Proton launches communications satellite
Posted: Sun, Nov 18, 2007, 8:54 AM ET (1354 GMT)
A Proton rocket successfully launched a European communications satellite early Sunday in the Proton's first commercial flight since a September launch failure. The Proton M lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome at 5:39 pm EST Saturday (2239 GMT Saturday, 4:39 am Sunday local time) and released its payload, Sirius 4, into a geosynchronous transfer orbit a little over nine hours later. The spacecraft, a Lockheed Martin A2100AX model, weighed 4,385 kilograms and carries 52 Ku-band and 2 Ka-band transponders. The satellite, to be located at 5 degrees east in GEO, will be used by SES Sirius, a Swedish satellite operator majority-owned by SES Astra, will provide broadcast and broadband services across Europe. The launch was the first commercial Proton launch since the September launch of JCSAT 11, which ended in failure when the Proton's second stage failed to separate from the first stage. The Proton carried out a Russian government launch last month.
A Proton rocket successfully launched a European communications satellite early Sunday in the Proton's first commercial flight since a September launch failure. The Proton M lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome at 5:39 pm EST Saturday (2239 GMT Saturday, 4:39 am Sunday local time) and released its payload, Sirius 4, into a geosynchronous transfer orbit a little over nine hours later. The spacecraft, a Lockheed Martin A2100AX model, weighed 4,385 kilograms and carries 52 Ku-band and 2 Ka-band transponders. The satellite, to be located at 5 degrees east in GEO, will be used by SES Sirius, a Swedish satellite operator majority-owned by SES Astra, will provide broadcast and broadband services across Europe. The launch was the first commercial Proton launch since the September launch of JCSAT 11, which ended in failure when the Proton's second stage failed to separate from the first stage. The Proton carried out a Russian government launch last month.| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Wednesday, August 20
Destination moon: ISRO's big challenge
NDTV.com — 12:47 pm ET (1647 GMT) Visionary 'NASA Exploration Experience' Exhibit to Conclude Month-Long Iowa Tour in Ames Aug. 26-28
NASA/MSFC — 12:45 pm ET (1645 GMT) National Academies advisory: Technology development at NASA
Eurekalert — 12:44 pm ET (1644 GMT) KSC closed for a second straight day
Orlando Sentinel — 12:43 pm ET (1643 GMT) Spacecraft crash due to test setup, not design flaw
New Scientist — 12:42 pm ET (1642 GMT) |