Arianespace : New launch of Ariane 5 ECA scheduled today

[montmein69]

Credit : Arianespace<br />Following the transfer of Ariane 5 to the launch pad on 2 May, liftoff of flight V176 / L536 is scheduled today Thursday, 3 May with a launch window from 19:29 to 20:13 Kourou time (00:29 to 01:13 CEST). It will take off from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana with its dual passenger payload: the ASTRA 1L and Galaxy 17 telecommunications satellites. The planned orbit is a Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO).<br /><br />The 4505-kg ASTRA 1L satellite, built by Lockheed Martin Commercial Satellite Systems for SES ASTRA, will be deployed 27 minutes into the flight and the 4100-kg Galaxy 17 spacecraft, manufactured by Thales Alenia Space and being launched for INTELSAT, will be released approximately six minutes later. Both spacecraft will operate for a 15-year period, providing television broadcast services for customers in Europe.<br /><br />Tonight's launch will take place in the presence Antonio Fabrizi, Director of Launchers (D/LAU) and Michael Griffin, Administrator of NASA. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[montmein69]

Launch window and TV coverage :<br /><br />GMT : De 22h29 à 23h13, le 3 mai 2007.<br />PARIS : De 00h29 à 01h13, le 4 mai 2007.<br />WASHINGTON : De 18h29 à 19h13, le 3 mai 2007.<br />KOUROU : De 19h29 à 20h13, le 3 mai 2007.<br /><br />http://www.videocorner.tv/index.php?langue=en<br />(Diffusion : H-20 mn).<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[ckikilwai]

00h29, oh well, I'm going to watch it anyway, although I must get up at 6h00 AM <img src="/images/icons/tongue.gif" />

 

[ckikilwai]

You can already see the launchpad on the live coverage now.<br />There are some raindrops on the camera and there are some gray clouds on the background. <br />I don't know what the launch restrictions are for the Ariane 5, but I have seen some launches when it was very clouded.<br /><br />The live coverage itself will begin in 20 minutes or so.

 

[ckikilwai]

*Sigh*<br />There is a red on weather, they say rain doesn't affect the launch, but the winds are too hard.<br />They postpone the launch half an hour, hoping the weather gets better.<br />So I'm going to bed! It's now 0:15 AM here in Belgium, and I have to get up early... <br />

 

[bobblebob]

Not going to see much anyway unless they clean the camera lense. Looks like heavy rain

 

[MeteorWayne]

Any update? Is this online? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[ckikilwai]

"Any update? Is this online?"<br /><br />the launchcoverage will begin over half an hour, the launch is planned at 10:29 PM GMT.<br /><br />link for the coverage is still http://www.videocorner.tv/index.php?langue=en<br /><br />*edit*<br />I just read the weather forecast for Cayenne (a city near the launch center) and they say there is a chance for thunderstorms, so they could scrub the launch again.<br />The webcast shows already a view from the pad now, again with raindrops on the camera.

 

[ckikilwai]

Ok, launch coverage has begun, and meteo was green. <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" />

 

[ckikilwai]

1 minute left

 

[ckikilwai]

Liftoff, booster separation, fairing seperated and everything is normal.<br /><br />The air was clear and it was a beautiful night launch! <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" />

 

[bobblebob]

Shame the camera angle used on the stream wasnt the best to see the launch

 

[ckikilwai]

"Shame the camera angle used on the stream wasnt the best to see the launch"<br />Which camera do you mean?

 

[ckikilwai]

It seems that Mike Griffin is also present at the space center to watch launch in the light of the coming launch of the ATV.

 

[bobblebob]

As soon as it left the pad, we got a shot from a camera clearly quite far away from the pad and you could only make out the glow from the rockets burning. <br /><br />Doesnt beat the views you get with an STS launch

 

[montmein69]

> As soon as it left the pad, we got a shot from a camera <br /> /> clearly quite far away from the pad and you could only<br /> /> make out the glow from the rockets burning.<br /><br />You're right, the second camera is far from the pad, but the acceleration is impressive and the launcher is far away in few seconds.<br /><br />http://www.videocorner.tv/index.php?langue=en<br />(the launch video is in Previous Launch)<br /><br />Maybe we could suggest to Arianespace to improve the TV coverage but IMHO the most important is :<br />- the launcher worked very well<br />- the payload (2 satellites) is on the GTO<br /><br />Not too bad for the Old Europe technology<br /><br />Arianespace comment :<br /><br />http://www.arianespace.com/site/news/news_sub_missionupdate_index.html<br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>