Category: Satellites

Image credit: ESA

The European Union announced on Thursday that China will play a role in the development of the Galileo constellation of satellites, which are designed to provide a similar solution as the US-based Global Positioning System. The exact commitments from China haven’t been detailed yet, but the two groups have set up a training, cooperation, and information centre for satellite navigation in China at Beijing University. Galileo will be built with 30 navigation satellites to provide complete global coverage – it’s expected to be fully operational by 2008.

Europe and China share a common interest in cooperating to bring the benefits of satellite navigation and Galileo in particular to transport, science, land management, disaster prevention and other user sectors.

Sharing research results, encouraging education, joint projects and industrial contacts are important means towards such goals.

In this context, the European Commission, the European Space Agency and the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology have decided to establish a training, cooperation and information centre for satellite navigation in China. On the basis of bilateral discussions to date in the Europe-China Joint Technical Working Group, the decision has been taken to locate the centre at the renowned Beijing University.

The centre will be staffed initially by one or two experts supported by two administrative and technical assistants.

Mr F. Lamoureux, Director General for Energy and Transport at the European Commission, will inaugurate the centre together with Mr Shi Dinghuan, Secretary General of the Chinese Ministry of Science and echnology, at 11:00 on Friday 19 September in Beijing.

This will take place at the China-Europe Technical Training and Cooperation Centre, Room 323 ZhongGuanCun FangZheng Building, No 298, Chengfu Road, Haidian District (in front of the Beijing University East Gate).

The Galileo system will be built around 30 satellites (27 operational and three in reserve) stationed on three circular medium-Earth orbits at an altitude of 23 616 km and inclined at 56? to the equator. This configuration will provide excellent coverage of the entire planet. Two Galileo centres will be set up in Europe to control satellite operations and manage the navigation system.

Developed by ESA and the European Union on the basis of 50-50 cofinancing, Galileo will be a complete civil system, due to be operational from 2008, offering users in Europe, and throughout the world as well, a precise, secure satellite positioning service.

Original Source: ESA News Release

The US Air Force launched a secret satellite cargo early Tuesday morning on board a Titan IV-B rocket. The satellite is believed to be an Advanced ORION signals intelligence satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office. The Air Force was so secretive about the launch that they were unwilling to release information about its costs, purpose, or even who built it.

At least 20 people were killed and more injured when a rocket exploded at the Brazilian Alcantara Launch Center. One of the VLS-3 rocket’s engines is believed to have caught on fire, triggering an explosion that caused the launch pad to collapse. The two research satellites atop the rocket were also destroyed. This disaster is just the latest in a series of setbacks which have plagued the Brazilian rocket launch program – two rockets in 1997 and 1999 had to be destroyed shortly after take off.

The launch of a Titan 4B rocket was delayed after 200 litres of toxic nitrogen tetroxide propellant spilled out and created a dangerous gas cloud. Fortunately, none of the workers were injured by the cloud, and it dissipated before it reached the adjacent Kennedy Space Center. It’s unknown when the Titan rocket will be ready again to launch its cargo of a National Reconnaissance Office satellite. Investigators are still determining what caused the accident.

Image credit: NASA

The Canadian Space Agency’s SCISAT satellite was successfully launched Wednesday morning on board a Pegasus XL rocket. The L-1011 carrier aircraft deployed the three-stage Pegasus rocket at 0210 GMT (22:10 EDT Tuesday) at 12,000 metres, which then blasted up to a 650 km polar orbit. During its two-year mission, SCISAT will help a team of international scientists improve their understanding of ozone layer depletion – especially over Canada and the Arctic.

SAINT-HUBERT, Aug. 13 /CNW Telbec/ – The Canadian Space Agency (CSA)
today confirmed the successful launch of its SCISAT satellite last night from
NASA’s launch facilities near Lompoc, California. During its two-year mission,
SCISAT will help a team of Canadian and international scientists improve their
understanding of the depletion of the ozone layer, with a special emphasis on
the changes occurring over Canada and in the Arctic.

