Lockheed Martin Ships Mobile Communications Satellite To Launch Site

Lockheed Martin shipped its third satellite based on the modernized LM 2100 bus to French Guiana for launch aboard an Ariane V rocket. JCSAT-17 will provide flexible mobile communications services to users in Japan and the surrounding region. Arianespace will launch JCSAT-17 from its spaceport in Kourou. JCSAT-17 is the first Mobile Satellite Service (MSS) communications satellite built on the modernized LM 2100, which includes 26 innovations that make the satellite more powerful, flexible and versatile in orbit. A reprogrammable mission processor adds flexibility as mission needs change. Lockheed Martin is currently manufacturing five modernized LM 2100-based satellites for commercial and government customers. "Following two successful launches of LM 2100 commercial communications satellites, Lockheed Martin is proud to deliver JCSAT-17 to SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation (SJC), which will add a tremendous amount of new connectivity for users in Japan," said Guy Beutelschies, Lockheed Martin's Vice President for Communication Satellite Solutions. "This satellite will help grow Japan's advanced economy by adding new options for mobility, bandwidth where it's needed, and reliable connections." The satellite's payload incorporates S-band and C-band transponders with a flexible processor along with 18m mesh reflector, enabling assured communications continuity during high-volume events. The satellite also features robust Ku-band connectivity.

JCSAT-17 is the eighth satellite built by Lockheed Martin for SJC, beginning with NSAT-110, JCSAT-9 through JCSAT-13 and JCSAT-110R.

MetOp-C ready for big day

With liftoff set for 7 November, the latest MetOp weather satellite has been rolled out to the launch pad and positioned on the Soyuz rocket for its ride into space from French Guiana. MetOp-C is the last in the current series of MetOp satellites, following on from MetOp-A and MetOp-B, which were launched in 2006 and 2012, respectively. Launching the satellites sequentially ensures continuous observations of a host of atmospheric variables such as temperature, humidity, trace gases, ozone, and wind speed over the ocean. These data are used mainly for numerical weather prediction - the basis for weather forecasting. Recent studies show that MetOp-A and MetOp-B have already reduced errors in one-day forecasts by as much as 27%. The satellites have all been developed by ESA under a cooperation agreement with EUMETSAT for the space segment of the EUMETSAT Polar System. This is also Europe's contribution to a multi-satellite system shared with the US NOAA agency. While it was envisaged that each successive satellite would take over from its predecessor, their extraordinary quality means that MetOp-A and MetOp-B are still going strong. Once MetOp-C has been launched and commissioned for service, EUMETSAT will have three satellites in the same orbit, equally spaced by 120 . This will benefit weather forecasting even more. MetOp-C has been at Europe's Spaceport in Kourou for a few months being carefully prepared for liftoff and its life in space.

ESA's MetOp-C Project Manager, Stefane Carlier, said, "MetOp is a large satellite carrying an array of instruments. Teams from ESA, EUMETSAT, Airbus Defence and Space and instruments suppliers have been working hard to get to this point.

"We had to say good-bye when the satellite was sealed in the Soyuz fairing and rolled out to the launch pad.

"While it is mainly in the hands of Arianespace for launch, ESA will still be playing a role in its big day, particularly through our teams here in Kourou for the countdown and teams at our operations centre in Germany who are responsible for the mission's first critical days in orbit.

"Ownership of MetOp-C will be transferred to EUMETSAT after liftoff."

MetOp-C will liftoff on 7 November at 00:47 GMT (01:47 CET), 6 November 21:47 local time.

Preparing to fly the wind mission Aeolus

The launch of Aeolus - ESA's mission to map Earth's wind in real-time - is getting tantalisingly close, with the satellite due for lift-off on 21 August from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. With the wind in their sails, mission teams are busily preparing this unique satellite for its upcoming journey. Aeolus will carry a sophisticated atmospheric laser Doppler instrument, dubbed Aladin. Combining two powerful lasers, a large telescope and extremely sensitive receivers, it is one of the most advanced instruments ever put into orbit. The spacecraft has already been tested to handle the rigours of space, and recently made a 12-day crossing of the Atlantic from France to Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. Lift-off is set for 21 August at 21:20 GMT (23:20 CEST) on a Vega rocket. "Aeolus' arrival at the launch site marks the end of 16 years of intensive planning, testing and construction, by literally generations of engineers and scientists" says Juan Pineiro, Spacecraft Operations Manager for Aeolus. "We now look forward to seeing the skill and dedication of these countless individuals come to fruition, as Aeolus takes flight and we begin receiving evidence that the satellite can fulfil its very ambitious mission objectives."

