Astra 2G Launch: December 2014

[Lazarus]

Let's hope that all goes well.

 

[Analoguesat]

Theres almost certain to be another delay as the AM6 launch Briz underperformed

From the sat-index.co.uk site:

Latest Proton launch only partially successful?
23 Oct 2014 - New reports suggest that the recent launch of Ekspress AM6 aboard a Proton M/Briz M was not as successful as officially announced, and that the achieved orbit was below specifications. However, the satellite is still expected to be able to reach its final orbit.

 

[Lazarus]

They need a Tiger in the Tank, by the sound of it.

This is, by now, a mature Industry, yet they do still seem to have far too many problems.

 

[adonis1]

Booster "Briz-M" for the launch of the European communications satellite Astra 2G, delivered yesterday to Baikonur.

 

[Analoguesat]

Wouldnt be at all surprised if its sent back to the manufacturing plant for checks as the similar unit for AM6 is now being reported as having underperformed

 

[solly]

Nearly a year since its last mission in February, International Launch Services aims to resume commercial flights of Russia’s Proton rocket in late November with the Astra 2G communications satellite for SES.
The U.S.-based launch services company had to suspend commercial flights after a Proton launch failure in May. Satellites for the Russian government took precedence in the Proton manifest when the rocket was in service, forcing commercial payloads to wait for a ride into space.
With back-to-back successful launches since the May 15 rocket failure that destroyed a Russian telecom satellite, the Proton booster is set to return to commercial service with a launch scheduled for Nov. 27 for SES of Luxembourg, which owns the world’s second-largest fleet of satellites in geostationary orbit.
Industry officials said the Astra 2G satellite was ready for shipment next week from its Airbus Defence and Space factory in France to the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for fueling and final launch preparations.
Liftoff on Nov. 27 is set for 2124 GMT (4:24 p.m. EST), according to Russian news reports.
Astra 2G’s launch will mark the 400th flight of a Proton rocket since the launcher debuted in 1965.
At least two more Proton rocket missions are planned after Astra 2G’s launch, said Karen Monaghan, a spokesperson for International Launch Services.
Monaghan did not say whether the Proton launches planned for December would be commercial flights under the auspices of ILS or would carry Russian government payloads under the management of the Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center, the Moscow-based owner of ILS and prime contractor for the Proton rocket and Breeze M upper stage.
Based in Reston, Va., ILS announced in August it cut its workforce by approximately 25 percent in response to a lagging launch rate. Instead of seven or eight ILS Proton launches annually, ILS said it now targets around three or four.
The last ILS Proton launch in February successfully delivered the Turksat 4A satellite into orbit for a Turkish telecom company.
Two Khrunichev-managed Proton launches occurred in March and April before the botched launch of the Express AM4R communications satellite in May.
Investigators blamed the May launch failure on an anomaly in the Proton rocket’s third stage steering system that led to the premature shutdown of the third stage main engine.
The Proton rocket returned to flight status with the Sept. 27 launch of a Russian military satellite. Another Proton launch Oct. 21 deployed the Express AM6 spacecraft for Russia’s government-owned civilian satellite telecom operator.
Reliability woes with the Proton rocket and Breeze M upper stage have primarily afflicted launches with Russian institutional payloads in recent years.
Only one ILS Proton/Breeze M launch in the last six years has suffered a mishap, and the satellite aboard that December 2012 mission — Russia’s commercial Yamal 402 spacecraft — recovered and reached its planned orbit using on-board propellant.
In the same time period, five Proton/Breeze M flights had failures that destroyed their payloads or put them in the wrong orbit, with most of the issues attributed to process or manufacturing errors.
ILS officials have said they subject commercial Proton launches to an extra layer of scrutiny, offering their customers additional quality control measures to raise the chance of success.

 

[Captain Jack]

1965 technology in 21st century... I am honestly surprised that satellite operators still trust them to put the satellites up there, owing to so many failures.

