Cosmic Penguin
Geek Penguin in GTO
In the matter of less than ten days, the Chinese aerospace engineers will perform another important spacecraft launch (although the importance of this launch is quite different than the last). For the first time in more than a decade, a Chinese rocket will perform a commercial launch service for a foreign customer (not including spacecrafts co-operated by China and other countries, or satellites exported by China). The Eutelsat W3C satellite will be carried into space by China's most powerful rocket, the Long March 3B. The launch campaign is organized by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) for Eutelsat S.A. of Luxembourg.
This launch deal has a long, convoluted history. In February 2008 Eutelsat signed a contract with the foreign office of CASC for a launch contract to launch the 5.5 tonne Eutelsat W3B satellite in 2010, which caused quite a bit of uproar in the US at that time. Later, due to problems with the satellites in the company's fleet (specifically the W2 and the W2M satellites), it was decided to use [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Traffic_in_Arms_Regulations"]ITAR-compliant[/ame] parts for W3B and accelerate its launch to late 2010. The launch contract was then modified for the launch of sister-craft W3C in 2011. Ironically, after what looked like a normal launch on the Ariane 5 rocket in October 2010, W3B suffered a huge propellant leak within hours and was declared a total loss. Could the Chinese do better than the Europeans? We will know tomorrow.
Launch location:
[ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xichang_Satellite_Launch_Center"]Xichang Satellite Launch Center[/ame] Launch pad no. 2 28° 14'43.8"N, 102° 1'37.2"E
Launch dates and times:
[table="head"]{colsp=6}Launch times
Time Zone|
{colsp=6}
[/table]
Live Coverage Of The Launch:
PAYLOAD
Eutelsat W3C communication satellite:
Mission Summary
Eutelsat’s new W3C satellite, scheduled for launch in October 2011 will provide significant new capacity for broadcasting, telecommunications and broadband services.
W3C will replace existing Eutelsat satellites at 16 degrees East. This is a leading position for broadcast markets in Central and Eastern Europe, and also provides video services to the islands in the Indian Ocean.
16 degrees East is one of Eutelsat’s most long-standing orbital locations, as satellites have been in service there continuously since 1988. Over more than two decades, it has developed into one of the company’s largest video locations, with more than 400 channels broadcast to an audience of
over 11 million households. Markets in the areas served by 16 degrees East have been experiencing solid growth, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe.
[table="head"]{colsp=2}Summary
Parameter|Value
[/table]
[table="head"]Characteristics|
[/table]
Launch Vehicle:
[table="head"]{colsp=2}Characteristics
|[table="head"]{colsp=2}
[/table]
[/table]
The vehicle's reliability statistics according to http://www.spacelaunchreport.com/log2011.html#rate:
Eutelsat W3C Ascent Profile
The first two stages and the four boosters pushes the third stage, adapter system and W3C into a 28.5° inclination suborbital trajectory.
Immediately after the separation of the second stage booster, the third stage follows a two-burn injection profile, first to a low Earth orbit, then to the final Geosynchronous transfer orbit.
Details coming soon...
Eutelsat W3C Ascent Timeline
Coming soon...
Photos of the preparations for the launch
Coming soon...
References
http://cn.cgwic.com/W3C/
http://www.9ifly.cn/thread-922-1-1.html
http://www.cgwic.com/LaunchServices/Download/manual/
http://www.eutelsat.com/satellites/16e-W3C.html
http://www.thalesgroup.com/Pages/PressRelease.aspx?id=4290
http://www.eutelsat.com/news/media_library/brochures/W3C.pdf
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com
http://www.spacelaunchreport.com
This launch deal has a long, convoluted history. In February 2008 Eutelsat signed a contract with the foreign office of CASC for a launch contract to launch the 5.5 tonne Eutelsat W3B satellite in 2010, which caused quite a bit of uproar in the US at that time. Later, due to problems with the satellites in the company's fleet (specifically the W2 and the W2M satellites), it was decided to use [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Traffic_in_Arms_Regulations"]ITAR-compliant[/ame] parts for W3B and accelerate its launch to late 2010. The launch contract was then modified for the launch of sister-craft W3C in 2011. Ironically, after what looked like a normal launch on the Ariane 5 rocket in October 2010, W3B suffered a huge propellant leak within hours and was declared a total loss. Could the Chinese do better than the Europeans? We will know tomorrow.
Launch location:
[ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xichang_Satellite_Launch_Center"]Xichang Satellite Launch Center[/ame] Launch pad no. 2 28° 14'43.8"N, 102° 1'37.2"E
Launch dates and times:
[table="head"]{colsp=6}Launch times
Time Zone|
Beijing / UTC+8
| Luxembourg / CEDT
| Universal / UTC
| Washington / EDT
| Los Angeles / PDT
Launch time:
|16:20:00
|10:20:00
|08:20:00
|04:20:00
|01:20:00
on:
|Oct. 7, 2011
|Oct. 7, 2011
|Oct. 7, 2011
|Oct. 7, 2011
|Oct. 7, 2011
{colsp=6}
[highlight][eventTimer]2011-10-07 08:20:00?before|after;%dd% Days %hh% Hours %mm% Minutes %ss% Seconds %c%[/eventTimer] Eutelsat W3C Launch[/highlight]
[/table]
Live Coverage Of The Launch:
- Most probably none (as with the standards of Chinese aerospace... :shifty
. If there is any, I will post here immediately.
