* Astronomy

The Thor -2R telecommunications satellite has been successfully deployed. It will eventually move into its designated geostationary orbital station point at one degree western longitude, where it will operate for 15 years.


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TLE Data

Thor-2R
1 32487U 08006A   08 43.10181256  .00000000  00000-0  10000-3 0   116
2 32487 000.1192 237.8569 0132896 009.4763 342.5199 00.97724810    19

A Proton launch vehicle successfully lifted the THOR 5 satellite into orbit today, marking the first mission of the year for International Launch Services (ILS), and the second Proton flight in two weeks.
The Proton Breeze M vehicle, built by ILS partner Khrunichev Space Centre of Moscow, lifted off from Pad 39 at the cosmodrome at 5:34 p.m. today local time (6:34 a.m. EST, 11:34 GMT). After a 9-hour-23-minute mission, the launcher released the satellite directly into geostationary orbit.
The THOR 5 satellite will operate at 1 degree West longitude, where it will deliver broadcast and interactive services across the Nordic region, Europe and the Middle East for Telenor Satellite Broadcasting of Norway. THOR 5 is a STAR 2 model spacecraft built by Orbital Sciences Corp. of Dulles, Va., which contracted for the launch with ILS.

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According to Alexander Bobrenev, spokesperson for the Khrunichev space research and production centre, the Norwegian Thor-2R satellite aboard a Proton-M rocket blasted off from the Baikonur cosmodrome, in Kazakhstan, at 14:34 Moscow time.

ILS Proton to launch THOR 5 satellite

Payload:
THOR 5
STAR 2 platform
Separated mass: approx. 1940 kg (4277 lbs)

Launch Vehicle:
Proton M/Breeze M
Weight at liftoff: 691,272 kg (1.5 million lbs) including payload
Height: 56.2 m (184 ft)
Launch Time:
17:33 Feb. 10 Baikonur
12:33 Feb. 10 CET
11:33 Feb. 10 GMT
06:33 Feb. 10 EST

Launch Site:
Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Launch Pad 39

End User:
Telenor Satellite Broadcasting, Oslo, Norway

Satellite Manufacturer:
Orbital Sciences Corp, Dulles, Va.

Launch Vehicle Manufacturer:
Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Centre, Moscow

Launch Services Provider:
International Launch Services, McLean, Va.

Satellite Use:
Broadcasting and interactive services in FSS and BSS, over the Nordic region, Europe and the Middle East.

Satellite Statistics:
24 active Ku-band transponders: 15 for FSS and 9 for BSS
5 active BSS transponders available through steerable antenna
Orbital location: 1 degree West longitude
Anticipated service life of 15 years

Mission Profile:
The Proton launch vehicle will use a 4-burn Breeze M mission design to inject the satellite directly into geostationary orbit. The first three stages of the Proton will use a standard ascent trajectory to place the Breeze M fourth stage, with the satellite, into a suborbital trajectory, from which the Breeze M will place itself and the spacecraft into a circular parking orbit of 173 km (107.5 miles) inclined at 51.5 degrees. From there, the unit will be propelled into geostationary orbit, and its inclination reduced, through a series of additional burns of the Breeze M.

Target Orbit at Separation:
Apogee/Perigee: 36,796 km (22,864 miles)
Inclination: 0 degrees

Spacecraft Separation:
Approximately 9 hours, 22 minutes, 50 seconds after liftoff.

Credit ILS