 

[adonis1]

ILS readies Astra 2G for Proton launch

Russia’s Proton rocket will return to its commercial launch manifest later in November. International Launch Services (ILS) which manages commercial activity for the Proton system, says that its first passenger following a Proton failure in May will be SES Astra 2G.

There have been successful Proton launches since May but they were for Russian governmental clients. The last commercial flight was the successful launch of Turksat 4A back in February.

Currently Astra 2G is scheduled for November 27th and the satellite is expected to be flown from France to Kazakhstan this week for pre-launch testing and fuelling.

advanced-television.com

 

[adonis1]

Airplane with European satellite aboard makes emergency landing in Ulyanovsk

MOSCOW. Oct 28 (Interfax-AVN) - A transport airplane carrying Europe's Astra-2G satellite to the Baikonur Cosmodrome, which Russia leases from Kazakhstan, made an emergency landing in the city of Ulyanovsk, a Russian space sector source told Interfax-AVN on Tuesday.

"Specialists are working to fix the problem. If they prove unable to do so, the airplane will have to be replaced," he said.

The launch of the European satellite on board a Proton-M rocket has been set for November 28, he said.

"Hopefully, the delay with delivering the Astra-2G satellite will not require a change of the launch date for the European satellite," the source said.

interfax.com

 

[Captain Jack]

That would a new low... destroying a satellite before the launch!

 

[solly]

let see next few days what will be on this launch

 

[adonis1]

transport An-124-100 "Ruslan" landed in Ulyanovsk on Tuesday morning due to the temperature increase in the fourth plane engine.

itar-tass.com

 

[Captain Jack]

They also say that the satellite will be flown to Baikonour tomorrow morning and won't cause a launch delay.

 

[solly]

it good news no delay launch

 

[timo_w2s]

Let's just hope we're not talking about Astra 2GR this time next year...

 

[solly]

will be anader story about all astra 28.2e include back also 2a and eurobird

 

[adonis1]

The Russians are not able to take to Baikonur , satellite Astra-2G.

by24.org

 

[adonis1]

Sorry guys the photo it's from an old event (2011)

 

[solly]

http://itar-tass.com/proisshestviya/1538760

Plane with European satellite, internally stranded in Ulyanovsk, flew to Baikonur
Previously AN-124-100 of the "Volga-Dnepr" landed in Ulyanovsk because of the temperature increase in the fourth engine
MOSCOW, October 29. / TASS /. Transport plane "Ruslan" with European communications satellite "Astra 2G" on board, who on Tuesday made an emergency landing in Ulyanovsk, the night flew to Baikonur. About this TASS informed the head of the group of Public Relations Department of External Relations Group of companies "Volga-Dnepr" Taisa Nikitenko.
© Archive AP Photo / Misha Japaridze
The plane "Ruslan" with the satellite made an emergency landing due to engine overheating
An-124-100 of the "Volga-Dnepr", flying from Moscow to Baikonur, landed in Ulyanovsk because of the temperature increase in the fourth engine. As described in the airline crew decided to turn off the engine and, in consultation with the customer, plant transporters.
Later in the press service of "Volga-Dnepr" stated that the aircraft was necessary maintenance and replacement of some parts of the engine.
The company stressed that the landing will not lead to the transfer of satellite launch, scheduled for late November. In addition, the source said that "Ruslan" has a double redundant by traction motors - so he could continue flying and with two power units.
Satellite "Astra 2G" must be run carrier rocket "Proton-M" from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in late November, it is intended to provide telecommunications services in some countries in Europe, Africa and Central Asia.

 

[Lazarus]

According to TASS, repairs have been effected to the 4th engine of the aircraft and the Anonov An-124-100 took off again with Astra 2G on board at 05:10 Moscow time this morning (02:10 GMT) for Baikonur, Kazakhstan, where it subsequently landed safely.

After being unloaded, the container carrying the 6 ton payload is now on its way via the special internal railway link to the assembly hall for further testing and assembly into the Launch Vehicle.

Edit: Oops. Solly had already posted similar.