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

[trigger]

A couple of questions

Would SES hold insurance against catastrophic failure like seen 2 days ago, or would the cost of insurance be too great?
Or
Would the launch operator hold insurance? But again would the cost be too great?

Last one, any idea what the total cost to build & launch 2F is?

Cheers

 

[M60]

Its possible for Ariane payloads to be shifted around, - we saw a change of expected payload on a reasonably recent flight. The main problem is that the loads have to be balanced - if a bird got bounced it would need to be one of a similar size and weight. In any case the flight timeline would need to be completely rewritten for a change of passenger.

There would be big wodges of compensation to be prayed to the unlucky customer too.....

Interesting, so the possibility is there but SES would in essence have to stump the compensation cost of the other customer? I guess Arianespace would need a few Months to potentially turn this around so only of interest to SES if, say, the ILS Proton launches are put on hold for a longer period of up to six Months?

 

[Analoguesat]

Anything is possible if the money is right ;)

 

[Huevos]

Why would SES have to pay anything? The satellite is delivered to them in orbit.

 

[M60]

Anything is possible if the money is right ;)

I suppose they'd have to get it back on a flight over the Atlantic to French Guyana pronto!

It must be a difficult call for SES, with these Proton's having a pretty dire record, now topped by what happened on the 2nd, then if the risk is higher SES potentially have more to loose risking delay and possibly more.

 

[Gunes]

A couple of questions

Would SES hold insurance against catastrophic failure like seen 2 days ago, or would the cost of insurance be too great?
Or
Would the launch operator hold insurance? But again would the cost be too great?

Last one, any idea what the total cost to build & launch 2F is?

Cheers

Proton launch cost is $95-105 million.

Ariane costs more than $120 million for 6-ton class satellite.

 

[timo_w2s]

I've been thinking about Astra 5A and 2G. I wonder how close they are to being ready and if there could be some rescheduling of the order of launches. Not sure how urgently 5A is needed to take over 1G? The again, maybe SES have planned for delays or even total failure of 2E and are not too worried at the moment with the way things are for a few more months.

 

[solly]

astra 1g also old it launch 1988
the point more delay to launch astra 2e better to safe satellite at moment

 

[Lazarus]

True enough, Solly.

 

[Vipersan]

...Did anyone else notice this catastophic event took place on International UFO day ?
My best guess ...shot down by an Irate Grey late home for his supper after a long Earth reccy..

 

[Lazarus]

Or perhaps our very own David Cameron had sent them a Tweet wishing the Mission "Bon Voyage"



(For the non-Brits, our PM has developed somewhat of a reputation for putting the kiss of doom on notable events with his well-intentioned Twittering)

 

[Piltdownpaul]

Hmm Cameron upsetting Murdoch.....thats not going to happen!!!

 

[M60]

Rumours have come to light that the angular velocity sensors may have been installed upside down and been to blame for the crashed Proton on the 2nd. I'm sure all this, if there's truth in it, will come out in the wash once the investigation results are released. http://arstechnica.com/science/2013/...et-to-explode/

Also, it looks like the Astra 2E launch team have been sent home and the bird put in short term storage until missions are to resume in a few Months.

 

[solly]

satellite astra 2e safe
need to waiting info about return back the launch

 

[M60]

satellite astra 2e safe
need to waiting info about return back the launch

I think we'll know a bit more by the end of July once the preliminary investigations are sorted. If it is down to purely human error and the report is true that sensors were incorrectly fitted then at least that draws a line under why the Proton failed. I'd guess Astra 2E's Briz-M will be scrutinised down the the final nut and bolt before it's deemed worthy of launch, that's before launches recommence.

 

[adonis1]

Next Proton payload put in storage during failure probe .

A European television satellite that was scheduled to ride a Russian Proton rocket into orbit later this month has been placed into an extended storage mode, its launch date now unknown in the wake of the disastrous liftoff and crash of a similar booster last week.

International Launch Services, the U.S.-based commercial marketer of the Proton, announced Monday that the ASTRA 2E spacecraft, which had not yet been fueled, would be stored at Baikonur Cosmodrome and the team of engineers handling the mission already sent home while the investigation plays out.


more : http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n1307/09proton/#.Ud2-gjt7Lng

 

[joddle]

Other sites are reporting that the 2E launch may be delayed 2 or 3 months - I can't believe any investors will risk putting Astra 2E up on a Proton until there been a full report on the whys and wherefores of the last problem, and then a few proven launches to show that the issue has been well and truly solved. We could be in for a long wait!

 

[Lazarus]

Not just Investors, but Insurers too.

 

[Huevos]

Here's a video from another point of view.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4sftwoVq5Q

 

[timo_w2s]

Here's a video from another point of view.

How strange...