Galileo-FOC FM15 (Nicole), Galileo-FOC FM16 (Zofia), Galileo-FOC FM17 (Alexandre), Galileo-FOC FM18 (Irina) - Ariane 5-ES (VA240) - Kourou ELA-3 - 12.12.2017

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European GNSS Agency‏ @EU_GNSS 5 мин. назад

1st step of the Launch and Early Operations Phase successful, the new #Galileo #satellites 19-22 sent us their signals, sun pointing ok and are now on their way to new orbit... #Ariane5 Flight #VA240 launch

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Заключительное слово
 

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Трансляция Arianespace завершена
 

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http://www.arianespace.com/mission-update/arianespaces-winning-formula-for-galileo-5-4-22/

Ariane 5 | December 12, 2017

Arianespace's winning formula for Galileo: 5 + 4 = 22


Lifting off at the exact moment set for the launch of Flight VA240, Arianespace's Ariane 5 begins its ascent from the Spaceport with four Galileo navigation satellites.

The Galileo constellation increased by four spacecraft today following an Ariane 5 launch from the Spaceport in French Guiana – bringing the total number of European navigation satellites orbited by Arianespace to 22.

This afternoon mission, designated Flight VA240 in Arianespace's launcher family numbering system, was performed from the Spaceport's ELA-3 launch zone, with Ariane 5 deploying its four passengers during a mission lasting 3 hours, 55 minutes.

Спойлер

Flight VA240 was the second to utilize the workhorse Ariane 5 – supplied by production prime contractor ArianeGroup – in lofting operational Galileo satellites. It followed another four orbited by Arianespace on an Ariane 5 in 2016, and 14 others launched in pairs aboard the company's Russian-built Soyuz vehicles during seven missions performed between 2011 and 2016.

11 Arianespace launches in 2017 with Ariane 5, Soyuz and Vega

Today's launch wrapped up another successful year of activity for Arianespace, as noted by Chief Executive Officer Stéphane Israël during comments from the Spaceport. "Thanks to the year's flawless operation of our launch vehicle family – six Ariane 5 flights, two with Soyuz and three by Vega – our track record for 2017 is once again outstanding," he said.



The four satellites carried on Flight VA240 were named after European children who created artwork in a Galileo drawing competition on the themes of space and aeronautics. As a result, the latest navigation spacecraft in Galileo's constellation are called Nicole, Zofia, Alexandre and Irina – named after youngsters from the European countries of Austria, Poland, Portugal and Romania, respectively.

For Flight VA240, the four Galileo satellites weighed approximately 714 kg. each, and were deployed from a dispenser system that released the passengers in two sets during an interval of 20 minutes. The Ariane 5's overall payload lift performance to medium Earth orbit (MEO) was set at 3,283 kg.

The spacecraft were built by prime contractor OHB System in Bremen, Germany, with the payloads for each satellite supplied by U.K.-based SSTL (Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd), which is 99% owned by Airbus Defence and Space.

Galileo: Europe's civilian-controlled navigation system

As Europe's own global navigation satellite system, Galileo is operated under civilian control, offering guaranteed high-precision positioning around the world. The Galileo program is funded and owned by the European Union. The European Commission has overall responsibility for the program – with Flight VA240 performed by Arianespace on behalf of the European Commission under contract with the European Space Agency (ESA).

Following today's launch, the GSA (European GNSS Agency, in charge of managing and operating the EGNOS and Galileo satellite navigation systems for the European Union), became responsible for operating these satellites after their separation from the launcher. Satellite positioning operations and system operation will be carried out in conjunction with ESA.

Looking ahead to next year, Arianespace's 2018 launch activity will begin on January 25 with an Ariane 5 mission to geostationary transfer orbit (GTO). This mission will carry two relay satellites: SES-14 for the Luxemburg-based operator SES; and Al Yah 3 for Al Yah Satellite Communications Company, located in the United Arab Emirates at Abu Dhabi.

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http://www.arianespace.com/press-release/arianespace-orbits-four-more-galileo-satellites-as-ariane-5-logs-82nd-successful-launch-in-a-row/

Ariane 5 | December 12, 2017

Arianespace orbits four more Galileo satellites as Ariane 5 logs 82nd successful launch in a row



Arianespace has successfully launched satellites 19, 20, 21 and 22 in the Galileo constellation, using an Ariane 5 heavy launcher on behalf of the European Commission (DG GROW) and under a contract with the European Space Agency (ESA).

