25.12.2017
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Both satellites for Arianespace’s first launch of 2018 are in French Guiana
As another year of successful Arianespace launch activity draws to a close, both satellites for its first mission of 2018 are now in French Guiana – positioning them for liftoff January 25 from the Spaceport on a heavy-lift Ariane 5.
Al Yah 3 is shown during preparations in the Spaceport’s S5 payload processing facility.
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Arriving today was SES-14 for Luxembourg-based telecommunications satellite operator SES, which was flown into Félix Eboué Airport near the French Guiana capital city of Cayenne. Once it is transferred by road to the Spaceport, it will join the mission’s other payload: Al Yah 3 for Al Yah Satellite Communications Company PrJSC, located in the United Arab Emirates at Abu Dhabi.
The January 25 mission to geostationary transfer orbit is designated Flight VA241 in Arianespace’s launcher family numbering system, signifying the 241st flight of an Ariane series launch vehicle.
SES-14 will rely on electric propulsion and will be equipped with an electric plasma propulsion system for orbit raising and in-orbit maneuvers.
C- and Ku-band coverage with SES-14
To be positioned at 47.5 degrees West, SES-14 will serve Latin America, the Caribbean, North America and the North Atlantic region with its C- and Ku-band wide beam coverage as well as Ku-band high throughput spot beams coverage.
The relay platform’s C-band wide beams are designed to expand the reach of SES’s second cable neighborhood in Latin America, while its Ku-band high throughput spot beams will serve the dynamic aeronautical market and other traffic-intensive applications such as maritime, cellular backhaul or broadband services. Ku-band wide beams on the spacecraft also will serve growing direct-to-home and VSAT services in the Americas and the North Atlantic.
The spacecraft also has a NASA-funded hosted payload for the Global-scale Observations of the Limb and Disk (GOLD) mission, which is to deepen scientists’ understanding of the nearest reaches of space. GOLD will provide unprecedented imaging of the Earth’s upper atmosphere from geostationary orbit, and will be the first mission with a cadence fast enough to study the daily weather of the thermosphere-ionosphere rather than its long-term climate.
Al Yah 3 undergoes pre-launch processing at the Spaceport
With SES-14’s arrival in French Guiana, the satellite will join Flight VA241’s other passenger, Al Yah 3, which is undergoing pre-launch preparations in the Spaceport’s S5 payload processing facility.
Al Yah 3 is the first hybrid electric propulsion GEOStar-3 satellite to be completed by Orbital ATK. It was built at the U.S. company’s satellite manufacturing facility in Dulles, Virginia, and shipped to the launch site on November 28.
As an all Ka-band high-throughput and light-weight satellite, Al Yah 3 will provide affordable broadband communications to 60 percent of Africa’s population and more than 95 percent of Brazil’s population.
Quelle: arianespace
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Al Yah Satellite Communications Company (Yahsat) is a private joint stock company that is fully owned by Mubadala, the investment arm of the Government of Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. Mubadala’s commercial strategy is fundamentally built on long-term, capital-intensive investments that deliver strong financial returns.
Since being incorporated in 2007, we have implemented extensive research and interaction with customers to design the region’s first multi-purpose satellite system consisting of two satellites and related ground infrastructure.
Our first-hand understanding of the specific market requirements in the region has enabled us to develop customised satellite solutions for the government as well as the commercial sector in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Central and South West Asia.
Airbus ships high-power electric SES-14 satellite to Kourou
- Electric propulsion enables large and complex payload for SES
- Double mission includes wide-beam payload, as well as High Throughput Satellite (HTS) payload with a Digital Transparent Processor
- NASA science mission GOLD to fly as a hosted payload
SES-14 is being installed in a travel container
Toulouse, 22/12/2017 – SES-14, the first ever all-electric satellite in the 4-tonne class today left the Airbus Defence and Space clean rooms in Toulouse. The spacecraft will be delivered to French Guiana for its launch from Kourou CSG (Guiana Space Center), by Ariane 5, in January 2018.
SES-14 is one of two all-electric satellites that SES, the world leading satellite operator, has ordered from Airbus. The satellite is based on the highly reliable Eurostar platform, in its E3000e variant that uses electric propulsion for orbit raising (EOR), enabling SES-14 to carry a large multi-mission payload.
