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BY SPACEFLIGHT NOW Follow the preparations and launch of the Arianespace Ariane 4 rocket carrying the Intelsat 905 communications satellite. Reload this page for the very latest on the mission.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 2002
0710 GMT (3:10 a.m. EDT) We'll have a full wrap-up story later this morning.
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0643 GMT (2:43 a.m. EDT) In the final seconds of the countdown, activities will include releasing the inertial platform at minus 9 seconds, and the release command to the retraction system for the two cryogenic arms will be given at Minus-5 seconds.
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0640 GMT (2:40 a.m. EDT) In the next half-minute, the launch time will be loaded aboard the Ariane rocket's guidance system. Also, the Intelsat 905 spacecraft will be confirmed on internal power and declared ready for launch.
0638 GMT (2:38 a.m. EDT) During the next six minutes, the Ariane 44L rocket, satellite payload and ground systems will be configured for launch. There are two master computers running the countdown. One is responsible for fluids and propellants and the other for final preparation of the electrical systems such as initiating the flight program, activation of the engine steering systems and power transfer from ground supplies to onboard batteries. The computers will control until minus 5 seconds when a majority logic sequencer takes over for first stage engine and liquid strap-on booster start at zero seconds. Engine performance checks are done in parallel by the two computers starting at plus 2.8 seconds. Finally, the command will be issued to open the launch table clamps for liftoff between ignition +plus 4.4 and 4.6 seconds.
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0624 GMT (2:24 a.m. EDT) The three-stage rocket has been fully fueled and prepared for liftoff at 0644 GMT from the ELA-2 pad at the Guiana Space Center in South America. Launch team members are watching systems on the Ariane 4 rocket, the spacecraft and ground support equipment. There are no problems being reported. The status panel in the Jupiter control center green across the board, indicating all systems are "go" at this time.
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TUESDAY, JUNE 4, 2002 Launch is scheduled for the opening of an hour-long launch window at 0644 GMT (2:44 a.m. EDT) from the ELA-2 launch pad at Kourou, French Guiana. Flight 152 will fly in the Ariane 44L configuration with four liquid-fueled boosters to augment the launcher's thrust early in the flight. The flight will mark the 152nd Ariane launch overall, the 111th mission of an Ariane 4, and the 37th use of an Ariane 44L. After this launch, just three more Ariane 4 rockets remain to be flown before they are phased out in favor of the Ariane 5 launch vehicle. Sitting inside the Ariane rocket's payload fairing is the Intelsat 905 communications satellite, destined to replace the Intelsat 603 craft that was repaired in orbit by astronauts aboard space shuttle Endeavour's maiden flight in May 1992. Intelsat 603 was left stranded in a useless low orbit after a botched launch by a Titan 3 rocket in 1990 from Cape Canaveral. Intelsat 905 is the fifth in the newest series of Intelsat's fleet of communications satellites that serve customers around the world. This newest addition will be positioned in a circular geostationary orbit 22,300 miles above a point on the equator at 24.5 degrees West, or over the Atlantic Ocean. From that vantage point, the satellite's compliment of C-band and Ku-band transponders will reach users in the Americas, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. Intelsat 905 will provide Internet, broadcasting, telephone, and networking services for Intelsat customers. Built by Space Systems/Loral of Palo Alto, California, Intelsat 905 is expected to operate in orbit for at least 13 years. The craft weighs in at 10,390 pounds at liftoff, and features solar panels that will stretch almost 100 feet from tip-to-tip when fully deployed in space. Processing for Flight 152 began on April 25 with the placement of the rocket's first stage onto the mobile launch table. Stacking of the second stage followed the next day. The four liquid boosters were added from April 29 to May 6, when the launcher's third stage was added. The Flight 152 payload arrived in Kourou for final preparations on May 2. Fueling of Intelsat 905 began on May 14. The nearly-complete Ariane 44L rocket was rolled from the launcher integration building to the ELA-2 launch zone on May 22. Intelsat 905 was placed inside the Ariane's payload fairing on May 27, and was transported to the launch pad the next day. Attachment of the payload to the launcher occurred on May 29. The launch team took part in a launch rehearsal last Thursday to hone their skills one final time prior to the real countdown on Tuesday and Wednesday. On Friday, senior officials conducted a launch readiness review to ensure that all was ready for launch. Once a final "go" was agreed upon, workers began connecting pyrotechnics to the launcher. Fueling of the rocket's first stage, second stage, and four liquid-fueled