* Astronomy

Blobrana · L

RE: Yahsat 1A satellite

Blobrana · L

Yahsat 1A reaches orbital destination for Middle East, Asia

The first Yahsat satellite, slated to provide high definition television (HDTV) to audiences across the Middle East, Africa and South West Asia, has successfully reached its orbital slot at 52.5 degrees East two weeks after launch.
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Blobrana · L

Ariane 5's second launch of 2011

Last night, an Ariane 5 launcher lifted off from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana on its mission to place two telecommunications satellites, Yahsat Y1A and Intelsat New Dawn, into their planned transfer orbits. Flight VA201 was the second Ariane 5 launch of 2011.
Liftoff of the 57th Ariane 5 mission came at 23:37 CEST (21:37 GMT; 18:37 French Guiana). The target injection orbit had a perigee altitude of 250 km, an apogee altitude at injection of 35 962 km and an inclination of 6º.
The satellites were accurately injected into their transfer orbits about 27 minutes and 35 minutes after liftoff, respectively.
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Blobrana · L

Launch of Ariane 5 with Yahsat 1A & Intelsat New Dawn

The second launch attempt of the 201st Ariane 5 was successful as the rocket lifted off on time at 21:37 UTC from Kourou, French Guiana.

Blobrana · L

The ARIANE 5 ECA rocket has successfully launched from the European spaceport in French Guiana.

Blobrana · L

Live webcast

Blobrana · L

The launch readiness review (RAL) took place in Kourou on Wednesday, April 20, 2011 and authorised count-down operations for the YAHSAT Y1A & INTELSAT New Dawn launch.
Arianespace will orbit two communications satellite on its second launch of the year: Yahsat Y1A for Al Yah Satellite Communications Company PrJsc (Yahsat) of the United Arab Emirates, and Intelsat New Dawn for New Dawn Satellite Company Ltd., a joint venture between Intelsat and Convergence Partners.

The ARIANE 5 ECA Launcher lift-off for this flight is scheduled on April 22, 2011 as soon as possible within the following launch window:

- Universal time (GMT): Between 21:37 and 22:41 on April 22, 2011
- Paris, France: Between 11:37 p.m. and 12:41 a.m. on April 22-23, 2011
- Kourou, French Guiana: Between 6:37 p.m. and 7:41 p.m. on April 22, 2011
- Washington, D.C.: Between 5:37 p.m. and 6:41 p.m. on April 22, 2011
- Abu Dhabi: Between 1:37 a.m. and 2:41 a.m. on April 23, 2011

Source Arianespace

Blobrana · L

Ariane 5's launch with Yahsat Y1A and Intelsat New Dawn has been set for the 22nd April

Arianespace has established Friday, April 22 as the new launch date for Ariane 5's dual-payload mission with the Yahsat Y1A and Intelsat New Dawn satellite payloads from the Spaceport in French Guiana.
This timing was based on the additional checkout and verifications now in progress for the heavy-lift launcher following the final countdown's interruption on March 30. The interruption occurred when an anomaly was detected during the automated checkout procedure after startup of the Ariane 5's cryogenic main engine.

Launch window for Ariane Flight VA201

Universal time (GMT)

Paris, France

Kourou,
French Guiana

Washington, D.C.

Abu Dhabi

21:37 on
April 22, 2011

11:37 p.m. on
April 22, 2011

6:37 p.m. on
April 22, 2011

5:37 p.m. on
April 22, 2011

1:37 a.m. on
April 23, 2011

Source Arianespace

Blobrana · L

No dates yet for launch of UAE's telecom satellite

A new satellite control centre on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi has yet to flip the switch after the scheduled March 30 launch of its communications satellite was scrubbed for the time being.
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Arianespace Flight VA201 Interruption of the countdown

In the last seconds of Ariane Flight VA201's launch countdown as the Vulcain cryogenic main stage engine was being ignited, the checkout process detected an anomaly on the launcher, interrupting the final countdown.
The Ariane 5 launcher and payload immediately switched to a safe mode.
Data analysis is underway to determine the cause of the anomaly, and in parallel, the launcher will be transferred to the Final Assembly Building - where it will be returned to a flight-ready condition.
Arianespace will set a new launch date as soon as possible.

Source Arianespace