The launch took place on December 12, 2017 at 3:36 p.m. (local time) from the Guiana Space Center (CSG), Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana.

Спойлер

Today's launch was the ninth from CSG for the Galileo satellite navigation system, and the second using the Ariane 5 ES version of this launch vehicle. Arianespace has now orbited a total of 22 Galileo satellites, using Soyuz and Ariane 5 launchers.

A last Ariane 5 ES will orbit four more Galileo satellites in 2018, then Ariane 6 will take over in 2020-2021.

Today's launch was the 11th and final of 2017 for Arianespace, and the sixth during the year for Ariane 5, which also marked the 82nd successful mission in a row for the heavy-lift launcher.

Ninth mission for Europe's Galileo program, and the second with Ariane 5

Galileo is Europe's own global navigation satellite system (GNSS). Under civilian control, Galileo offers guaranteed high-precision positioning around the world.

Its initial services began in December 2016, allowing users equipped with Galileo-enabled devices to combine Galileo and GPS data for better positioning accuracy.

The complete Galileo constellation will comprise a total of 24 operational satellites (along with spares); 22 of these satellites have already been orbited by Arianespace.

Following today's launch, the GSA (European GNSS Agency, in charge of managing and operating the EGNOS and Galileo satellite navigation systems for the European Union) will be responsible for operating these satellites as soon as they separate from the launcher. Satellite positioning operations and system operation will be carried out in conjunction with ESA.

Arianespace guarantees Europe's independent access to space

Today's launch was the second this year for the European Commission and ESA, coming after the successful Vega launch in March (VV09) on a Copernicus mission. It also is the 11th performed by Arianespace for the European Commission, and the 56th for ESA, using its complete family of launch vehicles: Ariane 5, Soyuz and Vega.

In September, the European Commission and ESA chose to continue deployment of Galileo satellites with two Ariane 62 launches, making them the first customers for Ariane 6 and clearly confirming their commitment to this next-generation heavy launcher – while also reaffirming, more strongly than ever, Arianespace's mission of providing Europe with independent access to space.

A very busy year of operations: 11 launches, all successful and 20 satellites orbited in 2017

With this final launch of the year, Arianespace maintains a sustained pace of operations. It performed 11 launches in 2017, all successful: six by Ariane 5, two by Soyuz and three by Vega.

Arianespace launched 20 satellites for 18 different customers, with total weight injected into orbit of nearly 60 metric tons, including 53.8 metric tons just for satellites sent into geostationary transfer orbit (GTO).

In 2017, Arianespace launched all sizes of satellites (from 264 kg. to 6.4 metric tons), into all types of orbits and for a wide range of applications:

 12 geostationary communications satellites
 4 Earth observation satellites
 4 navigation satellites.

Shortly after the announcement of the orbital injection of the four satellites, Stéphane Israël, Chief Executive Officer of Arianespace, said: "With this sixth successful Ariane 5 launch and the second mission for the European Commission and ESA this year, Arianespace is proud to guarantee Europe's reliable and independent access to space.

"I would like to thank the European Union and, in particular, DG GROW, along with the European Space Agency – our direct customer on this launch – for continuing to trust us with their missions. This successful launch of four additional Galileo satellites marks our ninth mission for the constellation, which supports applications that will benefit the population at large, bringing the total to 22 satellites in orbit. A final Ariane 5 ES will embark four additional satellites in the summer of 2018, before Ariane 6 takes over from the end of 2020.

My thanks also go to OHB, which built the satellites launched today.

"I would like to congratulate all of our partners as well on this 240th Ariane launch, which also was the 82nd successful launch in a row of Ariane 5: the teams at our parent company ArianeGroup, and all companies involved in Ariane production; along with ESA and the agency's member-states involved in the Ariane program; CNES/CSG, our ground segment companies and all staff at the space center. And of course, congratulations to everyone at Arianespace for this 11th successful launch of the year, the last in 2017. Mission accomplished!"

The Galileo FOC-M7 satellites 19, 20, 21 and 22 were built by prime contractor OHB System in Bremen, Germany, with the payloads for each satellite being supplied by UK-based SSTL (Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd), 99% owned by Airbus Defence and Space.

Each satellite had a liftoff mass of approximately 714 kg., for a total mass of 2,860 kg. They were placed into a circular medium Earth orbit (MEO) in Plane A, at an altitude of 22,922 km. and an inclination of 57 degrees. They will subsequently be moved to their operational orbit at 23,222 km.