PAYLOAD
Eutelsat W3C communication satellite:
Mission Summary
Eutelsat’s new W3C satellite, scheduled for launch in October 2011 will provide significant new capacity for broadcasting, telecommunications and broadband services.
W3C will replace existing Eutelsat satellites at 16 degrees East. This is a leading position for broadcast markets in Central and Eastern Europe, and also provides video services to the islands in the Indian Ocean.
16 degrees East is one of Eutelsat’s most long-standing orbital locations, as satellites have been in service there continuously since 1988. Over more than two decades, it has developed into one of the company’s largest video locations, with more than 400 channels broadcast to an audience of
over 11 million households. Markets in the areas served by 16 degrees East have been experiencing solid growth, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe.
[table="head"]{colsp=2}Summary
Parameter|Value
Working Orbit:
|GEOOrbital Location:
|16° EastCoverage:
|Central and Eastern Europe, North and Central Africa, Middle East, Central Asia, Indian Ocean IslandsApA at separation:
|35746.2 kmPeA at separation:
|200 kmInc at separation:
|26.1°[/table]
[table="head"]Characteristics|
Eutelsat W3C
Customer:
|- Eutelsat S.A.
Prime contractor:
|- Thales Alenia Space
Platform:
|- Spacebus 4000C3
Mass at Separation:
|- 5370 kg
Dry Mass:
|- ?
Stabilization:
|- 3 axis stabilized
Dimensions (stowed):
|- ?
Batteries:
|- ?
Primary Payload:
|- 56 Ku-band transponders
Life time:
|- 15 years
Coverage areas:
|
[/table]
Launch Vehicle:
[table="head"]{colsp=2}Characteristics
Long March 3B
Prime contractor:
|- China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology
Height:
| 56.3 m with upper stage and payload fairingDiameter:
| max 3.35 mLiftoff mass:
| 458.97 metric tonnesPayload mass:
| ~5.5 tonnes at GTOBoosters (x4):
|- 1 X YF-25 engine
- Length 15.326 m
- Propellant mass 41.5 tonnes (UDMH and NTO)
- Thrust at sea level 74.04 tonnes of force
- Specific Impulse 2556.2 N-s/kg (at sea level)
1st stage:
|- 1 X YF-21C engine
- Length 23.272 m
- Propellant mass 186.6 tonnes (UDMH and NTO)
- Thrust at sea level 296.16 tonnes of force
- Specific Impulse 2556.2 N-s/kg (at sea level)
2nd stage:
|- 1 X YF-24E engine
- Length 9.943 m
- Propellant mass 49.605 tonnes (UDMH and NTO)
- Thrust in vacuum 74.2 tonnes of force
- Specific Impulse 2922.57 N-s/kg (in vacuum)
3rd stage:
|- 2 X YF-75 engine
- Length 12.375 m
- Propellant mass 18.193 tonnes (LH2 and LOX)
- Thrust in vacuum 15.7 tonnes of force
- Specific Impulse 4312 N-s/kg (in vacuum)
Payload Fairing:
|- Diameter 4.2 m
- Length 9.56 m
[/table]
[/table]
The vehicle's reliability statistics according to http://www.spacelaunchreport.com/log2011.html#rate:
Code:
================================================================
Vehicle Successes/Tries Realzd Pred Consc. Last Dates
Rate Rate* Succes Fail
================================================================
CZ-3B/3C 21 23 .91 .88 9 8/31/09 1996-Eutelsat W3C Ascent Profile
The first two stages and the four boosters pushes the third stage, adapter system and W3C into a 28.5° inclination suborbital trajectory.
Immediately after the separation of the second stage booster, the third stage follows a two-burn injection profile, first to a low Earth orbit, then to the final Geosynchronous transfer orbit.
Details coming soon...
Eutelsat W3C Ascent Timeline
Coming soon...
Photos of the preparations for the launch
Coming soon...
References
http://cn.cgwic.com/W3C/
http://www.9ifly.cn/thread-922-1-1.html
http://www.cgwic.com/LaunchServices/Download/manual/
http://www.eutelsat.com/satellites/16e-W3C.html
http://www.thalesgroup.com/Pages/PressRelease.aspx?id=4290
http://www.eutelsat.com/news/media_library/brochures/W3C.pdf
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com
http://www.spacelaunchreport.com
Last edited:
Launch time is 16:21 CNST / 08:21 UTC.