“This leading-edge Canadian technology will improve our scientific
understanding of the complex chemical changes occurring in the upper
atmosphere, particularly in the far north”, said Mr. Allan Rock, Minister of
Industry.” The SCISAT mission illustrates how Canadian universities,
government and industry can work together to put innovative technologies at
the service of scientific research,” added Minister Rock.

SCISAT was launched yesterday at 19:10 PDT, approximately 160 km offshore
from the Vandenberg Air Force Base. The 150 kg satellite was packed in the
nose of a Pegasus XL rocket dropped at 40,000 feet over the Pacific Ocean from
a Lockeed-1011 aircraft. The satellite was successfully brought to its 650 km-
high polar orbit by the 3-stage Pegasus rocket.

“SCISAT sets a milestone in Canadian space science,” said Marc Garneau,
President of the CSA. “Following the MOST space telescope launched in June,
SCISAT is the second science satellite successfully placed in orbit by Canada
in the last 45 days. This illustrates the growing importance of space science
for Canada and for the Canadian Space Program.”

A scientific team of researchers from around the world, lead by Professor
Peter Bernath of the University of Waterloo, will participate in the
Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment (ACE) which aims to measure and understand
the chemical processes that control the distribution of ozone in the Earth’s
atmosphere, particularly at high latitudes. The data, recorded as SCISAT
orbits the Earth, will provide scientists with improved measurements relating
to global ozone processes. It will also help policy makers assess existing
environmental policy and develop protective measures for improving the health
of our atmosphere and preventing further ozone depletion.

The primary scientific instrument on board SCISAT is a Fourier Transform
Spectrometer (ACE-FTS), built by ABB of Qu?bec City. A second instrument named
MAESTRO (Measurements of Aerosol Extinction in the Stratosphere and
Troposphere Retrieved by Occultation), built by EMS Technologies of Ottawa,
will also fly on the satellite. Dr. Tom McElroy of Environment Canada is the
principal investigator for MAESTRO, and will be supported by Professor James
Drummond of the University of Toronto.

For more background information on the SCISAT mission, please visit the
CSA website at: http://www.space.gc.ca/scisat1

Original Source: CSA News Release

Image credit: CSA

Everything is ready to go for the launch of the Canadian Space Agency’s Scientific Satellite Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment (SCISAT-1) on board a Pegasus XL rocket on Wednesday, August 13. If it all goes as planned, the L-1011 aircraft will carry the Pegasus rocket over the Pacific Ocean, and release it at 0210 GMT (10:10 pm EDT Tuesday) to carry SCISAT into orbit. SCISAT will help scientists track the chemical processes that control the distribution of ozone in the Earth’s atmosphere.

The Canadian Space Agency’s Scientific Satellite Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment (SCISAT-1) is scheduled to launch on Tuesday, August 12, between 10:05 and 11:02 p.m. EDT.

An L-1011 jet aircraft departing from Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB), Calif., will carry the Pegasus XL vehicle that will launch SCISAT-1. The L-1011 will drop the Pegasus, and its 330-pound spacecraft, over the Pacific Ocean at approximately 10:10 p.m. EDT. The SCISAT-1 mission will provide scientists with improved measurements of the chemical processes that control the distribution of ozone in Earth’s atmosphere.

The pre-launch press conference is at the NASA Resident Office at VAFB, Monday, August 11, at 4 p.m. EDT. The press conference will be carried live on NASA TV with question and answer capability available from NASA Headquarters; KSC; and Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.

On launch day, media should meet at the VAFB main gate at 8:30 p.m. EDT to be escorted to the runway for the L-1011 take-off. Media may follow the release and launch of Pegasus/SCISAT from the viewing room of the NASA Mission Director’s Center, Building 840 on South VAFB.

Assuming a nominal flight of the Pegasus launch vehicle, a post-launch news conference will not be held. However, launch vehicle and spacecraft representatives will be available afterward to informally answer questions from the media.

