Rascom-QAF1R & Nilesat 201(Ariane 5 launched on Aug.4, 2010)

[Zipi]

Launch window: 20:45-23:34 GMT (4:45-7:34 pm EDT)
Launch site: ELA-3, Kourou, French Guiana

Arianespace Flight 196 will use an Ariane 5 rocket with a cryogenic upper stage to launch the Rascom-QAF 1R communications satellite to serve Africa and Egypt's COMS 1 satellite to provide direct broadcasting television programming to the Middle East.

Thales Alenia Press Release (HTML): http://www.thalesgroup.com/Press_Releas ... unch_site/
Thales Alenia Press Release (PDF): http://www.thalesgroup.com/Workarea/Dow ... gType=2057
Rascom-QAF1R in Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regional_A ... SCOM-QAF1R
Nilesat-201 Wikipedia Article (very stub): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nilesat_201
Official Site to Check the Launch Window: http://www.cnes-csg.fr/web/CNES-CSG-fr/ ... n-vol-.php
Arianespace Mission Status Center: http://www.arianespace.com/news/mission-status.asp
Arianespace Launch Kit: http://www.arianespace.com/images/launc ... COM-GB.pdf
Live Stream: http://www.videocorner.tv/

Both Thales Alenia Space-built satellites for Ariane 5’s next mission are shown during initial processing inside the S5B integration hall of the Spaceport’s S5 payload preparation facility. In the foreground is RASCOM-QAF1R, while Nilesat-201 is visible in the background.

The RASCOM-QAF1R satellite is based on the Spacebus 4000B3 platform, this satellite carries 24 equivalent 36-MHz transponders in both Ku-band and C-band, and will provide Africa with access to advanced communications and information technologies – in particular rural telephony – from an orbital slot of 2.9 degrees East longitude. It will be operated by RascomStar-QAF, offering coverage for the African continent, along with parts of Europe and the Middle East.

Nilesat-201 was built with a Spacebus 4000B2 platform, and is equipped with 24 Ku-band and 4 Ka-band transponders. Egyptian satellite operator Nilesat will utilize the relay platform to deliver digital Direct-to-Home (DTH) TV and radio broadcasting, along with high-speed data transmission services, to North Africa and the Middle East. Nilesat-201 is to be located at an orbital position of 7 degrees West longitude.

Quoted from: http://www.arianespace.com/news-mission ... 10/707.asp

Ariane 5 Launch Animation: (not very professionally made)
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtI50ndY2WE[/youtube]

Ariane Flight V195

Launcher version: Ariane 5 ECA
Payload(s): Arabsat-5A & COMS
Customer(s): Thales Alenia Space for Arabsat-5A & Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) for COMS
Mission: Telecommunications for Arabsat 5A & Meteorology, ocean monitoring and telecommunications for COMS
Payload prime contractor(s): EADS Astrium for Arabsat-5A and COMS

Ariane 5 ECA Launch Vehicle

Arianespace's Ariane 5 Page: http://www.arianespace.com/launch-servi ... -intro.asp
Ariane 5 Wikipedia Article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ariane_5
Ariane 5 ECA Cutout Image: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... _5_ECA.gif
Ariane 5 Launch vehicle's technology: http://www.le-webmag.com/article.php3?i ... 20&lang=en
ESA's Ariane 5 Detailed Information Page: http://esamultimedia.esa.int/multimedia ... riane.html

The Main Cryogenic Stage

As the central element of Ariane 5, the core cryogenic stage serves as one of the launcher's key propulsion systems.

It carries a propellant load of 132.27 metric tons of liquid oxygen and 25.84 metric tons of liquid hydrogen to feed the stage's Vulcain main engine.

The Vulcain burns for just under 600 seconds, providing up to 116 metric tons of thrust in vacuum.

The stage has an overall length of 30.5 meters from the Vulcain main engine's nozzle to the forward (upper) skirt.

Its dry mass is 12.2 metric tons, and the liftoff mass with its load of cryogenic propellant is 170.3 metric tons.

After completing its propulsive mission, the empty stage is commanded to reenter the atmosphere for an ocean splashdown.

