Dec. 28 Proton - DirecTV 12

[Zipi]

Launch time: 0022 GMT on 29th (7:22 p.m. EST on 28th)
Launch site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan

An International Launch Services Proton rocket with a Breeze M upper stage will deploy the DirecTV 12 spacecraft. The satellite will provide direct-to-home and HDTV services across the U.S.

Proton-M move to the pad:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FdBmBVb250[/youtube]

More information:
http://www.ilslaunch.com/news-122209
http://www.ilslaunch.com/assets/pdf/DTV-12-MO-Final.pdf

Live coverage will start 20min before the launch at it can be folloved here:
http://www.ilslaunch.com/

Probably TsenkiTV will also have its own coverage:
http://www.tv-tsenki.com/live.php
http://www.tv-tsenki.com/live3.php
http://webcaster.rutube.ru:8000/3311850?format=flv (direct stream link, you may have to copy & paste this to your VLC player)

 

[Zipi]

Spaceflight Now article: http://www.spaceflightnow.com/proton/dtv12/preview/

 

[Zipi]

Khrunichev's english info package: (includes orbital charts)
http://coopi.khrunichev.ru/main.php?id=461&lang=en

SiberianTiger's excellent infopack:
http://www.orbiter-forum.com/showthread.php?t=11816

 

[Zipi]

About 3H 10min to the launch, but I have to go to sleep... It is 23:12 here at Finland already and tomorrow I have to go to work. :roll:

Hopefully somebody uploads the launch video to Youtube for my morning entertainment. Of course the official video will be available after a day or two from the launch day.

 

[Zipi]

Here is the launch video:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9EULvvvU5k[/youtube]

 

[Zipi]

DTV 12 Mission Successful!
Posted by ILS Communications Team, 4:40 a.m. EST on 29 December 2009

We have had a successful mission with the Proton M Breeze M rocket, carrying the DTV 12 satellite built by Boeing Space & Intelligence Systems for DIRECTV. We have had confirmation that the satellite separated from the vehicle on schedule at 4:32 a.m. EST, or 09:32 GMT, 9 hours and 10 minutes after liftoff.

Everything occurred as planned with ignition, shutdown and separation of the Proton’s first three stages. Then the Breeze M upper stage with the satellite continued the mission, igniting five times, and then releasing the satellite into transfer orbit.

From: http://www.ilslaunch.com/dtv-12-mission-successful/

 

[Zipi]

Official launch replays: (better coverage without commentors)
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SHWmEmOUN0[/youtube]

 

[EarthlingX]

And recorded by Santa

 

[Zipi]

And recorded by Santa

Yep, but at least for me it seemed like acted situation. The real thing might be the first one when they are filming Santa from behind. But the second one with bright lamps and filmed forward cannot be from real launch.

 

[halman]

Second launch in two weeks - impressive.

Is this the 12th DirecTV bird to be put into service, or do they have more than one online at a time? They have only been around for about, what, 25 years?