spacetoday.net: space news from around the webin association with SpaceNews


Ariane launches two communications satellites
Posted: Fri, Sep 12, 2014, 7:25 AM ET (1125 GMT)
Ariane 5 ECA launch of Measat-3b and Optus 10 (Arianespace) An Ariane 5 rocket placed two communications satellites into orbit Thursday evening. The Ariane 5 ECA lifted off from Kourou, French Guiana, at 6:05 pm EDT (2205 GMT) Thursday and released the Measat-3b and Optus 10 satellites into geostationary transfer orbits about a half-hour later. The launch was delayed by nearly 45 minutes because of issues not directly related to the rocket, including the reconfiguration of a downrange tracking station. Measat-3b, a Eurostar 3000 model spacecraft built by Airbus Space and Defence for Malaysian operator Measat, weighed nearly 5,900 kilograms at launch. The spacecraft carries Ku-, S-, and X-band transponders to provide communications services from 91.5 degrees east in GEO. Optus 10, a Space Systems Loral 1300-series spacecraft built for Australian company Optus, weighed 3,270 kilograms at launch. It will provide Ku-band services from 164 degrees east in GEO.
<<previous article   next article>>
news in brief
Russian cosmonauts complete ISS spacewalk
Posted: Sat, Dec 21 12:02 PM ET (1702 GMT)



news links
Tuesday, December 24
Refueling and Maneuvering Satellites in Orbit Is Key to National Security
Air and Space Forces Magazine — 10:13 am ET (1513 GMT)


about spacetoday.net   ·   info@spacetoday.net   ·   mailing list