 2011" conference organized by Euroconsult and the French aerospace industries association, Gifas.

"The chief technical officer of Eutelsat is on the board of inquiry, as is the chief technical officer of Thales Alenia Space, the manufacturer. The board also includes the presence of Astrium, the builder of the propulsion system, and of Arianespace, the launch services provider, to provide [launch] metrics," he said. "I do believe there will be a clear explanation, but we need to let them work a little longer."

W3B developed a leak in its oxidizer tank that became so serious in the minutes after launch that the satellite could neither be raised into a proper retirement orbit nor sent on a guided descent into the Pacific Ocean. It is expected to spend several decades in the same highly elliptical transfer orbit in which it was left following separation from the Ariane 5 ECA rocket after launch.

In an interview, de Rosen said he has heard too many theories about what may have happened to W3B to believe any of them at this point. "We have got very good people on this board of inquiry and I will let them reach their conclusions."

Eutelsat is expected to receive a W3B total-loss insurance payment of about 245 million euros ($333 million) and is expected to sign a contract for a replacement satellite in the coming weeks. Whether Eutelsat will seek a new procurement with competitive bids, or ask Thales Alenia Space to provide a W3B twin, is not known.

Paris-based Eutelsat has asked Thales Alenia Space to speed production, to the extent possible, of the similar W3C satellite that is scheduled for launch in 2011 aboard a Chinese Long March rocket.

Eutelsat, which is the world's third-largest commercial satellite fleet operator when ranked by revenue and also one of the industry's most profitable companies, is scheduled to launch its first all-Ka-band broadband satellite in mid-December aboard an International Launch Services Proton rocket from Russia's Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

During the conference, de Rosen and Ferdinand Kayser, chief executive of the SES Astra division of fleet operator SES of Luxembourg, debated whether Eutelsat has made a gamble with Ka-Sat that it may regret.

"Questions remain open on Ka-band," Kayser said in outlining why SES, which is using conventional Ku-band for its European consumer broadband service, has declined to build its own Ka-band satellite. Ka-band's principal advantage over Ku-band is that, being little used, there is much more bandwidth available for the moment. Eutelsat's Ka-Sat will generate some 70 gigabits per second of throughput.

"We are in the business of operating satellites that last for 15 years in orbit," Kayser said. "We must be able to prove to our shareholders that these will be profitable each time we launch. We have been more prudent, or less courageous perhaps, than our competitor Eutelsat."

De Rosen retorted immediately: "That's interesting, we think it's you who are the most audacious, or courageous, by investing in a Ka-band constellation. It's called O3B is it not?"

O3B is a startup operator based in Britain's Channel Islands that is planning a constellation of 20 medium-orbit satellites delivering Ka-band to telecommunications operators and corporate networks in the developing world. The company, now managed by SES's former chief financial officer, Mark Rigolle, is said to be close to closing a financial package of $1.1 billion to build and launch the satellites with the backing of France's export-credit agency, Coface.

SES has distributed Ka-band capacity over several of its satellites now in construction and has said it is ready to switch its consumer broadband service to Ka-band when necessary. But it has declined to take the risk of a large, all-Ka-band spacecraft.

Once Ka-Sat is launched and in operation, de Rosen said, Eutelsat will proceed cautiously with commercialization with its 68 distribution partners throughout Europe. He declined to say how heavily the Ka-Sat business model will lean on prospective military sales, including Ka-band links to high-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicles, but conceded that this is part of the business plan.

Eutelsat, de Rosen said, will let Ka-Sat operate for about a year before deciding whether to order a backup Ka-band satellite.

[интересующийся]

http://www.lockheedmartin.com/news/press_releases/2010/1207-ss-bsat.html

Lockheed Martin-Built BSAT-3b Satellite Begins Service for Broadcasting Satellite System Corporation of Japan

NEWTOWN, Pa., December 8th, 2010 -- – The BSAT-3b broadcasting satellite, designed and built by Lockheed Martin [NYSE] for the Broadcasting Satellite System Corporation (B-SAT) of Japan, is now operational following successful on-orbit deployment and checkout of all spacecraft systems. The spacecraft is located at orbital location 110 degrees east and is expected to provide more than 15 years of service for B-SAT.

BSAT-3b features 12 130 W Ku-band channels, eight operating simultaneously and is based on the A2100A platform manufactured by Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems (LMCSS), Newtown, Pa. The satellite broadcasts high-definition television to homes and businesses throughout Japan and links ground stations with 90 million HDTV terminals across the country.