The complex world of winds

Currently one of the biggest challenges in making accurate weather predictions is gathering enough information about Earth's wind. Aeolus will be the first-ever satellite to directly measure winds from space, at all altitudes, from Earth's surface through the troposphere and up 30 km to the stratosphere - providing information that will significantly improve the quality of weather forecasts.

Paolo Ferri, Head of Mission Operations at ESA adds, "The Aeolus mission will be a wonderful addition to our fleet of satellites that continually observe Earth bringing us incredible insights into our planet, in particular into the complex world of atmospheric dynamics and climate processes - systems that not only affect our everyday lives but also have huge consequences for our future."

Aeolus will orbit continuously from pole to pole in a so-called 'Sun-synchronous' orbit - passing over any given point on Earth's surface at the same local time each revolution, always maintaining the same orientation in relation to the Sun.

Specifically, Aeolus will follow a 'dawn/dusk' orbit, appearing to follow the borderline between sun and shade, day and night on Earth, meaning its solar panels will always receive the same amount of
light from the Sun.

Simulating every eventuality

In preparation for this unique mission, teams at ESA's European Space Operations Centre have spent months practising to handle any possible scenarios in a series of launch simulations in the centre's Main Control Room.

Once a satellite has been launched into space, it goes through the critical and complex 'launch and early orbit phase', during which control systems and, later, instruments, are progressively switched on and their health and proper functioning assessed.

This is a risky time when the satellite is unusually vulnerable - not yet fully functional but still exposed to the hazards of space.

Pier Paolo Emanuelli, Flight Director for Aeolus, describes this unique period:

"Every satellite has its own unique objectives, orbit and quirks, and Aeolus is no exception. Teams of highly trained engineers, flight dynamics specialists and experts in control systems and ground stations have been practising exactly what Aeolus needs to do, when, and how they will instruct it to do so."

"It's a challenging but very exciting time!"

Largest-ever solid rocket motor poised for first hot firing

This week, the largest solid rocket motor ever built in one piece will be test fired at Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana for the first time. This important milestone validates the booster for use on Vega-C next year and on Ariane 6 from 2020. Fully loaded with solid fuel, the P120C rocket motor common to Europe's future launchers Vega-C and Ariane 6, will be held vertically in the test stand and ignited. Sensors will gather about 600 measures during the test. The P120C is 13.5 m long and 3.4 m in diameter, contains 142 tonnes of solid propellant and provides a maximum thrust of 4615 kN (in vacuum) over a burn time of about 135 s. The design builds on existing expertise and lessons learned with Vega's P80 first stage motor. P120C will replace P80 as the first stage motor of Vega-C. Two or four P120Cs will be strapped onto Ariane 6 as boosters for liftoff. All main components of the motor such as nozzle, igniter, solid propellant, and insulated motor case have already been tested separately. This static firing will prove these technologies, materials and production techniques in combination and validate the behaviour of the assembled motor.

The test stand with the tools and equipment that will secure the P120C for its test firing, have had to be modified or developed to accommodate this huge motor.

Recently a full-scale model of the P120C filled with inert propellant allowed engineers to verify tools, check connections and perfect procedures.

Information gathered during this static firing will allow engineers to compare their numerical models against observed reality to consolidate the P120C design.

This will guide the design of the P120C qualification motor that will be static fired at the end of the year.

Arianespace lofts 4 more O3b sats for SES led constellation

Arianespace has successfully launched four additional O3b satellites for the constellation operated by SES Networks. The launch took place on Friday, March 9 at 2:10 pm (local time) from the Guiana Space Center (CSG), Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana (South America).This mission was the second of the year for Arianespace, the first in 2018 using a Soyuz rocket and the second launch since January for the global operator SES. With this fourth launch for O3b fleet since 2013, all 16 spacecraft in the current O3b constellation have been orbited by Arianespace. With this latest mission, Arianespace has demonstrated that its family of launchers is extremely well suited to the deployment of communications, navigation and Earth observation satellite systems. This mission was the fourth for the O3b satellite fleet operated by global operator SES, following three previous launches to orbit the constellation's first 12 satellites performed on June 25, 2013, July 10, 2014 and December 18, 2014. With this latest successful launch of four more O3b satellites, Arianespace supports SES Networks' continued development of its constellation, which started commercial service in September 2014.