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Arianespace's winning formula for Galileo: 5 + 4 = 22

arianespace

Опубликовано: 12 дек. 2017 г.

The Galileo constellation increased by four spacecraft today following an Ariane 5 launch from the Spaceport in French Guiana – bringing the total number of European navigation satellites orbited by Arianespace to 22.

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Пресс-релиз ArianeGroup

Ariane_5_82nd_Success-1.pdf - 101.2 KB, 2 стр

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Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight 2 ч назад

And there go the final two! S/C Sep for all four Galileo spacecraft! ARTICLE: https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2017/12/ariane-5-es-another-galileo-quadruplets/ ... COVERAGE: https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=38834.0 ...

Спойлер

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Ariane 5 ES lofts another set of Galileo quadruplets

December 12, 2017 by Chris Bergin

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http://spaceflight101.com/ariane-5-va240/ariane-5-va240-launches-galileo-m7/

Ariane 5 Closes 2017 with Four-Satellite Delivery for European Galileo Navigation System
December 12, 2017


Photo: ESA

Europe's Ariane 5 rocket lifted off from the Guiana Space Center on Tuesday on its second mission in support of the Galileo Navigation Satellite System, aiming to add the next four members to the growing constellation that is set to reach operational strength in 2018 to begin offering global navigation services.

Спойлер

Flying in a specially modified version of its Ariane 5 ES configuration, the vehicle leapt off the launch pad at precisely 18:36:07 UTC for a twenty-minute propulsive flight phase to reach a preliminary orbit ahead of a lengthy coast of over three hours to climb to the peak of the transfer orbit. The critical circularization maneuver by the rocket's second stage dispatched the Galileo FM-15, 16, 17 and 18 satellites into a Medium Earth Orbit nearly 23,000 Kilometers in altitude and all four passengers successfully separated from the launch vehicle over three and a half hours after launch.

Operated by the European Commission, the €7-billion Galileo project has the primary goal of providing Europe with independent access to precise timing and navigation services on a global scale as an integral part of many applications beyond vehicular navigation – explaining the desire to have an independent system that ends reliance on foreign systems like the U.S. Global Positioning System which may not be available in times of crisis.


Image: ESA

Galileo, in its architecture, is similar to GPS and the Russian Glonass navigation systems – operating a large number of satellites in multiple orbital planes in Medium Earth Orbit to have at least four satellites in view from any position on Earth to permit position triangulation via three satellites while the fourth acts as timing reference to increase accuracy. For full operational services, Galileo requires 24 active satellites in three orbital planes with an additional two satellites per plane acting as in-orbit spares to ensure services can continue even if operational satellites fail.

Since its inception in 2003, Galileo launched a total of two dozen satellites – starting with a pair of GIOVE proof-of-concept satellites launching on Soyuz rockets out of Baikonur in 2005 and 2008 and four In-Orbit-Validation satellites launching in pairs on Soyuz rockets from French Guiana in 2011/12 to validate the design of the operational Galileo satellites. The first ten FOC (Full Operational Capability) satellites launched in pairs atop Soyuz rockets starting in 2014 and the next 12 are being launched four at a time by Ariane 5 to establish the fully operational constellation with Ariane 6 expected to commence two-satellite launches in 2020 to lift in-orbit spares.

>> Galileo Satellite & Constellation Overview


Photo: ESA

The decision to modify the Ariane 5 ES launch vehicle for Galileo launches was made in 2012 to have at least two launchers available for the project to meet the planned 2020 in-service date even if one vehicle becomes unavailable for technical or political reasons. Ariane 5 supported its first Galileo quartet launch in November 2016 when it lifted the FM-7, 12, 13 and 14 satellites.

Although Tuesday's launch was the first Galileo mission of the year, the project can look back at a very busy 2017, overcoming a potentially serious problem related to the atomic clocks installed on the Galileo fleet and tasked with keeping time at the ultra-high precision needed for sub-meter navigation accuracy. News emerged in January that of the 72 atomic clocks deployed on 18 operational Galileo satellites, ten had encountered failures of which nine were considered failed for good.


Galileo FM-15-18 Encapsulation for Launch – Photo: Arianespace/ESA/CNES/CSG

Even more worrying, the issues affected both types of clocks deployed on the satellites – the Rubidium Atomic Frequency Standard (RAFS) clocks considered a well-proven and robust spaceborne clock system, and the Passive Hydrogen Maser (PHM) clocks installed on Galileo for their higher accuracy and time stability.

