Ariane 5 ECA - Astra 3B & COMSATBw2 (launched May 21, 2010)

[MeteorWayne]

Re: May 21, Ariane 5 ECA Launch with Astra 3B & COMSATBw 2

ARIANESPACE FLIGHT - ASTRA 3B & COMSATBw-2

Arianespace has set the date for the next Ariane 5 launch for Friday, May 21, 2010.

An Ariane 5 ECA will loft into orbit the ASTRA 3B and COMSATBw-2 satellites. This will be the 50th launch of an Ariane 5.

Liftoff of the Ariane 5 launcher is now set for the night of Friday, May 21, as early as possible in the following launch window:

Universal Time (GMT) From 10:01 p.m.
to 10:44 p.m. on
May 21, 2010

EDT U.S.A.

From 06:01 p.m.
to 06:44 p.m. on
May 21, 2010


Live webcasting start 20 minutes before lift-off.
Video webcasting will be available in FlashMedia and WindowsMedia formats:

http://www.videocorner.tv/index.htm

 

[Zipi]

Re: May 21, Ariane 5 ECA Launch with Astra 3B & COMSATBw 2

bMay 20, 2010 – Ariane Flight V194

Arianespace’s Ariane 5 mission with the ASTRA 3B and COMSATBw-2 satellite payloads is on track for a liftoff tomorrow evening, following the heavy-lift vehicle’s rollout to the launch zone at the Spaceport in French Guiana this morning.

Riding atop its mobile launch table, Ariane 5 emerged from the Final Assembly Building under a sunny French Guiana sky and was transferred to the launch pad to be secured in place.

This flight will mark another of Arianespace’s missions with a mixed civilian/military payload, as ASTRA 3B is to provide direct-to-home (DTH) services, plus public and private satellite communications for SES ASTRA; while COMSATBw-2 will serve as a secure relay spacecraft for the delivery of key telecommunications capacity to Germany’s armed forces.

Lift performance for the Ariane 5 ECA will be more than 9,110 kg., including approximately 7,970 kg. for the two spacecraft passengers, plus the mass of the vehicle’s dual-passenger dispenser system and satellite integration hardware.

ASTRA 3B is riding in the upper position of the launcher’s payload “stack” and will be deployed at just under 28 minutes into the flight, with COMSATBw-2 located below it in the SYLDA 5 dispenser for a separation at 33 minutes after liftoff.

Original article: http://www.arianespace.com/news-mission ... 10/690.asp

 

[MeteorWayne]

Re: May 21, Ariane 5 ECA Launch with Astra 3B & COMSATBw 2

Arianespace’s double success
50th Ariane 5 mission, 36th successful launch in a row
ASTRA 3B and COMSATBw-2 in orbit

On Friday, May 21, Arianespace placed two communications satellites into geostationary transfer orbit: the ASTRA 3B commercial communications satellite for the Luxembourg-based operator SES ASTRA, and the COMSATBw-2 military communications satellite built by Astrium for the German Ministry of Defense.

Launch Video:



http://www.videocorner.tv/videocorner2/ ... ?langue=en

 

[EarthlingX]

Re: May 21, Ariane 5 ECA Launch with Astra 3B & COMSATBw 2

Thanks MW, was with Atlantis, and missed this.

Not the best video, but nice launch

http://www.videocorner.tv/videocorner2/live_flv/index.php?langue=en

 

[Zipi]

Re: May 21, Ariane 5 ECA Launch with Astra 3B & COMSATBw 2

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSpujejB1pA[/youtube]