Launch coverage on NASA Television begins at 8:30 p.m. EDT through spacecraft separation from the Pegasus vehicle. NASA TV is broadcast on AMC-9, Transponder 9C, C-band, located at 85 degrees west longitude. The frequency is 3880.0 MHz. Polarization is vertical, and audio is monaural at 6.80 MHz. Live launch commentary and audio of the Pegasus/SCISAT briefing will be available on the “V” audio circuits available at: 321/867-1220/1240/1260/7135.

The Pegasus/SCISAT News Center at the NASA VAFB Resident Office will be staffed starting on Monday from 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. EDT; phone: 805/605-3051/3001. A recorded status report is available at: 805/734-2693.

Click the “Watch NASA TV Now!” link for live Web cast at:

Home Page

NASA’s Earth Science Enterprise sponsors the mission and is responsible for countdown and launch management. Orbital Sciences Corp. will provide the launch service, and the Canadian Space Agency is responsible for spacecraft development.

Original Source: NASA News Release

Image credit: Sea Launch

The dual-use Echostar IX/Telstar 13 satellite was successfully placed into orbit Thursday on board a Zenit-3SL which was launched from the Sea Launch platform floating in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. The communications satellite separated 66 minutes after launch, and will eventually provide television services to the United States. This is the tenth launch for Sea Launch, which is expected to have two more launches this year.

Sea Launch, the world?s most reliable launch service provider for heavy commercial communication satellites, today successfully launched the EchoStar IX/Telstar 13 satellite to orbit for EchoStar Communications Corporation and Loral Skynet.

A Zenit-3SL launch vehicle lifted off at 8:31 pm PDT (3:31 GMT) from the Odyssey Launch Platform positioned at 154 degrees West Longitude, on the Equator. All systems performed nominally throughout the flight. The Block DM-SL upper stage inserted the 4,737 kg (10,443 lb) EchoStar IX/Telstar 13 satellite into a high perigee geosynchronous transfer orbit. As planned, the spacecraft?s first signal was acquired at 9:46 pm PDT (4:46 GMT), shortly after spacecraft separation, by a ground station in Western Australia. The spacecraft will be located in geostationary orbit at 121 degrees West Longitude.

Upon completion of the successful mission, Jim Maser, president and general manager of Sea Launch, said, ?I want to congratulate Space Systems/Loral (SS/L), EchoStar Communications Corporation, Loral Skynet and the entire Sea Launch team for a great job! Once again, we achieved a very smooth operation. This is clearly a tribute to the skill, dedication and experience of everyone in the Sea Launch organization and I am very proud to be part of this talented group. We have just completed our second launch in less than two months and we expect to continue this tempo well through next year.

?This mission also marked our tenth launch and the first for SS/L,? Maser continued. ?We appreciate the confidence and trust they and their customers have demonstrated and we look forward to the many more SS/L launches on our manifest. We also welcome the opportunity to serve EchoStar and Loral Skynet in the future.?

SS/L built the EchoStar IX/Telstar 13 spacecraft in Palo Alto, Calif. The Ku-band capacity will enhance EchoStar?s U.S. DISH Network satellite television service. EchoStar has also equipped the spacecraft with the first commercial Ka-band spot-beam payload in the United States. In addition, in a unique multi-band, satellite-sharing arrangement, Loral Skynet will own and operate the satellite?s C-band capacity, as Telstar 13, which will provide television programmers with North American coverage.

Sea Launch Company, LLC, headquartered in Long Beach, Calif., is a world leader in providing heavy-lift commercial launch services. This multinational partnership offers the most direct and cost-effective route to geostationary orbit. With the advantage of a launch site on the Equator, the reliable Zenit-3SL rocket can lift a heavier spacecraft mass or provide longer life on orbit, offering best value plus schedule assurance. Sea Launch has a current backlog of 14 firm launch contracts. For additional information and images of this successfully completed mission, visit the Sea Launch website at: www.sea-launch.com

Original Source: Sea Launch

Image credit: Sea Launch

The Odyssey platform and Sea Launch Commander departed home port in California to make the journey down to the Earth’s equator in the Pacific Ocean. This time Sea Launch will loft the EchoStar IX/Telstar 13 broadcast satellite on board a Zenit-3SL rocket. The two-hour launch window is scheduled to begin on August 8 at 0331 GMT (11:31 pm EDT).