The clock problems prompted a delay to the FM 15-18 launch from mid-year to provide sufficient time for a detailed investigation before committing additional satellites with potential flaws in their clocks to flight.

Two separate failure mechanisms for the two clock types were uncovered by the investigation. On the RAFS clocks, an inexpensive electronics component was implicated that had become susceptible to short circuits due to a particular testing procedure performed on the ground. These findings were corroborated by an investigation into the failure of RAFS clocks on the Indian IRNSS navigation satellites that were procured from the same Swiss manufacturer and suffered the same defects. The failures of the PHM clocks were traced back to the operational parameters at power-on and power-off, requiring procedural changes on how the PHMs are operated.

With corrective action taken by switching out the faulty part on the RAFS clocks and changing the power cycle procedure for the PHMs, Galileo was ready to resume launches and the next four satellites, nicknamed Nicole, Zofia, Alexandre and Irina, arrived in French Guiana in September and October to undergo final testing and propellant loading before taking their places around a purpose-built adapter.


Photo: Arianespace/ESA/CNES/CSG

Gearing up for its sixth and final launch of 2017, Ariane 5 entered countdown operations at 6:28 UTC on Tuesday with power-up of the launch vehicle for detailed testing to clear the way for the start of tanking on the first stage at 13:43 UTC to load the vehicle with some 170 metric tons of Liquid Oxygen and Liquid Hydrogen.

The Ariane 5 ES variant, called upon for its seventh mission on Tuesday, was originally developed for the Automated Transfer Vehicle by taking the improved Solid Rocket Boosters and EPC core stage of the Ariane 5 ECA variant and placing the EPS storable propellant second stage of the Ariane 5 GS predecessor on top to allow for re-start capability.

Additional modifications had to be made to the Ariane 5 ES vehicle to make it suitable for Galileo missions that are taking the vehicle to new heights since the five ATV flights only took the vehicle to 260 Kilometers with a launch duration of one hour whereas Galileo requires a flight duration of four hours to reach its orbital destination over 22,900 Kilometers in altitude. This required modifications to the thermal control system and the addition of batteries to support the extended flight duration.

Additionally, to meet the performance requirements for lifting four 715-Kilogram satellites and their 420kg dispenser directly to MEO, weight saving measures were implemented on the EPS second stage and Vehicle Equipment Bay that had originally been designed to support the much heavier ATV that weighed in at up to 21 metric tons.

>> Ariane 5 ES Overview


Photo: ESA

With the first stage fully loaded with cryogenics and Stage 2 receiving ten metric tons of self-igniting propellants well ahead of launch day, the stage was set for liftoff. Ariane 5 was awarded a clean bill of health after final checkouts, the Galileo quartet switched to battery power and weather was reported GREEN after slight concerns associated with thunderstorms subsided over the course of the countdown.

Soaring to life when clocks hit zero, Ariane 5 fired up its Vulcain 2 main engine for seven seconds of performance monitoring before the point of no return – ignition of the twin EAP boosters that catapulted Ariane 5 off its ELA-3 launch pad at precisely 18:36:07 UTC, the optimized liftoff time to dispatch the satellites into Plane A of the Galileo constellation. Ariane 5 rose with a total thrust of 1,420 metric-ton-force and swung onto an unusual launch azimuth of 35 degrees – a north-easterly departure to reach a 57° orbit instead of the typical equator-hugging Geotransfer missions that have become Ariane's bread-and-butter business.

Within a minute of launch, the 48-meter tall rocket had passed the speed of sound and was approaching Maximum Dynamic Pressure on its way out of the dense atmosphere. The twin EAPs, each burning 237 metric tons of propellants, dropped away from the rocket at T+2 minutes and 20 seconds and Ariane 5 continued pushing toward orbit with a thrust of 136,000 Kilogram-force, relying on its Vulcain engine alone.


Image: ESA/ATG medialab

When reaching an altitude of 115 Kilometers three minutes and 44 seconds into the flight, Ariane 5 split open and separated its 14-meter long fairing halves, revealing the Galileo satellites for the test of their ride into orbit. The EPC cryo core fired until T+8 minutes and 55 seconds to accelerate the vehicle to a speed of 8.2 Kilometers per second with separation of the 30.5-meter long stage occurring five seconds later to hand off to the EPS upper stage.

