Status Report

Media Advisory: ILS Proton to launch Inmarsat-4 F3 satellite

By SpaceRef Editor
August 14, 2008
Filed under , ,

Aug. 13, 2008

Payload:
Inmarsat-4 F3 communications satellite
Eurostar 3000GM bus
Separated spacecraft mass: Approx. 13,140 lbs (5,960 kg)

Launch Vehicle:
Proton M/Breeze M
Weight at liftoff:  702,000 kg (1,547,000 lbs), including payload
Height: 58.2 m (191 ft)

Launch Date:
August 19 (Baikonur)
August 18 (GMT, London, U.S.)

Launch Time:
04:43 Baikonur
23:43 London
18:43 EDT
22:43 GMT

Launch Site:
Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Launch Pad 39

Launch Customer:
Inmarsat, London

Satellite Manufacturer:
EADS Astrium, France

Launch Vehicle Manufacturer:
Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center,
Moscow

Launch Services Provider:
International Launch Services (ILS), Reston, Va.

Satellite Use:
Mobile broadband services, delivering enhanced voice and high-speed data services to users on land, at sea and in air across the globe.

Satellite Statistics:
       • L-Band, C-Band, Nav Band, and TTC Band
       • Orbital location:  98 degrees West longitude
       • Anticipated service life into the 2020’s

Mission Profile:
The Proton M launch vehicle, utilizing a 5-burn Breeze M mission design, will lift off from Pad 39 at Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, with the Inmarsat-4 F3 satellite on board. The first three stages of the Proton will use a standard ascent trajectory to place the Breeze M fourth stage and the Inmarsat-4 F3 satellite into a suborbital trajectory from which the Breeze M will then place itself and the spacecraft into a low Earth circular parking orbit. Once Inmarsat-4 F3 is in the parking orbit, it will be injected into a geosynchronous transfer orbit following four additional burns of the Breeze M.

Target Orbit at Separation:
       • Apogee: 35,786 km (22,236 miles)
       • Perigee:  4,271 km (2,654 miles)
       • Inclination: 22.8 degrees

Spacecraft Separation:
Approximately 9 hours, 3 minutes after liftoff

ILS Mission Statistics:
       • 3rd ILS launch of 2008
       • 46th Proton launch for ILS
       • 9th Eurostar satellite launched on Proton

Launch Broadcast times for ILS Proton Inmarsat-4 F3:
Test signals starting at 6:00 PM ET US 18 August 2008 (22:00 GMT)
Live coverage starting at 6:20 PM ET US 18 August 2008 (22:20 GMT)
Liftoff is scheduled for 6:43 PM ET US 18 August 2008 (22:43 GMT)

Launch Broadcast may be seen in the US on:
Carrier: INTELSAT
Satellite: GALAXY 28
Transponder 15C
C-Band Analog NTSC
Orbital Location: 89 degrees West
Bandwidth: 36 MHz
Downlink Frequency: 4000.00 MHz (V)

Launch Broadcast may be seen in Europe and Western Asia on:
Carrier: Newskies
Satellite: NSS-7
Transponder – WHL4/EUH3 Ch 1
Digital PAL (In Clear)
Bandwidth: 9 MHz
Orbital Location: 36 degrees East
Downlink Frequency: 11,095.600 (H)
Sym Rate 5.632
FEC 3/4

More Information:
Live webcast and general mission information are available on the ILS web site at http://www.ilslaunch.com/.  Launch status updates are available on the ILS U.S. domestic Launch Hotline at 1-800-852-4980.

 

SpaceRef staff editor.