Russian communications satellite stranded in transfer orbit
Posted: Thu, Aug 18, 2011, 2:13 PM ET (1813 GMT)
A European-built Russian communications satellite, launched Thursday on a Proton rocket, has been stranded in a transfer orbit after the rocket's upper stage malfunctioned. The Proton-M rocket lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome at 5:25 pm EDT Wednesday (2125 GMT Wednesday, 3:25 am local time Thursday) carrying the Express-AM4 satellite for Russian satellite operator RSCC. The satellite was to be released by the Briz-M upper stage after five engine burns, but telemetry from the upper stage was lost after the fourth burn. The cause of the problem and the status of the spacecraft, including whether it may be possible to eventually put the satellite into geosynchronous orbit, are unknown. The satellite, a Eurostar E3000 model built by EADS Astrium, weighed over 5,700 kilograms at launch and carries a payload of C-, Ka-, Ku- and L-band transponders.
A European-built Russian communications satellite, launched Thursday on a Proton rocket, has been stranded in a transfer orbit after the rocket's upper stage malfunctioned. The Proton-M rocket lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome at 5:25 pm EDT Wednesday (2125 GMT Wednesday, 3:25 am local time Thursday) carrying the Express-AM4 satellite for Russian satellite operator RSCC. The satellite was to be released by the Briz-M upper stage after five engine burns, but telemetry from the upper stage was lost after the fourth burn. The cause of the problem and the status of the spacecraft, including whether it may be possible to eventually put the satellite into geosynchronous orbit, are unknown. The satellite, a Eurostar E3000 model built by EADS Astrium, weighed over 5,700 kilograms at launch and carries a payload of C-, Ka-, Ku- and L-band transponders.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
FAA restricts hours for commercial launches during shutdown
Posted: Sun, Nov 9 9:05 AM ET (1405 GMT) China postpones Shenzhou-20 return on orbital debris concerns
Posted: Sun, Nov 9 8:58 AM ET (1358 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Saturday, November 22
Elon Musk’s Starlink is rewiring the world — but at what cost?
The Times of London — 12:13 am ET (0513 GMT) Britons miss out on Musk’s Starlink internet because of rules to protect France
The Daily Telegraph — 12:10 am ET (0510 GMT) Hegseth and Whiting chart accelerated path for Space Command move to Alabama
WZDX-TV Huntsville, AL — 12:07 am ET (0507 GMT) SpaceX launches 29 Starlink satellites into orbit from Florida
UPI — 12:05 am ET (0505 GMT) PLD Space unveils the first MIURA 5 qualification unit
PLD Space — 12:02 am ET (0502 GMT) |