The Odyssey Launch Platform and the Sea Launch Commander have departed Sea Launch Home Port for the launch of the EchoStar IX/Telstar 13 satellite for EchoStar Communications Corporation and Loral Skynet. Liftoff is scheduled for August 7, in a two-hour launch window that will open at 8:31 pm PDT (3:31:00 GMT).

The Sea Launch vessels are sailing from Sea Launch Home Port, in the Port of Long Beach, Calif., to the launch site on the Equator at 154? West Longitude. Upon arrival, a 72-hour countdown will begin and the platform will be ballasted to launch depth. Over the course of the three-day countdown, the launch team will perform final tests on the rocket and spacecraft, and prepare for launch operations. The three-stage Zenit-3SL rocket will loft the 4,737 kg (10,443 lb) EchoStar IX/Telstar 13 satellite to a high perigee of 760 km in geosynchronous transfer orbit.

This is the first of several launch contracts Sea Launch will execute for Space Systems/Loral, the spacecraft manufacturer. The LS-1300-class satellite will be operational in its final position in geostationary orbit at 121? West Longitude. EchoStar?s Ku-band fixed satellite services (FSS) transponders are designed to enhance its U.S. DISH Network service. The spacecraft is also equipped with one of the first commercial Ka-band spot-beam payloads in the United States as well as a C-band payload.

In a unique satellite-sharing arrangement, EchoStar will own the Ku- and Ka-band payloads on this satellite. Loral Skynet, a subsidiary of Loral Space & Communications based in Bedminster, N.J., will own and operate the C-band capacity as Telstar 13. From its ideal orbital location and its 24 C-band transponders operating at 36 MHz, Telstar 13 will provide programmers with coverage of North America, including Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Mexico and Central America.

Sea Launch Company, LLC, headquartered in Long Beach, Calif., is a world leader in providing heavy-lift commercial launch services. This multinational partnership offers the most direct and cost-effective route to geostationary orbit. With the advantage of a launch site on the Equator, the reliable Zenit-3SL rocket can lift a heavier spacecraft mass or provide longer life on orbit, offering best value plus schedule assurance. Sea Launch has a current backlog of 15 firm launch contracts. For additional information and live coverage of this mission, visit the Sea Launch website at: www.sea-launch.com

Note to editors: Sea Launch will carry a live satellite feed and streaming video of the entire mission on the day of launch. We will post transponder coordinates as well as additional information and high resolution images on a media site at: www.boeing.com/nosearch/sealaunch/

Original Source: Boeing News Release

Image credit: Boeing

The US Air Force announced its investigation findings today, that The Boeing Company had committed serious violation of federal law by using propriety documents from Lockheed Martin to win a series of launches during a 1998 contract competition. The Air Force said that Boeing will forfeit seven of its 19 launch contracts and several upcoming launch contracts will be awarded to Lockheed Martin instead of Boeing. All told, Boeing will lose $1 billion of Air Force launch business.

The Air Force announced today that it has determined that The Boeing Company has committed serious violations of federal law based on its review into allegations of wrongdoing by Boeing during the 1998 Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) source selection. As a result, the Air Force will suspend three Boeing Integrated Defense System business units and three former Boeing employees from eligibility for new government contracts. The suspensions are issued against The Boeing Company’s Launch Systems, Boeing Launch Services and Delta Program business units as they existed in the Boeing organizational structure as of July 21, 2003. This suspension will apply to these business units regardless of where they fall in any Boeing reorganization.

The individuals suspended are William David Erskine, former ground operations lead on Boeing’s EELV program; Kenneth V. Branch, former senior engineer/scientist on Boeing’s EELV program; and Larry Dean Satchell, a former member of Boeing’s EELV proposal team.

