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

[skomedal]

Baikonur. September 19. INTERFAX.RU - Specialists Khrunichev Center at Baikonur completed the repair of the carrier rocket "Proton-M", where a week ago the fault was detected.

Currently retested system booster, after which the rocket will be transported to the technological gas station for refueling tanks low pressure booster.

Tried a search on the INTERFAX.RU site you refer too, as I cannot understand russian can you please give a direct link to that posting so I can get the english translation

 

[solly]

http://interfax.ru/russia/news.asp?id=329807

 

[skomedal]

Thanks

 

[Captain Jack]

That site says exactly what the English translation gives.

Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 4

 

[skomedal]

Problem was a quote without a link to that quote for translation.

Posters that give quotes should give a link to that quote otherwise I could quote " Astra 2E crashed on launch " with no reference to the source especially in a non english language.

Followed solly`s link and his quote is the same as I got with google trans.

Hope u understand my ramblings as this is a main concern where I live for fringe reception from this bird if ever gets into orbit and on line.

 

[solly]

it can be feul next week and launch soon

 

[M60]

it can be feul next week and launch soon

Lets hope it finally gets off the ground. I presume the low pressure booster relates to pressurisation of the internals within the Proton itself rather than a fuel-related thing? Someone with more knowledge than me could enlighten us.

 

[Huevos]

I presume the low pressure booster relates to pressurisation of the internals within the Proton itself rather than a fuel-related thing?

I think it is just a bad translation. Could be the first stage fuel pump. Certainly not a booster in the rocket sense.

 

[Captain Jack]

I think it is just a bad translation. Could be the first stage fuel pump. Certainly not a booster in the rocket sense.

No, that's exactly what it says in Russian. "Fuel tanks of low pressure booster/accelerator block".

 

[M60]

Looks like we're on for 30th September:
http://www.spacenews.com/article/launch-report/37316delayed-proton-mission-now-scheduled-for-sept-30

Reading this article, it suggests the delays are mainly caused by negotiations about safety between the Russians and Kazakhstan Governments although there was an issue discovered on the Proton:

“The Astra 2E mission team is preparing for the launch on September 30. While ILS and Khrunichev did address a technical issue during this delay, the primary purpose of the delay was to accommodate a joint review by the Russian and Kazakhstan government to address environmental and safety concerns. We agree that undertaking this review is a prudent precautionary measure. While this review will have a short delay impact to the Astra 2E and Sirius FM6 missions, it will not impact the number of Proton missions we anticipated launching before year end 2013.”

 

[M60]

Here's a bit more info on the 2E launch from Khrunichev's website:
http://coopi.khrunichev.ru/main.php?id=645

 

[solly]

table range frequency of astra 2e
ranges Ku, Ka
Number of transponders
Ku-band 60 ku.ka
Operating frequencies
Receiver 12,75-13,00 GHz 13,16-13,25 GHz
13,75-14,50 GHz 17,30-18,35 GHz
27,85-28,45 GHz 28,52-28 76 GHz
28,90-30,00 GHz
Transmitter 10,70-11,20 GHz 1 GHz 1,36-12,75;
18,85-20,20 GHz 21,40-22,20 GHz
The carrier frequencies of radio equipment
Receiver 17309.5 MHz, 18090.0 MHz
Transmitter 11707.5 MHz, 12493.0 MHz,
11453.5 MHz, 18800.5 MHz

 

[solly]

Delayed Proton Mission Now Scheduled for Sept. 30
International Launch Services (ILS) of Reston, Va., in a statement on behalf of itself and Proton prime contractor Khrunichev Space Center of Moscow, said the two-week delay of the launch, which will deploy the Astra 2E telecommunications satellite owned by SES of Luxembourg, will not affect the number of Proton missions planned between now and the end of the year.
Before the latest delay, ILS had said the Proton would conduct five missions between September and January. The first would be the Astra 2E launch, with Sirius XM Satellite Radio FM6 to follow about a month later. Two launches of Russian government satellites — which are not managed by ILS — would then occur in November and December, to be followed by a final commercial launch in December.
The presumed customer for 2013’s last commercial launch is London-based Inmarsat, which wants to get the first of three new-generation Ka-band Global Xpress satellites into orbit by the end of the year.
The ILS/Khrunichev statement suggests that discussions with Kazakhstan — Proton rockets are launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan — over rocket debris and safety, which are not new, are the main reason the return to flight was delayed for two weeks. The statement reads:
“The Astra 2E mission team is preparing for the launch on September 30. While ILS and Khrunichev did address a technical issue during this delay, the primary purpose of the delay was to accommodate a joint review by the Russian and Kazakhstan government to address environmental and safety concerns. We agree that undertaking this review is a prudent precautionary measure. While this review will have a short delay impact to the Astra 2E and Sirius FM6 missions, it will not impact the number of Proton missions we anticipated launching before year end 2013.”

 

[M60]

Looks like the Kazakhstan Government may have not sanctioned further launches yet but the Russians have told them under the existing bilateral agreement it's going ahead either way. I'll try and copy the weblink for this article later.

 

[Lazarus]

This is bad news: I planned our holiday to ensure I missed the launch.

It seems another holiday is required now!

 

[M60]

Further to my earlier post, have a read of this:
http://en.trend.az/regions/casia/kazakhstan/2193610.html

 

[woborny]

Found a post on a site saying that launch time is 21:38 (GMT) on the 29th of September.
But with no links to anything official though...
So take it maybe with a pinch of salt..

 

[solly]

SFN now reports the launch will go on September 29 at 21:38 UTC - just after the Falcon

 

[skomedal]

But still no mention of 2E launch on the ILS website.

 

[solly]

In the assembly and test facility 92-A50 Baikonur completed general assembly of a space rocket "Proton-M", which should be put into orbit telecommunications satellites Astra 2E / «Astra 2E '/. The spacecraft made EADS Astrium (France) to order satellite operator SES (Luxembourg).