Launch News AsiaSat 7, Proton-M/Briz-M, November 25/26, 2011

[Cosmic Penguin]

Another day, another Proton launch, and one that has a closer to home feeling to me! This time AsiaSat 7 of AsiaSat, based in Hong Kong, my hometown (with their satellite control center just 20 kilometers away from my home!), will be launched towards geostationary orbit. It will provide communication services across the Asia Pacific.

AsiaSat 7 will replace AsiaSat 3S (which will reach its age limit in 2014) at the orbital location of 105.5 degrees East. Based on the Space Systems/Loral 1300 platform, AsiaSat 7 will support a broad range of applications for the Asia-Pacific region, including television broadcast and VSAT networks.
AsiaSat 7 will carry 28 C-band and 17 Ku-band transponders, and a Ka-band payload. Its regionwide high power C-band beam covers Asia, the Middle East, Australasia and Central Asia, with Ku-band beams serving East Asia, South Asia and a steerable Ku beam.
The launch of AsiaSat 7, well ahead of the planned date for AsiaSat 3S’s replacement, is a testament to AsiaSat’s continued commitment to quality, reliability and uninterrupted services.

The AsiaSat-7 mission will be the 8th Proton launch of 2011 and the 371th Proton flight overall.

This will be the fifth commercial mission of the year for ILS and the 69th ILS Proton mission since the Proton April 1996 first commercial flight.

This will also be the 4th AsiaSat satellite launched with Proton. In addition, AsiaSat 7 will be the 20th Space Systems/Loral satellite launched on Proton.

Launch location:

Baikonur Launch pad no. 200/39 46° 2'23.85"N, 63° 1'54.98"E

Launch dates and times:

[table="head"]{colsp=6}Launch times

Time Zone|

Baikonur / UTC+6 ​

|

Hong Kong / UTC+8 ​

|

Universal / UTC ​

|

Washington / EST ​

|

Los Angeles / PST ​

Launch time (Primary): ​

|

01:10:34​

|

03:10:34​

|

19:10:34​

|

14:10:34​

|

11:10:34​

on: ​

|

Nov. 26, 2011​

|

Nov. 26, 2011​

|

Nov. 25, 2011​

|

Nov. 25, 2011​

|

Nov. 25, 2011​

{colsp=6}

[highlight][eventTimer]2011-11-25 19:10:34?before|after;%dd% Days %hh% Hours %mm% Minutes %ss% Seconds %c%[/eventTimer] AsiaSat 7 Launch[/highlight]​

[/table]

Live Coverage Of The Launch:

• International Launch Services: http://asiasat7.imgondemand.com/ (begins at 20 minutes before lift-off)
• TSENKI Video Streams: http://www.tv-tsenki.com/livechoose.php
• Khrunichev COOPI (login: ? password: ?): http://coopi.khrunichev.ru/main.php?id=200
• Owners of PDA can watch the launch in test mode on: http://www.space-center.ru

PAYLOAD

AsiaSat 7 communication satellite:

Mission Summary

AsiaSat 7, a Fixed Satellite Services (FSS) spacecraft, replaces and expands upon the services provided by AsiaSat 2 at 100.5 degrees east longitude. The satellite's payload carries both C- and Ku-band transponders and has a 15-year mission life. With some 300 digital television channels delivered by the company's satellites, AsiaSat provides services to both the broadcast and telecommunications industries across the Asia Pacific region.

[table="head"]{colsp=2}Summary
Parameter|Value

Working Orbit:​

|GEO

Orbital Location:​

|105.5° East

Coverage:​

|Middle and Eastern Asia

ApA at separation:​

|35586 km

PeA at separation:​

|13814 km

Inc at separation:​

|0°
[/table]

[table="head"]Characteristics|

AsiaSat 7​

Customer:​

|

• Asia Satellite Telecommunications Co. Ltd
  

Prime contractor:​

|

• Space Systems / Loral
  

Platform:​

|

• Space Service Loral LS-1300S

Mass at Separation:​

|

• 3760 kg

Dry Mass:​

|

• ?

Stabilization:​

|

• 3 axis stabilized

Dimensions (stowed):​

|

• 2779 mm x 3408 mm x 6460 mm

Batteries:​

|

• ?