"I am very pleased that LMCSS has delivered the perfect satellite to B-SAT again," said B-SAT President and CEO Kazuo Takenaka. "B-SAT expects high reliability from BSAT-3b, which will support digital broadcasting service in Japan in conjunction with BSAT-3a."

"The successful handover of BSAT-3b to B-SAT is the culmination of extraordinary teamwork and program performance," said LMCSS President Joseph Rickers. "BSAT-3b will be a tremendous asset to B-SAT's spacecraft fleet, and I commend both B-SAT and Lockheed Martin for this achievement."

"Lockheed Martin is particularly proud of the A2100's impressive track record," continued Rickers. "BSAT-3b represents the 37th commercial communications satellite based on the A2100 platform delivered to customers world-wide and is another example of the value of A2100 and Lockheed Martin."

BSAT-3b was based entirely on proven A2100 designs and extensive flight heritage, enhancing reliability on orbit. Lockheed Martin successfully built and launched BSAT-3a for B-SAT in August 2007 and is currently constructing BSAT-3c/JCSAT-110R, which is scheduled for launch in the second quarter of 2011.

The Lockheed Martin A2100 geosynchronous spacecraft series is designed to meet a wide variety of telecommunications needs including Ka-band broadband and broadcast services, fixed satellite services in C-band and Ku-band, high-power direct broadcast services using the Ku-band frequency spectrum and mobile satellite services using UHF, L-band, and S-band payloads. The A2100's modular design features simplified construction, increased on-orbit reliability and reduced weight and cost. The A2100 design accommodates a large range of communication payloads and serves as the platform for critical government communications programs, including the Advanced Extremely High Frequency and Mobile User Objective System satellites.

The A2100 spacecraft can also be configured for missions other than communication. It has been adapted for Lockheed Martin's Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite Series-R earth observing mission and serves as the spacecraft platform for Lockheed Martin's GPS III program.

 

About B-SAT

B-SAT is a unique operator of broadcasting satellites in 12GHz BSS band in Japan. The company was established in April 1993 and is located in Tokyo, Japan. Since then, B-SAT has worked toward providing stable satellite operations and continuity of broadcast services. B-SAT currently owns and manages five satellites: BSAT-3b and BSAT-3a for both analogue and digital services, BSAT-2a for analog services, BSAT-2c for digital services, and BSAT-1b for a backup satellite.

[Pol]

http://satellite.tmcnet.com/topics/satellite/articles/124584-thales-alenia-space-build-w3d-satellite-eutelsat-communications.htm

December 08, 2010Thales Alenia Space to Build W3D Satellite for Eutelsat Communications

Eutelsat Communications, a satellite operator, has contracted Thales (News - Alert) Alenia Space to build it a W3D satellite that will replace the W3B spacecraft lost after its launch on Oct. 28.

W3D will be co-positioned with Eutelsat's (News - Alert) W3A satellite at 7 degrees East to expand operational capacity at this longstanding location to 70 transponders from 44. It is built on Thales' Spacebus 4000 platform. Eutelsat customers with the new satellite will be receiving additional capabilities to expand their business, and the company will be able to increase in-orbit security and inject new capacity to 7degrees East to capture business opportunities in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Central Asia.

According to the company, the W3D satellite features 56 Ku and Ka-band transponders and is supposed to deliver three key coverage zones: high-power Ku-band coverage of Europe with a beam centered over Central Europe and Turkey, particularly optimized for direct-to-home (DTH) reception. The satellite can offer extensive coverage across Europe, North Africa and the Middle East as far as Central Asia, via a Ku-band beam for professional video links and data networks and Ku-band coverage of Sub-Saharan Africa and Indian Ocean islands for regional telecommunications and Internet services. Ka-band frequencies in Europe and Ku-band frequencies in Africa will be blended to interconnect the African coverage with Europe.

Officials with Eutelsat explained that working in close collaboration with the industry, they are now pushing ahead with timely delivery of W3C (News - Alert) to 16degrees East in mid-2011 and has started the clock on the W3D program, which will be completed in 24 months. The company's clear objective is to apply to both programs all appropriate recommendations of the Inquiry Board currently investigating the loss of W3B. Even as the Inquiry Board continues its work, Eutelsat is already implementing measures to tighten control of the industry's manufacturing processes.