The second stage's Aestus engine soared to a thrust of 2,800-Kilogram-force for a planned burn of ten minutes and 50 seconds to lift the stack into an elliptical transfer orbit peaking at 22,925 Kilometers in altitude. The initial propulsive flight phase ended 19 minutes and 58 seconds into the mission when Ariane 5 reached its preliminary orbit and entered a lengthy coast phase of three hours and eight minutes to climb all the way to apogee.

EPS ignited on its critical second burn three hours and 28 minutes into the flight, firing for a little over six minutes to deliver the Galileo satellites into a circular orbit 22,922 Kilometers in altitude, at an inclination of 57 degrees – positioned 300 Kilometers below Plane A of the Galileo constellation.

>> Flight Profile


Image: ESA

Launching the satellites into an orbit below their operational altitude allows for safe disposal of the EPS upper stage and also keeps the constellation orbit clean in case a satellite can not be activated after deployment. Arriving in its planned orbit, EPS was tasked with two deployment events – sending pairs of Galileo satellites into opposite directions at T+3 hours and 35 minutes and T+3 hours and 55 minutes to ensure all four go their separate ways without risk of re-contact.

Tuesday's launch marked Ariane 5's 82nd consecutive success and closed another busy year for Arianespace, checking off eleven mission of the company's launcher fleet – two Geotransfer missions performed by Soyuz, three launches of the light-lift Vega and six Ariane 5 missions, five of which lifted pairs of communications satellites into Geostationary Transfer Orbit.

The next Galileo mission is currently planned for July 2018 when the next four members of the constellation will ride into orbit atop an Ariane 5, raising the total number of IOV and FOC satellites to 26 in order to bring the constellation to operational strength.

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http://spaceflight101.com/ariane-5-va240/photos-ariane-5-blasts-off-with-four-galileo-navigation-satellites/

Photos: Ariane 5 Blasts Off with Four Galileo Navigation Satellites
December 12, 2017

Europe's Ariane 5 launch vehicle blasted off from the ELA-3 launch pad at the Guiana Space Center at 18:36:07 UTC on Tuesday, December 12 on its sixth and final launch of 2017. Hidden under the rocket's payload fairing were the next four satellites joining the European Galileo Navigation Satellite System to take the constellation on large step closer to reaching operational strength. Flying in a modified ES configuration, Ariane 5 was tasked with a lengthy ascent mission of nearly four hours, directly dispatching the four 715-Kilogram satellites into a Medium Earth Orbit nearly 23,000 Kilometers in altitude.

Спойлер

>> Read our Launch Recap

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Выступления после успешного завершения миссии VA240

VA240 - 12/12/2017

arianespace

Опубликовано: 12 дек. 2017 г.

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Arianespace Flight VA240 / Galileo FOC-M7 / SAT 19-20-21-22

arianespace

Опубликовано: 12 дек. 2017 г.

(2:22:47)

Добавлена трансляция на фр. языке

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НОРАД обнаружил пять объектов запуска -  TBA


 43055 / 2017-079A
Epoch (UTC) 2017-12-12 14:05:04, 22818 km x 22923 km x 57.019°, 829.68 min
 
43056 / 2017-079B
Epoch (UTC) 2017-12-12 13:57:25, 22906 km x 23046 km x 57.025°, 834.17 min
 
43057 / 2017-079C
Epoch (UTC) 2017-12-12 14:00:09, 22905 km x 23172 km x 57.177°, 836.83 min
 
43058 / 2017-079D
Epoch (UTC) 2017-12-12 13:48:29, 22903 km x 22911 km x 56.931°, 831. 25 min
 
43059 / 2017-079E
Epoch (UTC) 2017-12-12 14:11:31, 22895 km x 22946 km x 56.979°, 831.82 min

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ESA Operations‏Подлинная учетная запись @esaoperations 4 ч назад

#ICYMI ESA ground stations tracked @Arianespace flight #VA240 as it delivered 4 new #Galileo sats into orbit yesterday. Here's what the engineers saw at #NewNorcia station in #Australia (L-R) 4 signal peaks from 4 sats (+ 2 from Arianespace itself)#estrack

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Arianespace Flight VA240 / Behind the Scenes of the Dream

arianespace

Опубликовано: 15 дек. 2017 г.

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DutchSpace‏ @DutchSpace 19 ч назад

Update:
http://celestrak.com/NORAD/elements/galileo.txt ...

GSAT0215 (SVID 21), GSAT0216 (SVID 25), GSAT0217 (SVID 27) AND GSAT0218 (SVID 31)