Astra 2E launch may be delayed (Proton M Launch Failure: Merged)

[Huevos]

In which case I might well be able to hear the squeals of anguish from our Spanish Resident Ex-pats first hand from Poolside in Murcia

I doubt it. Astra 2F is an easy catch in Murcia with a reasonably sized dish, and that already gives us 4 out of the 5 major channels.

 

[trevortronix]

Yes, but Spain is a BIIIG place, with many expats scattered all over. and way beyond the Murcia-Barcelona 'corridor. I'm sure 1N will be a big miss to many.

 

[Huevos]

Spain is a BIIIG place

Yes, but I was replying to "I might well be able to hear the squeals of anguish from our Spanish Resident Ex-pats first hand from Poolside in Murcia."

 

[buckshee]

For a launch date, less than a week away, all is quiet.
I take it, the scheduled date is still the 17th ?

 

[trevortronix]

Yes, but I was replying to "I might well be able to hear the squeals of anguish from our Spanish Resident Ex-pats first hand from Poolside in Murcia."

OK, point taken. I was tired

 

[solly]

ILS Proton shifts again start with Astra 2E satellite on board
The international service rockets International Launch Services (ILS) has postponed the start date of a Proton-M carrier rocket with communications satellite Astra 2E from the Russian Baikonur Cosmodrome (Kazakhstan) to be carried out into space again. Last ILS was 15 September (as the planned start date of reported digital magazine ). As the company now informs on its website, the rocket is now for 17 September planned. However, an exact time frame is not fixed yet. It is the fifth ILS Proton launch this year.

 

[M60]

From a translated interfax news wire snippet:
http://www.interfax.ru/news.asp?id=328331

Astana. September 11. INTERFAX.RU - The Russian side at the request of Kazakhstan will consider the possibility of transferring from Baikonur launch rocket "Proton" on September 17 at a later date, the deputy head of the Russian Federal Space Agency Sergey Saveliev.

"On behalf of the Russian Space Agency, I confirm that we accept your position, we will be heard and in this regard I will report to the head of the Federal Space Agency of the results of our meeting, and we will consider the feasibility of transferring launch of" Proton "from September 17 to another date" - he said at a meeting of the working committee to monitor the implementation of measures to eliminate the negative environmental impact of the fall of the carrier rocket "Proton-M" on the territory of the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Astana on Wednesday.

--------------------

Kazakhstan has requested a delay of the Proton-M launch due to unfinished detoxication of the area of July's falling. I'm sure ILS and SES won't be chuffed at this but we'll have to see what happens.

 

[joddle]

OK - anyone taking bets on the actual launch date? Is October in the frame now? I thought all along mid Sept was very optimistic - even hurried. The waiting game starts again.

 

[timo_w2s]

I'll go for late October.

 

[M60]

More info is now emerging, this report in clearer English. Looks like there's a technical problem been discovered, at least that's the 'official' line (even if it turns out there's politics at play between the Russians and Kazakhstan).

http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2013_...oned-due-to-technical-problem-2724/?from=menu

The waiting game continues!!

 

[skomedal]

The waiting game continues!!

""" The longer the better """


Regards from central southern norway

 

[strs65]

They are doing the best they can to lose some of the most valuable international clients. I wonder for how long more can SES or Eutelsat trust ILS and their Proton system, if this situation goes on and on every time...

 

[solly]

it only two week not to far

 

[adonis1]

I'll go for late October.

Vladimir Popovkin , head of Roscosmos said that the rocket "Proton" with Astra 2E is scheduled for the second half of September this year, but the date has not been determined .

 

[Huevos]

What would you say the launch cut off date would be for us to see this satellite in service this year?

 

[strs65]

Mid November maybe?

 

[Huevos]

Mid November maybe?

I doubt it. It took 2 months with 2F from launch through testing and repositioning before the first signals were transmitted from 28E. That would mean from mid October launch the satellite would be at 28E by mid December, which is a bit close to Christmas for the changeover to take place.

 

[trevortronix]

I seem to remember a similar situation last year with 2F, and a 'lockdown' period prior to Christmas was mentioned. The exact dare escapes my memory, like so many things these days.

 

[Huevos]

I seem to remember a similar situation last year with 2F, and a 'lockdown' period prior to Christmas was mentioned.

Yes but 2F launched in September.

 

[M60]

It seems there's two issues; a technical one with the Proton which needs investigation and this issue between the Kazakhstan Government and the Russian Space Agency although in the link below I've found from an alternative source, they speculate that issue has been resolved and it's just the Proton issue holding the launch back.
http://www.spacenews.com/article/lau...roubleshooting

If ILS can get a launch by late September I'd speculate that a changeover can still happen by late November/early December otherwise with the Christmas lockdown period in place a later launch would then push forward changeover in to the new year. I'm sure more will probably surface before the end of the week - at least I can re-plan my Monday evening now!!!