* Astronomy

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ASTRA 1N satellite

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L minus 55 minutes

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The Launch Readiness Review (RAL) took place in Kourou on Wednesday June 29, 2011 and authorised count-down operations for the ASTRA 1N & BSAT-3c/JCSAT-110R launch.
Arianespace will orbit two satellites dedicated to direct-to-home (DTH) television broadcasting on its fourth launch of the year: Astra 1N for the Luxembourg-based operator SES Astra, and BSAT-3c/JCSAT-110R for the American manufacturer Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems, as part of a turnkey contract for the Japanese operators B-SAT Corporation and SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation.

The ARIANE 5 ECA Launcher lift-off for this flight is scheduled on July 1st, 2011 as soon as possible within the following launch window:

- Universal time (GMT): Between 09:43 pm and 11:06 pm on July 1, 2011.
- Paris, France: Between 11:43 pm and 01:06 am on July 1-2, 2011.
- Kourou, French Guiana: Between 06:43 pm and 08:06 pm on July 1, 2011.
- Washington, D.C.: Between 05:43 pm and 07:06 pm on July 1, 2011.

Source Arianespace

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Astra 1N readies for a July 1 liftoff

The Astra 1 satellite for Arianespace's next Ariane 5 flight is undergoing its processing at the Spaceport in French Guiana, in preparation for a July 1 liftoff.
The EADS Astrium-built Astra 1N is a state-of-the-art Ku-band spacecraft that will deliver pan-European direct-to-home broadcast services for satellite operator SES Astra.
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An Arianespace Ariane 5 ECA rocket is scheduled to launch the ASTRA 1N and BSat 3c / JCSAT 110R communications satellites from Kourou, French Guiana, on the 29th June, 2011.
Astra 1N will be deployed at the 28.2° east orbital slot.

Astra 1N is expected to remain at this position until the arrival of Astra 2E in 2013.
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