Mon, Jan 14, 2008
Liftoff Scheduled Early Tuesday Morning
Representatives with Sea Launch tell ANN its team has arrived at
its launch site on the Equator and initiated a new 72-hour
countdown, in preparation for the launch of the Thuraya-3 mobile
communications satellite on Tuesday, January 15. Liftoff is planned
at the opening of a 44-minute window, at 0349 Pacific Standard Time
(1149 GMT).
As ANN reported, a November
launch attempt was scrubbed due to unusually strong currents. The
Sea Launch Commander and the Odyssey Launch Platform have returned
to the launch site at 154 degrees West Longitude for launch
operations. A day before liftoff, the launch team will erect the
Zenit-3SL rocket on the launch pad and perform final tests on the
launch system and the spacecraft before beginning the terminal
countdown.
During final preparations for liftoff, the platform will be
evacuated, with all personnel safely positioned on the ship, four
miles from the platform. At launch, the rocket will lift the 5,173
kg (11,381 lb) spacecraft to geosynchronous transfer orbit, on its
way to a final orbital location of 98.5 degrees East Longitude.
Boeing designed and built the GEO-Mobile (GEM) spacecraft in El
Segundo, CA, for Thuraya Satellite Telecommunications Company,
based in the United Arab Emirates. Boeing also built, and Sea
Launch successfully deployed, Thuraya-1 (October 20, 2000) and
Thuraya-2 (June 10, 2003). The satellites are designed to provide a
range of mobile voice and data services over large geographic
regions.
More News
Chaff Thin, narrow metallic reflectors of various lengths and frequency responses, used to reflect radar energy. These reflectors, when dropped from aircraft and allowed to drift d>[...]
“Today, XB-1 took flight in the same hallowed airspace where the Bell X-1 first broke the sound barrier in 1947. I’ve been looking forward to this flight since founding>[...]
“Teaming up with the EAA and Berlin Express for this event in Cincinnati will give warbird fans a unique opportunity to see the aircraft that helped defend freedom and gave t>[...]
Hazardous Weather Information Summary of significant meteorological information (SIGMET/WS), convective significant meteorological information (convective SIGMET/WST), urgent pilot>[...]
Aero Linx: The Nebraska Aeronautics Commission The Nebraska Aeronautics Commission was created by the 1935 Legislature to oversee the development of aviation in the state. The Comm>[...]