boosters with their load of unsymmetrical dimethyl hydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide took place on Monday. Looking ahead to the milestone events in Tuesday and Wednesday's countdown, the final countdown will get underway at 1814 GMT (2:14 p.m. EDT) on Tuesday. The protective mobile service gantry will begin to be rolled back into launch position at 0109 GMT Wednesday (9:09 p.m. EDT Tuesday). At 0309 GMT Wednesday (11:09 p.m. EDT Tuesday), super-cold liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen will begin flowing into the Ariane 4's cryogenic third stage. The launcher's telemetry, telecommand, and radar transponder systems will be activated at 0539 GMT (1:39 a.m. EDT). If all parameters are determined to be "go", computers will take control of the countdown when the synchronized launch sequence begins 6 minutes prior to launch. Following this key milestone is a series of fast-paced events that will culminate with the ignition of the Viking engine powerplants on the rocket's first stage and four boosters. Following liftoff, Flight 152 will take a standard Ariane 44L ascent profile with two minute, 30 second burns of all four boosters. The first stage will burn for three minutes, 30 seconds, then it will shut off and separate. The Ariane 4's second stage will then ignite and fire for two minutes, during which time the payload fairing will be jettisoned. The third stage is then expected to come to life and burn for 13 minutes before cutting off in preparation for spacecraft separation, which is supposed to occur 21 minutes after launch. Stay with Spaceflight Now for live play-by-play coverage of the countdown and launch early Wednesday.
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Flight data file Vehicle: Ariane 44L Payload: Intelsat 905 Launch date: June 5, 2002 Launch window: 0644-0744 GMT (2:44-3:44 a.m. EDT) Launch site: ELA-2, Kourou, French Guiana, South America Satellite broadcast: AMC 2, Transponder 11, C-band Mission Report Space Shuttle Flights 1-5: The NASA Mission Reports covers the shuttle through its test flight stage and on to the first operational flight. Includes CD-ROM.Soviet Space For the first time ever available in the West. Rocket & Space Corporation Energia: a complete pictorial history of the Soviet/Russian Space Program from 1946 to the present day all in full color. Available from our store.U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide Viking patch This embroidered mission patch celebrates NASA's Viking Project which reached the Red Planet in 1976.U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide Apollo 7 DVD For 11 days the crew of Apollo 7 fought colds while they put the Apollo spacecraft through a workout, establishing confidence in the machine what would lead directly to the bold decision to send Apollo 8 to the moon just 2 months later.U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide Gemini 12 Gemini 12: The NASA Mission Reports covers the voyage of James Lovell and Buzz Aldrin that capped the Gemini program's efforts to prove the technologies and techniques that would be needed for the Apollo Moon landings. Includes CD-ROM.U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide Get e-mail updates Sign up for our NewsAlert service and have the latest news in astronomy and space e-mailed direct to your desktop (privacy note: your e-mail address will not be used for any other purpose). Gemini 7 Gemini 7: The NASA Mission Reports covers this 14-day mission by Borman and Lovell as they demonstrated some of the more essential facts of space flight. Includes CD-ROM.U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide Apollo patches The Apollo Patch Collection: Includes all 12 Apollo mission patches plus the Apollo Program Patch. Save over 20% off the Individual price. U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide Mars Rover mission patch A mission patch featuring NASA's Mars Exploration Rover is available from our online.U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide Apollo 9 DVD On the road to the moon, the mission of Apollo 9 stands as an important gateway in experience and procedures. This 2-DVD collection presents the crucial mission on the voyage to the moon.U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide Apollo 11 special patch Special collectors' patch marking the 35th anniversary of the historic Apollo 11 moon landing is now available.U.S. - U.K. Current Shuttle Mission Patch The official embroidered patch for shuttle Atlantis' flight to deliver critical spare equipment to the space station.Ares 1-X Patch The official embroidered patch for the Ares 1-X rocket test flight, is available for purchase.Apollo Collage This beautiful one piece set features the Apollo program emblem surrounded by the individual mission logos.![]() Project Orion The Orion crew exploration vehicle is NASA's first new human spacecraft developed since the space shuttle a quarter-century earlier. The capsule is one of the key elements of returning astronauts to the Moon.Fallen Heroes Patch Collection The official patches from Apollo 1, the shuttle Challenger and Columbia crews are available in the store. |
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