 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Integration Of Ariane 5 Completed
Paris, France (SPX) Jun 29, 2009 The Ariane 5 for Arianespace's upcoming heavy-lift mission is now complete following its payload fairing's installation over the TerreStar-1 payload - which will be the world's largest commercial telecommunications satellite ever orbited. During activity on Wednesday (June 24) in the launcher Final Assembly Building at Europe's Spaceport, the fairing was lowered into place over TerreStar-1, which is installed atop Ariane 5's core stage. Launch teams have since been validating the vehicle's final configuration in preparation for its launch pad rollout on Tuesday, June 30 - which will clear the way for the final countdown to a July 1 afternoon liftoff. At launch, TerreStar-1 is riding as a solo payload on the dedicated Ariane 5, and will be released into geostationary transfer orbit approximately 26 minutes after liftoff from the Spaceport's ELA-3 launch zone. This mission has a two-hour launch window, which opens at 1:13 p.m. local time in French Guiana. After its deployment by Ariane 5, TerreStar-1 will be positioned at 111 deg. West, where it will be operated by the American telecommunications operator TerreStar Networks. TerreStar-1's coverage is tailored to provide critical services for government, emergency responders, rural communities and commercial users throughout the United States and Canada. Built by Space Systems/Loral using the company's 1300 satellite platform, TerreStar-1 will operate in the 2 Ghz spectrum to provide voice, data and video communications to satellite/terrestrial mobile devices the size of a typical smart phone. The spacecraft is fitted with an 18-meter deployable reflector and powerful S-Band feed array, and will be capable of managing some 500 beams during its in-orbit design lifetime of more than 15 years. The July 1 mission with TerreStar-1 will be the 189th flight of an Ariane family vehicle, and the 45th launch for Ariane 5. It is the third of seven Ariane 5 flights planned by Arianespace in 2009, maintaining the company's mission pace for the launch needs of its global customer base. Share This Article With Planet Earth
Related Links Arianespace Launch Pad at Space-Travel.com
Parallel Launch Campaigns For Next Two Ariane 5sParis, France (SPX) Jun 25, 2009 Two Ariane 5 launch campaigns are in full swing at the Spaceport, keeping Arianespace on track for its targeted seven missions in 2009 with the workhorse heavy-lift vehicle. For its third flight of the year, the TerreStar-1 telecommunications satellite has made initial contact with Ariane 5 hardware, with the very large spacecraft being mated to the cone-shaped adapter unit that will ... read more |
|
|
| The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2009 - SpaceDaily. AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement |
del.icio.us
Digg
Reddit
YahooMyWeb
Google
Facebook