Zenit launches XM satellite
Posted: Tue, Oct 31, 2006, 6:24 AM ET (1124 GMT)
A Sea Launch Zenit 3SL successfully launched the latest XM Satellite Radio spacecraft Monday evening. The Zenit 3SL carrying the XM-4 spacecraft lifted off at 6:49 pm EST (2349 GMT) from the floating Odyssey launch platform on the Equator in the Pacific Ocean, and placed the spacecraft into a geosynchronous transfer orbit one hour later. The 5,200-kilogram Boeing-built satellite is the second of a series of two new satellites designed to replace the company's original spacecraft, XM-1 and -2, which suffer from degraded solar power units. XM-4 will take up position in GEO at 115 degrees west, broadcasting subscription radio programming to the US and Canada. XM announced that it will exercise an option for the launch of a fifth satellite, XM-5, with Sea Launch. The launch was the fifth this year for Sea Launch, the most in any single calendar year for the multinational consortium; a sixth launch is scheduled for late this year.
A Sea Launch Zenit 3SL successfully launched the latest XM Satellite Radio spacecraft Monday evening. The Zenit 3SL carrying the XM-4 spacecraft lifted off at 6:49 pm EST (2349 GMT) from the floating Odyssey launch platform on the Equator in the Pacific Ocean, and placed the spacecraft into a geosynchronous transfer orbit one hour later. The 5,200-kilogram Boeing-built satellite is the second of a series of two new satellites designed to replace the company's original spacecraft, XM-1 and -2, which suffer from degraded solar power units. XM-4 will take up position in GEO at 115 degrees west, broadcasting subscription radio programming to the US and Canada. XM announced that it will exercise an option for the launch of a fifth satellite, XM-5, with Sea Launch. The launch was the fifth this year for Sea Launch, the most in any single calendar year for the multinational consortium; a sixth launch is scheduled for late this year.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
Space Force picks 14 companies for GEO surveillance program
Posted: Sat, Apr 11 10:34 AM ET (1434 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Sunday, April 12
New FCC rule will make Starlink satellite internet faster and cheaper
Mashable — 4:06 am ET (0806 GMT) 6 mind-blowing space missions now set to launch after Artemis II
Science Focus — 4:04 am ET (0804 GMT) Artemis II crew used modern photography to tell the visual story of their lunar journey – and update some classic Apollo images
The Conversation — 4:03 am ET (0803 GMT) Scotland 'on track' to become key centre in European spaceflight
The Scotsman — 4:03 am ET (0803 GMT) Bill Maher is not convinced by the Artemis II mission: ‘Let’s fix the ----show on Earth’
The Independent — 4:02 am ET (0802 GMT) |