[Salo]

http://www.spacenews.com/satellite_telecom/20110318-w3b-failure-misaligned-propellant-tube.html

Fri, 18 March, 2011
Panel Blames W3B Failure on Misaligned Propellant Tube[/size]
By Peter B. de Selding

    W3B satellite being prepared for launch. Credit: Arianespace photo
        W3B satellite being prepared for launch. Credit: Arianespace photo Enlarge Image

    WASHINGTON — A four-month investigation into the loss of Eutelsat's W3B telecommunications satellite less than 24 hours after launch last October has concluded that the failure was caused by a sudden, catastrophic leak in a single propellant tube connected to one of the satellite's 16 thruster motors, industry officials said.

    Conclusions about what happened on a satellite that cannot be recovered are never 100 percent certain, especially in a case like W3B, which represented one of the more mysterious losses in recent years.

    "I've never seen anything like it," Eutelsat Chief Technical Officer David Bair said during a March 16 briefing here during the Satellite 2011 conference.

    Bair said Eutelsat is nonetheless satisfied that the board of inquiry looking into what happened to W3B has solved the mystery and that the satellite manufacturers in question — in this case, Thales Alenia Space as prime contractor and Astrium Satellites as propulsion-system provider — have taken the needed steps to prevent a recurrence.

    Eutelsat Chief Executive Michel de Rosen said the contractors have agreed to tighten some of their oversight procedures in the future, and notably to verify that the W3C satellite, a W3B twin now planned for launch this summer aboard a Chinese Long March rocket, has no similar issues.

    The tube's rupture was due to a faulty alignment with the thruster assembly, which the board of inquiry said was a result of poor workmanship during the satellite's assembly.

    The board further concluded that the assembly glitch was at least indirectly caused by the decision of prime contractor Thales Alenia Space to replace a so-called ITAR-free thruster with a standard unit.

    Officials familiar with the investigation said the misalignment probably would have occurred even if the change-out had not related to ITAR, or the International Traffic in Arms Regulations that govern the export of U.S.-built satellite parts.

    W3B was originally intended for launch aboard a Chinese Long March rocket. Because the U.S. government forbids U.S. satellite components from being exported to China, satellites launched there must use non-U.S. hardware in order to be beyond the reach of ITAR.

    But when Thales Alenia Space ran short of spare ITAR-free components it wanted to take to China for the launch preparations, Eutelsat opted to switch to a European Ariane 5 rocket rather than risk a delay in the launch.

    Once that decision was made, the need for the more expensive ITAR-free components disappeared and Thales Alenia Space thought it prudent to replace some ITAR-free hardware and save it for future use.

    W3B was launched together with Japan's Bsat-3b telecommunications satellite aboard a European Ariane 5 rocket. The Evry, France-based Arianespace launch operator reported that flight conditions, meaning the vibration effects that every satellite suffers as the rocket traverses the atmosphere, were within specification.

    But almost from the moment the satellite separated from the vehicle, ground teams began seeing telemetry data suggesting a severe leak in an oxidizer feed line.

    The leak was so bad that ground controllers soon realized that not only was the W3B a total loss, but that the satellite could not be raised into a graveyard orbit or sent into a controlled atmospheric re-entry to burn up over the Pacific Ocean.

    W3B, which weighed 5,370 kilograms at launch, will now spend 20 years or more as another piece of space garbage in an orbit of 250 kilometers by 35,900 kilometers. Thales Alenia Space officials said they succeeded in rendering passive the satellite's electronics to reduce the risk of explosion in orbit.

    The satellite was insured for about 245 million euros ($325 million).

    The board of inquiry included the prime and propulsion contractors, plus the French space agency, CNES; Eutelsat; and Arianespace as an observer.

    One official familiar with the investigation said that the investigation was able to identify the volume of the leaked propellant and deduce the size of the leak, as well as its location.

    The board noted a slightly off-nominal separation of the rocket's payload shroud, or fairing, but soon concluded that this could not have caused the fuel-line rupture given the location of the fuel line.

    "There is no evidence that the launch vehicle was involved in this," one official said. "The fact is that there was a need to change the thruster fairly late in the program from ITAR-free to non-ITAR-free and that the execution of this maneuver proved to be faulty."

    The misalignment had the effect of causing the fuel line to rupture under a lower level of stress than designed. One official said there had been an indication during the satellite's ground testing that the stress tolerance of this tubing may not be sufficient, but this was simply noted in the satellite preparation documents and not given any special attention.

    The tube was manufactured by Astrium from technical specifications given by Thales Alenia Space.

    Eutelsat has received a portion of its insurance claim and expects to give a final briefing to underwriters in early April.