Satellite News

The second of two satellites for Ariane 5’s next flight has arrived at Europe’s Spaceport as Arianespace continues its sustained mission pace in 2008, the launch provider said.

Rocket: Zenit 3SL/Block DM-SL; Payload: EchoStar XI; Date: 16 July 2008, 0521 UTC; Site: Odyssey Launch Platform, positioned on the equator at 154 degrees West longitude in the Pacific Ocean. One hour after lift-off, the Block DM-SL upper stage inserted the satellite into geosynchronous transfer orbit.

Russia is to launch the long-delayed THEOS (Thailand Earth Observation System) satellite on 16 July (likely Moscow time), Interfax reports.

The Sea Launch team arrived at the launch site in the Equatorial Pacific over the weekend and initiated a 72-hour countdown, in preparation for the launch of the EchoStar XI satellite on 16 July UTC.

On 7 July, Arianespace boosted two telecommunications satellites, providing direct TV broadcast and Internet services, into orbit: ProtoStar I for Bermudan operator ProtoStar Ltd. and Badr-6 for Saudi-Arabia-based operator Arabsat.

China’s 120-tonne liquid oxygen-kerosene engine for the new Chang Zheng V rocket has passed initial tests and would be put into field tests by year end, said Liang Xiaohong, vice president of the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology.

Rocket: Ariane 5 ECA; Payload: ProtoStar I, Badr 6; Date: 7 July 2008, 2147 UTC; Site: Kourou, French Guiana. The two direct broadcast satellites were successfully put into their respective target orbits.

The Delta II rocket that put the Jason 2 oceanography satellite in orbit did not underperform as initial reports suggested.