In addition, the Air Force will notify Boeing of its intent to reallocate launches under its existing EELV contract, which was awarded in October 1998 and is known as Buy I. Under this reallocation the Air Force will reduce the total number of Boeing Buy I Delta IV launches from 19 to 12. The Air Force will increase the total number of Lockheed Martin Buy I Atlas V launches from 7 to 14.

Further, the Air Force will permit Lockheed Martin to develop a west coast launch capability at Vandenberg AFB by upgrading an existing launch facility.

The Air Force also announced the results of its EELV Buy II decision. The Air Force disqualified Boeing from the award of three Buy II launches and plans to award Lockheed Martin three Buy II launches from Vandenberg AFB.

“Our inquiry into Boeing found that they were in possession of thousands of pages of Lockheed Martin proprietary EELV documents during the 1998 source selection,” said Under Secretary of the Air Force Peter B. Teets. “As a matter of policy we do not tolerate breaches of procurement integrity and we hold industry accountable for the actions of their employees. We believe the suspension is necessary and we hope all contractors will take note and strive to enforce the highest integrity standards in their organizations.”

The Boeing Delta IV and Lockheed Martin’s Atlas V are the two families of EELVs developed with the Air Force to modernize and reduce the cost of the nation’s spacelift operation while providing the United States with assured access to space.

Original Source: Air Force News Release

Image credit: ILS

An Atlas V rocket lifted off from Florida’s Cape Canaveral on Thursday carrying the Rainbow 1 direct-to-home broadcast satellite into orbit. The rocket lifted off at 2345 GMT (7:45pm EDT) and the satellite separated from the Centaur upper stage one hour and 40 minutes later. The launch was delayed 25 minutes because of weather and technical problems. This is the 66th successful flight for the Atlas line of rockets.

International Launch Services (ILS) and Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) successfully launched the Rainbow 1 satellite today ? the third flight for the Atlas V vehicle since the rocket debuted last summer.

This mission, designated AV-003, also marked the 66th consecutive successful flight for the Atlas rocket family, built by Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co. of Denver, Colo. The satellite is an A2100 model, built by Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems of Newtown, Pa. Cablevision?s RLDBS project will use the high-powered satellite to introduce its Rainbow direct-to-home broadcast services to the contiguous United States.

Liftoff was at 7:45 p.m., with separation of the satellite occurring 1 hour and 40 minutes later. The Atlas V rocket was flown in its ?521? configuration, meaning it was fitted with a 5-meter-diameter fairing and two solid rocket motors. The larger fairing was chosen to accommodate the satellite?s sophisticated antenna array.

The Atlas V?s Centaur upper stage vehicle released the satellite into a nearly perfect transfer orbit. The apogee, or high point, was 35,843 km (target was 35,845 km); perigee, or low point, was on target at 3,790 km; and inclination was also right on target at 17.54 degrees.

?With another successful Atlas flight, we continue to demonstrate the reliability that our commercial and government customers have come to expect from ILS,? said Mark Albrecht, president of ILS. ?We?re honored that Cablevision chose the Lockheed Martin team to build a great satellite and launch it on a great rocket.??

This was the fourth mission and fourth success of the year for ILS, of McLean, Va., a joint venture of Lockheed Martin and two Russian companies. ILS markets and manages the missions for the Atlas and the Russian-built Proton and Angara launch vehicles.

?Today?s launch is an excellent example of the synergies inherent in Lockheed Martin?s businesses,? said Ted Gavrilis, president of Lockheed Martin Commercial Space, which arranged for the launch as a delivery-in-orbit mission. ?Our A2100 satellite and the ILS-provided Atlas V make a powerful combination for mission success, and we are proud to be part of launching a new direct-to-home service for Cablevision.?

ILS was formed in 1995 to provide launch services to customers worldwide, including technical, management and marketing expertise. Lockheed Martin?s partners in the venture are Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center and RSC Energia. ILS offers the broadest range of launch services in the world along with the highest reliability in the industry. For more information, visit www.ilslaunch.com.

Original Source: ILS News Release