Sea Launch Initiates Countdown For Inmarsat-4 Launch

LAUNCH PAD

File photo of a Zenit-series rocket on the Sea Launch pad.

Long Beach CA (SPX) Nov 03, 2005
The Sea Launch team has initiated a 72-hour countdown in preparation for the launch of the Inmarsat-4 (I-4) satellite on Saturday, November 5, at the opening of a 29-minute launch window, at 6:18:55 am Pacific Time (14:18:55 GMT).

With launch site operations now underway at 154 degrees West Longitude on the Equator, the Odyssey Launch Platform is ballasted to its launch depth and stationed alongside the Sea Launch Commander (Assembly and Command Ship), periodically connected by a link-bridge that enables foot traffic between the two vessels.

A Zenit-3SL rocket will be rolled out of its environmentally protected hangar and automatically erected on the launch pad at L-27 hours. The platform will be evacuated, with all personnel safely stationed on the ship, three miles uprange from the platform, for the remainder of launch operations.

On launch day, the rocket will lift the 5,958 kg (13,108 lb.) Inmarsat-4 satellite to geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO), on its way to a final orbital position of 53 degrees West Longitude.

This is Sea Launch's first mission with Inmarsat and the first with EADS Astrium, which built the powerful spacecraft. Inmarsat-4 is designed to provide high-speed mobile service to people throughout the Americas during its 13-year service life.

It is one in a series of satellites designed to support the Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN) for high-speed delivery of Internet and intranet content and solutions, video-on-demand, videoconferencing, fax, e-mail, phone and LAN access.

One of a family of three similar spacecraft, this Inmarsat-4 F2 satellite carries a single global beam that covers up to a third of the Earth's surface, 19 wide spot beams and 228 narrow spot beams. It has a total end-of-life power of 13kW.

Sea Launch will carry a live satellite feed and streaming video of the entire mission, beginning at 6:00 am PT (14:00 GMT). Transponder coordinates for downlink will be posted at: www.boeing.com/nosearch/sealaunch/broadcast.html.

A simultaneous webcast may be accessed at: www.sea-launch.com/current_index_webcast.html

LAUNCH PAD

Russian Rocket Launch With U.S. Satellite Set For December 1

Moscow (SPX) Oct 31, 2005
A Proton-M carrier rocket with an American satellite on board will be launched from the Baikonur space center in Kazakhstan on December 1, Russia's Federal Space Agency said Friday, reports RIA Novosti.

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2016 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement All images and articles appearing on Space Media Network have been edited or digitally altered in some way. Any requests to remove copyright material will be acted upon in a timely and appropriate manner. Any attempt to extort money from Space Media Network will be ignored and reported to Australian Law Enforcement Agencies as a potential case of financial fraud involving the use of a telephonic carriage device or postal service.