Communication Payload:​

|

• 28 C-band transponders
• 17 Ku-band transponders
• 1 Ka-band transponder

Life time:​

|

• 15 years

|

[/table]

Launch Vehicle:

[table="head"]{colsp=2}Characteristics

|[table="head"]{colsp=2}

Proton-M / Briz-M​

Prime contractor:​

|

• Khrunichev Space Centre
  

GRAU Index:​

|

• 8K82KM

Height:​

| 58.2 m with upper stage and payload fairing

Diameter:​

| max 7.4 m

Liftoff mass:​

| 705 metric tonnes

Payload mass:​

| ~22 tonnes at LEO

1st stage:​

|

• 6 X RD-275 engines
• Empty 30.6 tonnes
• Propellants 419.41 tonnes (UDMH and NTO)
• Thrust in vacuum 1069.8 tonnes of force
• Thrust at sea level 971.4 tonnes of force

2nd stage:​

|

• 1 X RD-0211 engine 3 X RD-0210 engines
• Empty 11.4 tonnes
• Propellants 156.113 tonnes (UDMH and NTO)
• Thrust in vacuum 237.4 tonnes of force

3rd stage:​

|

• 1 X RD-0213 engine & 1 X RD-0214 vernier engine
• Empty 3.7 tonnes
• Propellants 46.562 tonnes (UDMH and NTO)
• Thrust in vacuum 59.36 (core) + 3.15 (vernier) tonnes of force

Upper Stage:​

|

• GRAU Index: 14S43
• Common Name: Briz-M
• Designer & Manufacturer: Khrunichev Space Centre
• Dimensions: Length 2.654 m, Diameter 4 m
• Empty Mass 2.2 tonnes
• Propellants 6 660 kg UDMH + 13 260 kg N2O4
• Flight time: no less than 24 hours

• Main Engine: 1 X 14D30
• Thrust in vacuum 2.0 tonnes of force
• ISP 328.6 s
• Main engine restarts: up to 8 times

• Precision Manoeuvering Engines: 4 X 11D458
• Thrust in vacuum 400 N each
• ISP 252 s

• RCS Engines: 12 X 17D58E
• Thrust in vacuum 13.3 N each
• ISP 274 s

Payload Fairing:​

|

• Diameter 4.35 m
• Length 11.6 m

[/table]
[/table]

The vehicle's reliability statistics according to http://www.spacelaunchreport.com/log2011.html#rate:

================================================================ 
Vehicle     Successes/Tries Realzd Pred  Consc. Last     Dates    
                             Rate  Rate* Succes Fail    
================================================================
Proton-M/Briz-M  46    50    .92  .90      4    08/17/11 2001-

AsiaSat 7 Ascent Profile

The Proton-M first three stages place the orbital unit (OU), which consists of a Breeze-M upper stage, adapter system and AsiaSat 7, into 51.5° inclination suborbital trajectory.

Proton-M powered flight lasts 582 seconds. The OU powered flight begins at the moment of the third stage separation.

Immediately after the separation of the third stage booster, the Breeze-M stability engines start, damping the angular velocities of the third stage separation and then providing orbital unit orientation and stability during coast flight along a suborbital trajectory to await the first burn. The upper stage follows a five-burn injection profile.

AsiaSat 7 Ascent Timeline

[TABLE="head"]Event|Time rel lift-off|Time UTC|Comment
Ignition Start Sequence|-00:00:02.5|19:10:31.5 (Nov 25th)|
Stage 1 Ignition (40% thrust)|-00:00:01.75|19:10:32.25|
Command Stage 1 (100% thrust)|-00:00:00.9|19:10:33.1|
Maximum Dynamic Pressure|00:01:02|19:11:36|
1st/2nd Stage Separation|00:02:00|19:12:34|
2nd/3rd Stage Separation|00:05:27|19:16:01|
Payload Fairing Separation|00:05:48|19:16:22|
3rd Stage/Breeze M Separation|00:09:42|19:20:16|
1st Burn Ignition|00:11:16|19:21:50|
1st Burn Shutdown|00:15:47|19:26:21|1st Burn's Duration 00:04:31
2nd Burn Ignition|01:07:40|20:18:14|
2nd Burn Shutdown|01:25:24|20:35:58|2nd Burn's Duration 00:17:44
3rd Burn Ignition|03:29:06|23:39:40|
3rd Burn Shutdown|03:46:54|23:57:28|3rd Burn's Duration 00:17:48
APT Jettison|03:48:15|23:58:49|
4th Burn Ignition|08:47:31|03:58:05(Nov 26th)|
4th Burn Shutdown|08:59:04|04:09:38|4th Burn's Duration 00:11:33
Spacecraft Separation|09:13:00|04:23:34|
[/TABLE]

Weather forecast for Baikonur, Kazakhstan on November 25, 2011 (8 p.m.)

Time|Temps|Wind|Chill|Dew Point|Relative Humidity| Ceiling|Visibility|Wind|
8 PM|-6°C|-9°C|-6°C|-8°C|80%|10000 ft.|6 mi.|4 mph W|

Overcast

Sunrise/Sunset and associated twilight times for Baikonur on Saturday, November 26, 2011

Times are local.