The satellite will serve Latin America, the Caribbean, North America and the North Atlantic region with its C- and Ku-band wide beam coverage, as well as offering Ku-band high throughput spot beam coverage. The High Throughput Satellite (HTS) payload is equipped with a Digital Transparent Processor (DTP), increasing payload flexibility and enabling customized bandwidth solutions for SES's customers.
“We are looking forward to the launch of the most powerful electric satellite built to date. Thanks to the innovations embedded in this state of the art spacecraft, it will deliver two large missions for our customer SES in a single satellite”, said Nicolas Chamussy, Head of Space Systems. “I salute SES’ ambition when it comes to innovation; I am grateful for their pioneering spirit and trust in our technology for electric satellites and processed payloads”.
SES-14 will also carry the first NASA science mission to fly as a hosted payload on a commercial communications satellite. The Global-scale Observations of the Limb and Disk (GOLD) mission instruments will measure densities and temperatures in Earth’s thermosphere and ionosphere.
The spacecraft will have a launch weight of 4,400 kg and an electric power capability of 16 kW. Its nominal operational position will be 47.5 degrees West, and it has been designed to remain in service in orbit for more than 15 years.
SES-14 is the 12th satellite built by Airbus for SES and the 48th satellite based on the highly reliable Eurostar E3000 platform. It is the 2nd in the all electric E3000e configuration, successfully introduced in orbit in 2017.
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About Airbus
Airbus is a global leader in aeronautics, space and related services. In 2016, it generated revenues of € 67 billion and employed a workforce of around 134,000. Airbus offers the most comprehensive range of passenger airliners from 100 to more than 600 seats and business aviation products. Airbus is also a European leader providing tanker, combat, transport and mission aircraft, as well as one of the world’s leading space companies. In helicopters, Airbus provides the most efficient civil and military rotorcraft solutions worldwide.
Quelle: Airbus
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Update: 23.01.2018
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Flight VA241: Arianespace to launch SES-14 and Al Yah 3 for SES and Yahsat to serve their ambitious goals
For its first launch of 2018, Arianespace will use an Ariane 5 from the Guiana Space Center (CSG) in French Guiana to launch the SES-14 and Al Yah 3 satellites for operators SES and Yahsat (Al Yah Satellite Communications Company).
SES-14 also hosts a payload for NASA’s Explorer program: GOLD (Global-Scale Observation of the Limb and Disk).
With this 295th mission of its launcher family – the 241st utilizing an Ariane launcher – Arianespace serves the ambitions of leading satellite operators, both globally and regionally.
The Flight VA241 will be from Ariane Launch Complex No. 3 (ELA 3) in Kourou, French Guiana.
The Launch Readiness Review (LRR) will take place on Tuesday, January 23, 2018 in Kourou, to authorize the start of operations for the final countdown.
SES-14 will be the 53rd satellite launched by Arianespace for the operator SES (Société Européenne de Satellites), reaching back to Spacenet 1, orbited in May 1984.
SES-14 is one of the company’s three hybrid satellites, combining wide beams and high throughput (HTS) spot beams. Its hybrid payload offers both C- and Ku-band wide beams, plus Ku- and Ka-band HTS capacity.
Positioned at 47.5° West, SES-14 will fulfill two primary missions: its C-band wide beams are specifically designed for SES’s expanding cable neighborhood in Latin America, while its Ku-band HTS spot beams will provide expansion capacity to serve the dynamic aeronautical and maritime markets and other traffic-intensive applications, such as cellular backhaul or broadband delivery services.
SES-14 also carries the Global-Scale Observations of the Limb and Disk (GOLD), a hosted payload for NASA, whose goal is to improve the understanding of the thermosphere-ionosphere. GOLD will transmit data from a geostationary orbit at a fast pace, to build up a full-disk view every half hour, providing detailed large-scale measurements of the response of the upper atmosphere to forcing from the Sun, the magnetosphere, and the lower atmosphere.
SES-14 was built by Airbus Defence and Space in its plant in Toulouse, France, using the E3000 EOR platform. It is the 119th satellite from this manufacturer to be launched by Arianespace, and also is the second based on the Eurostar E3000 EOR platform.
Al Yah 3 will be the second satellite launched by Arianespace for the United Arab Emirates operator Yahsat (Al Yah Satellite Communications Company), following Al Yah 1, launched in 2011.
With the launch of Al Yah 3, Yahsat’s commercial Ka-band coverage will be extended to an additional 20 markets, reaching 60% of Africa’s population and over 95% of Brazil’s population.
Al Yah 3 will be positioned at 20° West Longitude.