The four Ka-band O3b satellites will join the other O3b satellites already in Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) to provide low latency, fibre-like connectivity in the booming mobility, fixed data and government markets.

By expanding its O3b fleet, SES will be able to offer 38% more capacity worldwide, and extend its potential market from 45 to 50 degrees north and south latitude.

These new satellites will enable SES Networks to offer more capacity, extended coverage, greater efficiency and higher reliability. At the same time, they will provide operator-class services to businesses, government customers, telecommunications companies, mobile network operators and internet service providers.

Arianespace will launch four more O3b satellites into Medium Earth Orbit for this constellation in 2019.

Arianespace launches 57 satellites for SES in a 30-year partnership

SES, a world-leading satellite operator, is the first to deliver a differentiated and scalable GEO-MEO offering worldwide, with more than 50 satellites in geostationary Earth orbit (GEO) and 12 satellites in Medium Earth Orbit (MEO).

Arianespace and SES have developed an exceptional partnership over the last 30 years, made even stronger by this latest successful launch. Because of its versatile and complementary family of launchers, Arianespace is perfectly suited to address SES's GEO/MEO strategy and the requirements of its future programs.

The Arianespace family: especially well-suited to constellation launches

With its current family of launchers (Ariane 5, Soyuz and Vega) and its future family (Ariane 6 and Vega C), Arianespace enjoys an excellent position in the growth market of satellite constellations, whether for navigation, telecommunications or Earth observation; and for initial deployment, as well as subsequent replacement launches.

Right from its service entry in 2020, Ariane 6 will offer three major advantages for constellations: larger payload capacity, a restartable Vinci upper stage engine, and the Auxiliary Power Unit (APU), allowing the sequential release of satellites to prevent any collisions.

To address the specific needs of constellations with small satellites (0-400 kg.) - primarily for Earth observation - two multiple launch systems for Ariane 6 and Vega C are now being developed with the European Space Agency and the European Commission.

Shortly after the official announcement of the orbital injection of the O3b satellites on Flight VS18 mission, Stephane Israel, CEO of Arianespace, said: "With this second launch of the year, and the first by Soyuz, Arianespace is proud to help its long-standing customer SES meet its ambitious goals, for the second time in 2018. We are honored by the renewed confidence placed in us by SES, for whom we have launched 57 satellites since 1988, including the entire O3b constellation. I also would like to congratulate Thales Alenia Space, another loyal partner, which built all four O3b satellites. I would like to thank the Russian space agency Roscosmos for their commitment to our partnership based on Soyuz. My thanks go as well to CNES/CSG, our ground segment partners and all employees at the launch base, who continue to support us as we go from success to success. And of course, congratulations to all Arianespace staff, for this 18th Soyuz launch from CSG."

Galileo satellites atop rocket for next Tuesday's flight

Europe's next four Galileo navigation satellites are in place atop their Ariane 5, ready to be launched next Tuesday. Liftoff from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana is scheduled for 18:36 GMT (19:36 CET, 15:36 local time), carrying Galileo satellites 19-22. Completion of Galileo's Ariane 5 rocket took place in the Spaceport's Final Assembly Building, following the arrival there of the quartet of satellites, already attached to the dispenser that will hold them in position during launch, then release them into their target 22 922 km-altitude orbit. Next, the satellites plus dispenser were placed atop the Ariane 5's upper stage, after which the 14 m-long protective fairing was lowered over the Galileos - the last time they will be seen by human eyes. This fairing will protect them from the onrushing atmosphere during ascent. Liftoff from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana is scheduled for 18:36 GMT (19:36 CET, 15:36 local time), carrying Galileo satellites 19-22. Completion of Galileo's Ariane 5 rocket took place in the Spaceport's Final Assembly Building, following the arrival there of the quartet of satellites, already attached to the dispenser that will hold them in position during launch, then release them into their target 22 922 km-altitude orbit.

Next, the satellites plus dispenser were placed atop the Ariane 5's upper stage, after which the 14 m-long protective fairing was lowered over the Galileos - the last time they will be seen by human eyes. This fairing will protect them from the onrushing atmosphere during ascent.

The next step will be Monday's rollout to the launch zone.

This mission will bring the Galileo system to 22 satellites. Initial Services began almost a year ago, on 15 December 2016.

Next year's launch of another quartet will bring the constellation of 24 satellites to completion, plus two orbital spares.

Galileo is Europe's civil global satellite navigation system. It will allow users worldwide to know their exact position in time and space with great precision and reliability.