Oct. 30, 2008

Payload: 
ASTRA 1M communications satellite
Eurostar E3000 bus
Separated spacecraft mass: Approx. 11,729 lbs (5,320 kg)

Launch Vehicle:
Proton M/Breeze M
702,000 kg (1,547,000 lbs), including payload
58.2 m (191 ft)

Launch Date:
Nov. 6 (Baikonur)
Nov. 5 (GMT, North America) 

Launch Time: 
02:44 Baikonur
20:44 GMT
15:44 EST    

Launch Site:
Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Launch Pad 39

Launch Customer:
SES ASTRA, Luxembourg

Satellite Manufacturer:
EADS Astrium, France

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

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

Satellite Use:
ASTRA 1M will be positioned at 19.2 degrees East longitude, where it will provide pan-European coverage. It will primarily deliver direct-to-home services, including high-definition television. The launch of the spacecraft will allow SES ASTRA to move capacity to its increasingly important orbital position 23.5 degrees East. ASTRA 1M will carry 36 transponders covering the FSS and BSS frequency bands. 

Satellite Statistics:
Solar array span of 35 meters
Spacecraft power of 10kw
Orbital location: 19.2 degrees East longitude
Anticipated service life: 15 years

Mission Profile:
The Proton M launch vehicle, utilizing a 5-burn Breeze M mission design, will lift off from Pad 39 at Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, with the ASTRA 1M satellite on board. The first three stages of the Proton will use a standard ascent profile to place the orbital unit (Breeze M upper stage and the ASTRA 1M satellite) into a sub-orbital trajectory. From this point in the mission, the Breeze M will perform planned mission maneuvers to advance the orbital unit first to a circular parking orbit, then to an intermediate orbit, followed by a transfer orbit and finally to a geosynchronous transfer orbit. Separation of the ASTRA 1M satellite is scheduled to occur approximately 9 hours, 12 minutes into the mission.  

Target Orbit at Separation:
Apogee: 35,786 km (22,236 miles)
Perigee:  4,980 km (3,094 miles)
Inclination: 21.5 degrees 

Spacecraft Separation:
Approximately 9 hours, 12 minutes after liftoff 

ILS Mission Statistics:
5th ILS launch of 2008
48th Proton launch for ILS
11th Eurostar satellite launched on a Proton

Live Launch Broadcast:
Test Signals starting at 3:00 PM ET US 5 November 2008
Live Coverage Starting at 3:20 PM ET US 5 November 2008
Launch is scheduled for 3:44 PM ET US 5 November 2008

LAUNCH BROADCAST WILL BE SEEN IN THE US ON THIS FEED:
Intelsat Galaxy 28
Transponder – GAL28C-12
BAND – C  Analog NTSC
Orbital Position 89 DEGREES WEST
BANDWIDTH 36 MHz
UPLINK Frequency 6165 Vertical
DOWNLINK Frequency 3940 Horizontal

LAUNCH BROADCAST WILL BE SEEN IN EUROPE, RUSSIA AND THE LAUNCH SITE ON THIS FEED:
NSS7
Transponder ENV8/EUH8 CH CD
PAL Digital
Orbital Position 338 Degrees
BANDWIDTH 9 MHz
UPLINK Frequency 14,474.500 Vertical
DOWNLINK Frequency 11693.5 MHz Horizontal
Symbolic Rate 5.632
FEC 3/4

More Information:
Live webcast at www.ilslaunch.com will begin approximately 20 minutes before liftoff.  General mission information and launch status updates are available at the website or on the ILS U.S. domestic Launch Hotline at 1-800-852-4980.  Coordinates for satellite broadcast of the launch will be posted when they are confirmed.

 

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