Event|Time
Astronomical twilight begins|07 : 16
Nautical twilight begins|07 : 52
Civil twilight begins|08 : 29
Sunrise|09 : 01
Transit (sun is at its highest)|13 : 35
Sunset|18 : 08
Civil twilight ends|18 : 40
Nautical twilight ends|19 : 17
Astronomical twilight ends|19 : 53

References
http://www.federalspace.ru
http://tvroscosmos.ru
http://www.khrunichev.ru
http://www.ilslaunch.com
http://tihiy.fromru.com/Rn/RN_Proton.htm
http://www.asiasat.com
http://www.ssloral.com
http://www.tsenki.com
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com
http://www.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru
http://www.spacelaunchreport.com
http://www.intellicast.com/Local/Forecast.aspx
http://www.good-stuff.co.uk/suntimes/sunmap.php


Pictures and Videos:

 

[orb]

NASASpaceflight: LIVE: ILS Proton-M set to launch AsiaSat 7

 

[N_Molson]

That Proton rocket still looks as good !

T-56 minutes

---------- Post added at 06:41 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:14 PM ----------

T-30 minutes

TV-Tsenki live link wasn't working for me. This one does :

http://www.tv-tsenki.com/live.php

(select a server/source)

---------- Post added at 06:56 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:41 PM ----------

T-14 minutes

---------- Post added at 07:00 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:56 PM ----------

T-10 minutes

---------- Post added at 07:06 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:00 PM ----------

T-4 minutes

---------- Post added at 07:09 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:06 PM ----------

T-1 minute

 

[Alfastar]

LIFT-OFF!!!

 

[N_Molson]

Liftoff !!

---------- Post added at 07:12 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:11 PM ----------

Flight parameters "normalno".

---------- Post added at 07:13 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:12 PM ----------

1/2 separation successful, parameters nominal

 

[ky]

Second Stage Ignition has occurred.

 

[N_Molson]

T+5 minutes and everything going well

---------- Post added at 07:17 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:15 PM ----------

T+7 minutes, still on the good path

---------- Post added at 07:23 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:17 PM ----------

Lots of russian speech, I'm kinda lost...

---------- Post added at 07:27 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:23 PM ----------

First Breeze burn successful, everything is OK according to ILS.

---------- Post added at 07:30 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:27 PM ----------

3 more burns remain and will take place in the next 9 hours.

---------- Post added at 07:32 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:30 PM ----------

Screenshot from the launch (TV-Tsenki) :

 

[SiberianTiger]

Very good! :thumbup:

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

Spacecraft should have separated by now. Standing by for news...

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

And it's confirmed:


ILS Proton Successfully Launches the AsiaSat 7 Satellite for AsiaSat

BAIKONUR COSMODROME, Kazakhstan, November 26, 2011 – International Launch Services (ILS), a world leader in providing mission integration and launch services to the global commercial satellite industry, successfully carried the AsiaSat 7 satellite into orbit today on an ILS Proton for Asia Satellite Telecommunications Company Limited (AsiaSat) of Hong Kong. This was the 5th commercial mission of the year for ILS and the 8th Proton launch so far this year.

The ILS Proton Breeze M launched from Pad 39 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome at 1:10 a.m. today local time (3:10 a.m. in Hong Kong, 19:10 GMT and 2:10 p.m. EDT on November 25). After a 9 hour 13 minute 4-burn mission, the Breeze M successfully released the AsiaSat 7 satellite, weighing over 3.8 metric tons, into the planned geostationary transfer orbit. The orbital maneuvering lifetime of the satellite will be extended as a result of the performance and accuracy of the ILS Proton Breeze M launch vehicle.

This was the 371st launch for Proton since its maiden flight in 1965. The Proton Breeze M vehicle is developed and built by Khrunichev Research and Production Space Center of Moscow, Russia’s premier space industry manufacturer and majority owner of ILS.

Built by Space Systems/Loral, AsiaSat 7 is designed to replace AsiaSat 3S at the orbital location of 105.5 degrees East providing television broadcast and VSAT network services across the Asia-Pacific region. This new generation satellite will carry 28 C-band, 17 Ku-band transponders and a Ka-band payload. The regional C-band beam covers over 50 countries throughout Asia, the Middle East, Australasia and Central Asia.

Frank McKenna, President of ILS said, “This is our second launch with AsiaSat in just about two years, when we launched the AsiaSat 5 satellite. With this ILS Proton launch of AsiaSat 7, we have again played a pivotal role in AsiaSat’s strategic plan for the expansion of their business with our unmatched schedule assurance. My thanks go out to the ILS, Khrunichev, Space Systems/Loral and AsiaSat teams for their tireless efforts in ensuring a successful launch.”

“With the launch of AsiaSat 7 on the powerful ILS Proton vehicle, AsiaSat will be able to deliver on our promise to provide high quality and uninterrupted service to our current and potential new customers across Asia, Middle East, and Australasia. Our selection of ILS Proton, providing optimized delivery to orbit, will help extend the lifetime of the satellite, creating exceptional value for our business. Sincere thanks to all of those at ILS, Khrunichev, Space Systems/Loral and AsiaSat, for an outstanding mission and launch,” said William Wade, President and Chief Executive Officer of AsiaSat.

 

[SiberianTiger]

Excellent news!

 

[Cosmic Penguin]