The Al Yah 3 satellite carries 53 active Ka-band user beams and four gateway beams, and produces approximately 8.0 kilowatts of payload electrical power. The Ka-band spot beams provide two-way communications services to facilitate high-speed delivery of data to end-user applications such as broadband Internet and corporate networking as well as IP backhaul for telecommunications service providers.
Al Yah 3 was built by Orbital ATK using its new GEOStar-3 hybrid platform, the first application of this platform.
It is the 27th Orbital ATK satellite to be launched by Arianespace, a series that started with the TOPEX-Poseidon mission in 1992.
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- SES-14
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SES-14 will be the 53rd satellite launched by Arianespace for the operator SES (Société Européenne de Satellites), reaching back to Spacenet 1, orbited in May 1984.
SES, a leading global satellite operator, is the first company to operate a scalable GEO-MEO fleet with over 50 satellites in geostationary orbit (GEO) and 12 in medium Earth orbit (MEO). SES provides satellite communications services to broadcasters, content and Internet service providers, operators of fixed and mobile networks, governments and institutions and businesses from around the world.
The SES fleet also includes the ASTRA and O3b satellite systems.
SES-14 is one of the company’s three hybrid satellites, combining wide beams and high throughput (HTS) spot beams. Its hybrid payload offers both C- and Ku-band wide beams, plus Ku- and Ka-band HTS capacity.
Positioned at 47.5° West, SES-14 will fulfill two primary missions: its C-band wide beams are specifically designed for SES’s expanding cable neighborhood in Latin America, while its Ku-band HTS spot beams will provide expansion capacity to serve the dynamic aeronautical and maritime markets and other traffic-intensive applications, such as cellular backhaul or broadband delivery services.
The Ku-band wide beams on SES-14 will augment SES’s ability to serve direct-to-home customers and provide connectivity in the Americas and the North Atlantic. The satellite will provide replacement and expansion capacity for NSS-806.
SES-14 will feature a digital transparent processor (DTP) that will provide more flexibility to route the spot beams and also offer customized connectivity solutions that best fit customers’ needs.
The satellite is equipped with an electric propulsion system for orbital maneuvers and orbit raising duties.
SES-14 also carries the Global-Scale Observations of the Limb and Disk (GOLD), a hosted payload for NASA, whose goal is to improve the understanding of the thermosphere-ionosphere. GOLD will transmit data from a geostationary orbit at a fast pace, to build up a full-disk view every half hour, providing detailed large-scale measurements of the response of the upper atmosphere to forcing from the Sun, the magnetosphere, and the lower atmosphere.
Arianespace currently has nine more SES satellites in its order book: SES-17, four O3b 13 – 16 satellites and four O3b 17-20 satellites.
SES-14 was built by Airbus Defence and Space in its plant in Toulouse, France, using the E3000 EOR platform. It is the 119th satellite from this manufacturer to be launched by Arianespace, and also is the second based on the Eurostar E3000 EOR platform.
Twenty other Airbus-built satellites are in Arianespace’s order book. Furthermore, Airbus is a partner in the construction of the 650 satellites in the OneWeb constellation, to be deployed by Arianespace.
- Al Yah 3
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Al Yah 3 will be the second satellite launched by Arianespace for the United Arab Emirates operator Yahsat (Al Yah Satellite Communications Company), following Al Yah 1, launched in 2011.
Yahsat is a leading global satellite operator, providing multipurpose satellite solutions (broadband, broadcast, government and communication use) across the Middle East, Africa, Europe and Central and Southwest Asia. Headquartered in the United Arab Emirates at Abu Dhabi, it is wholly-owned by the Mubadala Investment Company, the Abu Dhabi government’s investment vehicle.
Yahsat is the first company in the Middle East and Africa to offer Ka-band services – including YahClick, Yahsat Government Solutions, YahLink and Yahlive – via its Al Yah 1 and Al Yah 2 satellites.
With the launch of Al Yah 3, Yahsat’s commercial Ka-band coverage will be extended to an additional 20 markets, reaching 60% of Africa’s population and over 95% of Brazil’s population.
Al Yah 3 will be positioned at 20° West Longitude.
The Al Yah 3 satellite carries 53 active Ka-band user beams and four gateway beams, and produces approximately 8.0 kilowatts of payload electrical power. The Ka-band spot beams provide two-way communications services to facilitate high-speed delivery of data to end-user applications such as broadband Internet and corporate networking as well as IP backhaul for telecommunications service providers.
