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The Fourth Ariane 5 of 2008 Is Delivered To Arianespace For A July 4 liftoff
Paris, France (SPX) Jun 24, 2008 Arianespace has taken delivery of the fourth Ariane 5 in 2008, maintaining its accelerated flight pace during the busiest year of commercial mission activity for this workhorse launch vehicle. The handover occurred with Ariane 5's transfer from the Launcher Integration Building at Europe's Spaceport - where its build-up was performed under responsibility of prime contractor EADS Astrium, to the Final Assembly Building - where Arianespace will oversee integration of the mission's ProtoStar I and BADR-6 payloads. In its trademark dual-passenger configuration, the heavy-lift Ariane 5 ECA will carry ProtoStar I in the upper payload position, with BADR-6 riding below it inside the SLYDA 5 dispenser system. Liftoff is scheduled for an evening launch window on July 4. ProtoStar I is the lead satellite in a fleet of relay platforms that Asia's ProtoStar plans to launch for advanced satellite television services and powerful two-way broadband communications access. Built by Space Systems Loral, the spacecraft was designed to meet the needs of both emerging and existing direct-to-home (DTH) operators in Asia, as well as other broadband communication requirements in the region. The BADR-6 spacecraft was built jointly by EADS Astrium and Alcatel Alenia Space, and will be used for video broadcasting services over the Middle East and North Africa regions. To be operated by Saudi Arabia-based Arabsat, BADR-6 carries a mixed payload of 24 C-band and 20 Ku-band transponders, and is designed for a lifetime of about 15 years. The spacecraft will be located at Arabsat's 26 deg. E geostationary orbital position. Arianespace remains on track for its planned seven Ariane 5 launches in 2008, with three of the missions already performed. The upcoming mission with ProtoStar I and BADR-6 is timed just three weeks after Arianespace's most recent flight, when an Ariane 5 ECA orbited Skynet 5C and Turksat 3A June 12 on the workhorse launcher's 25th consecutive success. It was preceded by an Ariane 5 ECA mission on April 18 with Star One C2 and VINASAT-1, as well as the historic March 9 flight of an Ariane 5 ES that orbited the first Automated Transfer Vehicle for servicing of the International Space Station. Related Links Arianespace Launch Pad at Space-Travel.com
Pratt And Whitney Rocketdyne Engine Launches New Ocean-Mapping Satellite Into Orbit
Canoga Park CA (SPX) Jun 23, 2008Pratt and Whitney Rocketdyne helped scientists better understand global warming and hurricane prediction by successfully boosting the 1,100-pound Jason 2 satellite into orbit from Vandenberg Air Force Base. Jason 2 is onboard a United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket powered by Pratt and Whitney Rocketdyne's RS-27A engine. |
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