Ariane 5 ECA has one Vulcain II Main Engine burning LH[sub]2[/sub]/LOX

Vulcain Wikipedia Article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vulcain
Vulcain-2 Volvo Aero Product Guide: http://www.volvoaero.com/SiteCollection ... 2_2005.pdf
Volvo Aero Vulcain 2 Product Page: http://www.volvoaero.com/VOLVOAERO/GLOB ... ain_2.aspx
Snecma Vulcain 2 Marketing Brochure: http://www.snecma.com/IMG/pdf/Brochure_ ... pdf#page=7
Snecma Vulcain 2 Technical Sheet: http://www.snecma.com/IMG/pdf/VULCAIN_2_ang-2.pdf
Snecma Vulcain 2 Product Page: http://www.snecma.com/spip.php?article121&lang=en

Solid Rocket Boosters

Arianespace's Booster Manufacturing Page: http://www.arianespace.com/spaceport-ar ... ooster.asp
Booster Test Stand Page: http://www.cnes.fr/web/CNES-en/2887-ari ... -stand.php
Booster Manufacturer: http://www.aviogroup.com/en/avio_heritage/spazio (AvioGroup, FiatAvio, Regulus)

Ariane 5 utilizes two solid boosters, each standing more than 30 meters tall with 237.8 metric tons of propellant. The boosters are ignited on the launch pad once the main cryogenic stage's Vulcain engine has stabilized its thrust output.

They deliver more than 90 percent of the launcher's total thrust at the start of flight and burn for 130 sec. before they are separated over a designated zone of the Atlantic Ocean.

The booster stage’s solid rocket motor is made up of three segments: the 11.1-meter-long aft (lower) segment, which is loaded with 106.7 metric tons of propellant; the center segment, with a length of 10.17 meters and 107.4 metric tons of propellant; and the 3.5-meter-long forward (upper) segment, loaded with 23.4 metric tons of propellant.

A propellant mix of 68 percent ammonium perchlorate (oxidizer), 18 percent aluminum (fuel), and 14 percent polybutadiene (binder) is used in the solid rocket motors.

The combustion process is initiated by a pyrotechnic device, and the solid propellant burns at a radial velocity (from the center outward) of approximately 7.4 mm/sec.

Flight control is provided by the boosters' movable nozzle, which is driven by hydraulically-controlled servoactuators.

Second Stage

The second stage of Ariane 5 ECA rocket uses one HM7-B engine burning LH2/LOX.

HM7-B Wikipedia Article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HM7-B
Snecma HM7-B Marketing Brochure: http://www.snecma.com/IMG/pdf/Brochure_ ... pdf#page=8
Snecma HM7-B Technical Sheet: http://www.snecma.com/IMG/pdf/HM7B_Anglais.pdf
snecma HM7-B Product Page: http://www.snecma.com/spip.php?article120&lang=en

Guiana Launch Centre

Guiana Wikipedia Article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guiana_Space_Centre
Cnes CSG Official Page: http://www.cnes-csg.fr/web/CNES-CSG-en/ ... ersion.php
ESA's Europe's Spaceport Page: http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Launchers_E ... index.html
Arianespace Ariane 5 Launch Site Page: http://www.arianespace.com/spaceport-ar ... erview.asp
Google Maps: http://maps.google.com/maps?t=h&q=5.237 ... 55575&z=15

 

[EarthlingX]

Re: Aug. 4 Ariane 5 ECA - Rascom-QAF1R & Nilesat 201

http://www.arianespace.com : Ariane 5 is cleared for its launch with NILESAT 201 and RASCOM-QAF1R

This photo series shows final payload integration activity for Arianespace’s third flight of 2010, which led to today’s successful launch readiness review at the Spaceport. In the photo at left, RASCOM-QAF1R is lowered for its installation on Ariane 5’s core stage. At center, the payload fairing containing NILESAT 201 is ready for its integration. At right is a close-up photo of RASCOM-QAF1R as it is ready to be covered by the launcher’s upper payload "stack" component.

August 2, 2010 – Ariane Flight V196

Arianespace’s third heavy-lift flight of 2010 has been authorized for its August 4 liftoff following today’s launch readiness review at the Spaceport in French Guiana.

The review is performed prior to each Ariane 5 mission, ensuring that the launch vehicle and its payload are flight-ready, along with the Spaceport’s infrastructure and the network of downrange tracking stations.

This go-ahead also clears Ariane 5 for its roll-out tomorrow from the Final Assembly Building to the ELA-3 launch zone, where it will be readied for Wednesday’s liftoff during a 109-minute launch window that opens at 5:45 p.m. local time in French Guiana.

 

[montmein69]

Re: Aug. 4 Ariane 5 ECA - Rascom-QAF1R & Nilesat 201

The launcher during the transfer to the pad ELA3

Launch window :


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

 

[Zipi]

Re: Aug. 4 Ariane 5 ECA - Rascom-QAF1R & Nilesat 201

Launch was successfull and here is the video:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1utQ8pGI_CI[/youtube]