Al Yah 3 is designed to ensure high throughput and high availability for all target segments – including consumers – with small, cost-efficient terminals.
Al Yah 3 was built by Orbital ATK using its new GEOStar-3 hybrid platform, the first application of this platform.
It is the 27th Orbital ATK satellite to be launched by Arianespace, a series that started with the TOPEX-Poseidon mission in 1992.
Arianespace’s order book includes three other Orbital ATK satellites.
Quelle: arianespace
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Arianespace’s year-opening Ariane 5 flight is approved for launch
The first Arianespace mission in 2018 has been given the “green light” for its January 25 liftoff following today’s successful launch readiness review, which was conducted at the Spaceport in French Guiana.
This milestone confirmed that the Ariane 5 launcher and its dual-satellite payload – consisting of SES-14 and Al Yah 3 – are flight-ready, along with the Spaceport’s infrastructure and the network of downrange tracking stations.
With approval granted, Ariane 5 is cleared for rollout tomorrow from the Final Assembly Building to the ELA-3 launch zone – where it will be readied for liftoff on Thursday during a 45-minute launch window that opens at 7:20 p.m. local time in French Guiana. The launch vehicle is supplied to Arianespace by ArianeGroup as production prime contractor.
Two telecommunications satellite passengers
Arianespace is orbiting SES-14 for Luxembourg-based telecommunications satellite operator SES. This Airbus Defence and Space-produced spacecraft – based on the E3000 EOR platform – will serve Latin America, the Caribbean, North America and the North Atlantic region with its C- and Ku-band wide beam coverage, as well as Ku-band high-throughput spot beams coverage.
SES-14 also has a NASA-funded hosted payload for the Global-scale Observations of the Limb and Disk (GOLD) mission, which is to deepen scientists’ understanding of the nearest reaches of space by providing unprecedented imaging of the Earth’s upper atmosphere from geostationary orbit.
The SES-14 satellite is in Ariane 5’s upper payload position, to be release first at 27 minutes into the mission.
Al Yah 3 will be operated by Yahsat, which is located in the United Arab Emirates at Abu Dhabi. Once in orbit, the all-Ka-band spacecraft – built by Orbital ATK using its new GEOStar-3 hybrid platform – will provide affordable broadband communications to 60 percent of Africa’s population and more than 95 percent of Brazil’s population.
As the lower payload on Ariane 5, Al Yah 3 is to be deployed by Ariane 5 at 35 minutes after liftoff.
The January 25 mission is designated VA241, denoting the 241st flight using an Ariane vehicle since this European series of launchers entered service in 1979. It opens a busy year of activity for Arianespace, which will perform as many as 14 missions in 2018 with its full launcher family – consisting of the heavy-lift Ariane 5, medium-lift Soyuz and lightweight Vega.
Launch window for Flight VA241:
| French Guiana | Washington, D.C. | Universal Time (UTC) | Paris |
| Between 7:20 p.m. and 8:05 p.m. on January 25 |
Between 5:20 p.m. and 6:05 p.m. on January 25 |
Between 22:20 and 23:05 on January 25 |
Between 11:20 p.m. and 12:05 a.m. on January 25/26 |
Quelle: arianespace
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Launcher build-up completed: SES-14 and Al Yah 3 are integrated for Arianespace’s next Ariane 5 liftoff
Al Yah 3 is installed atop Ariane 5’s core stage inside the Spaceport’s Final Assembly Building.
The Ariane 5 for Arianespace’s upcoming mission from French Guiana is now complete following integration of its two satellite passengers: SES-14 for operator SES and Yahsat’s Al Yah 3 – both of which will be delivered to geostationary transfer orbit on a flight planned for January 25.
Encapsulated in the ogive-shaped protective fairing, SES-14 has been positioned atop Al Yah 3 – which was installed on the launcher’s cryogenic core stage during previous activity inside the Spaceport’s Final Assembly Building for Ariane 5.
These successive integration steps enable a new series of preparation milestones to begin. They include the launch readiness review on January 23, which is to be followed by Ariane 5’s rollout to the ELA-3 launch zone the next day.
Liftoff is scheduled during a 45-min. launch window opening January 25 at 7:20 p.m. local time in French Guiana, with the two spacecraft to be deployed on a flight lasting 35 minutes.
