Intelsat spacecraft suffers antenna malfunction
Posted: Wed, May 4, 2011, 7:31 AM ET (1131 GMT)
A new Intelsat communications satellite launched last month is experiencing a problem deploying one of its antennas, the company announced Tuesday. Orbital Sciences Corporation, the manufacturer of the Intelsat New Dawn spacecraft, reported that it carried out the procedure to deploy the spacecraft's C-band reflector. While telemetry confirmed that the reflector deployed properly, other spacecraft data indicated otherwise. Engineers are planning a series of steps to try and free the stuck reflector, including shaking the satellite and exposing the reflector to temperature changes. Intelsat said it would delay plays to deploy the spacecraft's other reflector, which uses Ku-band frequencies, until the C-band reflector deployment is resolved. The rest of the spacecraft is operating normally. Intelsat New Dawn, a join venture of Intelsat and South African investors, was launched last month and is currently located in a test location in GEO before moving to its final location at 32.8 degrees east.
A new Intelsat communications satellite launched last month is experiencing a problem deploying one of its antennas, the company announced Tuesday. Orbital Sciences Corporation, the manufacturer of the Intelsat New Dawn spacecraft, reported that it carried out the procedure to deploy the spacecraft's C-band reflector. While telemetry confirmed that the reflector deployed properly, other spacecraft data indicated otherwise. Engineers are planning a series of steps to try and free the stuck reflector, including shaking the satellite and exposing the reflector to temperature changes. Intelsat said it would delay plays to deploy the spacecraft's other reflector, which uses Ku-band frequencies, until the C-band reflector deployment is resolved. The rest of the spacecraft is operating normally. Intelsat New Dawn, a join venture of Intelsat and South African investors, was launched last month and is currently located in a test location in GEO before moving to its final location at 32.8 degrees east.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
SpaceX sets Nov. 18 launch date for sixth Starship test flight
Posted: Sat, Nov 9 9:57 AM ET (1457 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Monday, November 25
Rocket Lab Successfully Launches Two Missions in Less Than 24 Hours
Rocket Lab — 5:15 am ET (1015 GMT) Start thinking about space tourism, Travel Counsellors agents told
Travel Weekly — 5:15 am ET (1015 GMT) Greater transparency will enhance space governance
Australian Strategic Policy Institute — 5:14 am ET (1014 GMT) Rural visionaries and space frontiers: How Terry Kilgore helped transform Virginia into a commercial space hub
Cardinal News — 5:14 am ET (1014 GMT) Colorado Springs named permanent home for 250 Delta 15 Space Force guardians, ahead of possible Space Command fight
Colorado Springs Gazette — 5:14 am ET (1014 GMT) |
