Now that SC stand-alone testing is complete, we are starting the phase known as Joint Operations. This is when the SC is mechanically and electrically mated to the Launch Vehicle hardware. To put it simply, this is when we start making the little pieces into one big piece! The first step was to mate the SC to the payload adapter system (PLA) – a conical structure that attaches to the bottom of the SC. Next, we took the SC-PLA combo and mated it to the top of the Breeze M upper stage. We successfully completed these steps today after about 17 hours of work, taking into account all the testing and mechanical and electrical checks that had to occur. Next, the SC-PLA-Breeze M stack will be rotated from vertical to horizontal and the payload fairing installed. The combination of all these pieces into a single unit is known as the Orbital Unit (OU). The SC and launch vehicle will remain in a horizontal orientation until we move the whole integrated launch vehicle to launch pad on L-5 days. This differs from U.S. launch vehicle processing, in that the majority of assembly in those systems occurs horizontally. Quite a difference if you are not used to it!

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The “Consent to Load Propellants” meeting was held between Intelsat and Orbital Sciences. It’s a critical step, in that it allows the load of highly hazardous chemicals into the tanks on board the SC. It’s not an operation that you want to repeat or — in the worst case — reverse! After this review was completed, we held our Propellant Loading meeting where we reviewed the readiness of all systems, organizations, processes and procedures for loading SC propellants. Everyone agreed that we were ready, and the appropriate certificates were issued and presented to the KhSC program team. Orbital’s propellant team then loaded the hydrazine fuel onto the SC (no oxidizer will be used for this mission, as the Intelsat-16 SC will be injected directly into near-GSO). This operation, which took approximately eight hours, marks the completion of the propellant loading phase of SC preps. Kudos to the Intelsat and Orbital teams for an excellent operation! It all went smoothly and according to plan. Because the propellant loading is a hazardous operation, the building was cleared and the rest of the non-essential personnel spent the day relaxing. We will continue with some post-fueling testing of the SC, flight closeouts of all thermal blankets and removal of some Remove Before Flight (RBF) items over the next several days until the start of Joint Operations.

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Orbital’s specialists have verified that the SC is completely healthy, and our Intelsat customer provided a final review of all the stand-alone electrical testing results and pronounced the SC ready to proceed. Khrunichev specialists prepared the payload adapter (PLA) system on its stand in Hall 103A, where the SC was tested, for a “touch and go” fitcheck. To ensure that there are no problems with the mechanical interface of the SC with the adapter and electrical cabling, we perform this short fitcheck. After a successful fitcheck, the SC was moved to its fueling stand for the next step: loading propellants into the tanks inside the SC. In parallel with the SC electrical testing, the SC propellant loading team has been busy with all their checkouts and preparations. Everything is proceeding per the plan – a result of the last 12 months of preparation by Intelsat, Orbital Sciences, ILS and KhSC. Next step – SC propellant load

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On the night of 11 January, the SC in its container made its way on the train from the airport to the processing facility, referred to as 92A- 50. The main room of this building, known as Hall 101, is absolutely huge – more than large enough to accommodate all the train cars containing the SC and support equipment with room to spare for a soccer game if so inclined! The SC container was offloaded, placed on the floor of the hall, and all the associated equipment was placed in the areas needed to support the unpacking and testing of the SC. The SC is well protected within the container, so we left it there overnight. Early the next morning, the riggers came in and started the process of removing the SC from its container. This entails removing the lid, rotating the SC from horizontal to vertical, and using the crane to life it off its supports. The SC was moved to a portable dolly and rolled into Hall 103A – its home for the next 17 days. The Orbital Sciences team then got busy testing the Intelsat-16 SC in what is known as stand-alone operations. This is the time in the beginning of the launch campaign when the SC contractor work alone to test and verify that the SC is healthy, load propellants and configure the SC for launch. After all these steps are done and the SC is completely ready to go for launch, we start “joint operations” where the SC is integrated with the Proton LV. Right now, Orbital’s specialists are in the process of verifying that the SC is completely healthy before we proceed to the next step: a “touch and go” fitcheck.

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On a cool, crisp, sunny morning, Intelsat 16 team members eagerly boarded the bus that would take them to Yubileiny Airport to await the arrival of the Antonov, which was carrying the precious Intelsat 16 spacecraft. After a picture-perfect landing, the Antonov taxied into position for unloading, and the offload began immediately. Khrunichev worked with amazing efficiency. All people, supplies and the spacecraft (of course) were unloaded without incident in just a few hours. The spacecraft was moved to a rail car, which arrived at the processing hall around 10:00 that night. Many ILS and Orbital team members worked into the early hours of the morning to ensure safe transfer of the spacecraft into the processing hall. All spacecraft operations are proceeding nominally.

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Our resident weather man, determined that Thursday, January 14 would be a perfect day for a barbecue. The pavilion in front of the Fili was prepared with protection from the cold and wind, and then the fire pit was filled with huge logs of wood. Soon a roaring fire was available to warm your hands over. Volunteers from Pinkerton manned the Santa Maria grill for the most succulent beef tenderloin in all of Kazakhstan. Khrunichev was invited, the music was playing, and a good time was enjoyed by all. In addition, we surprised our newly promoted ILS Mission Manager with a huge cake! Way to go!

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The first ILS launch campaign of 2010 is underway. The Early Team set out on the 6th of January from Virginia to kick off the launch of the Intelsat 16 commercial communications satellite from Baikonur. After a long trip to Moscow, and with an early flight to Baikonur scheduled for the next morning, we all called it an early night. After breakfast, a drive through unusually deserted Moscow streets (it was the day after Russian Orthodox Christmas), and a very uneventful charter flight on a Tupolev Tu-134, the Early Team arrived safe and sound at Yubileiny Airfield on the Baikonur Cosmodrome. Then it was a 45 minute bus ride to the hotel (our home away from home for the next month), the mandatory Safety and Security Arrival briefing, dinner, and another early night for many of the team members. The next few days consisted of office setup and facility acceptance checks as we prepared for the arrival of the Intelsat 16 spacecraft.

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Welcome to the first ILS Proton launch campaign for 2010 – the launch of the Orbital Sciences Corporation-built, Intelsat 16 satellite for Intelsat. Follow along with the mission team as they prepare for the launch.

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