Ariane 5 will deliver a total payload lift performance of more than 9,100 kg. during the mission – with this combined mass factoring in SES-14 and Al Yah 3, plus the launch vehicle’s dual-passenger dispenser system and satellite integration hardware.
Next week’s mission is designated VA241, marking the 241st flight using an Ariane vehicle since this European series of launchers entered service in 1979. It kicks off another busy year of activity for Arianespace, which has the objective of performing as many as 14 missions in 2018 with its full launcher family – consisting of the heavy-lift Ariane 5, medium-lift Soyuz and lightweight Vega.
Quelle: arianespace
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Update: 25.01.2018
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Ariane 5 is in the launch zone for Arianespace’s year-opening mission
The Ariane 5 for Arianespace's Flight VA241 moves into position at the ELA-3 launch zone.
The Ariane 5 for Arianespace’s Flight VA241 has reached the launch zone in French Guiana, positioning this vehicle for tomorrow’s dual-payload mission with the SES-14 and Al Yah 3 telecommunications satellites.
Riding atop a mobile launch table, Ariane 5 today completed its transfer from the Spaceport’s Final Assembly Building – where its two passengers were integrated – to the dedicated ELA-3 launch complex. This paves the way for tomorrow’s liftoff, which is planned during a 45-min. launch window that opens January 25 at 7:20 p.m. local time in French Guiana.
Today’s rollout from the Spaceport’s Final Assembly Building marked one of the final milestones in preparations for Flight VA241, which will kick off Arianespace’s 2018 launch activity. The company is planning up to 14 missions this year using the heavy-lift Ariane 5, medium-lift Soyuz and lightweight Vega.
Hybrid- and fully-electric propulsion for Ariane 5’s payloads
Flight VA241 will be carrying a payload estimated at approximately 9,120 kg. This total factors in the two satellite passengers’ combined liftoff mass, as well as hardware for Ariane 5’s dual-payload deployment system.
Riding in Ariane 5’s upper position, SES-14 is to be deployed first in the flight sequence, with its separation occurring 27 minutes after liftoff. The spacecraft – produced by Airbus Defence and Space for operator SES based on the E3000 EOR (Electric Orbit Raising) version of its Eurostar E3000 platform – will serve Latin America, the Caribbean, North America and the North Atlantic region with its C- and Ku-band wide beam coverage, as well as Ku-band high-throughput spot beams coverage.
SES-14 also has a NASA-funded hosted payload for the Global-scale Observations of the Limb and Disk (GOLD) mission, which is to improve understanding of the thermosphere-ionosphere.
Completing the mission will be the separation of Ariane 5’s lower passenger, Al Yah 3, which will occur 35 minutes after the flight begins. Built by Orbital ATK using its new GEOStar-3 hybrid platform, the satellite will be operated by Yahsat to provide affordable broadband communications to 60 percent of Africa’s population and more than 95 percent of Brazil’s population. The GEOStar-3 platform’s hybrid design uses traditional chemical propulsion to reach orbit in a matter of days, and then performs station-keeping operations for 15 years or more with electric propulsion, resulting in an optimum mass-efficient system.
Launch window for Flight VA241:
| French Guiana | Washington, D.C. | Universal Time (UTC) | Paris |
| Between 7:20 p.m. and 8:05 p.m. on January 25 |
Between 5:20 p.m. and 6:05 p.m. on January 25 |
Between 22:20 and 23:05 on January 25 |
Between 11:20 p.m. and 12:05 a.m. on January 25/26 |
Quelle: arianespace
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Update: 26.01.2018
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Liftoff of Arianespace’s Ariane 5 with SES-14 and Al Yah 3
The Arianespace mission with SES-14 and Al Yah 3 is now underway following Ariane 5’s liftoff from the Spaceport in French Guiana.
Total lift performance for the launch is estimated at 9,123 kg., with the two satellites to be deployed to supersynchronous transfer orbit during a flight lasting just over 35 minutes.
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Ariane 5 launch VA241 for SES-14 and Al Yah 3: Update
The launcher’s liftoff took place on January 25, 2018 at 7:20 pm. A few seconds after ignition of the upper stage, the second tracking station located in Natal, Brazil, did not acquire the launcher telemetry. This lack of telemetry lasted throughout the rest of powered flight. Subsequently, both satellites were confirmed separated, acquired and they are on orbit. SES-14 and Al Yah 3 are communicating with their respective control centers. Both missions are continuing.
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Frams:
Quelle: arianespace