Spaceflight Now: Breaking News

Garuda 1 ascent profile
FROM ILS PRESS KIT
Posted: Feb. 12, 2000

  Proton
File photo of a previous Proton rocket launching. Photo: ILS
 
The first three stages of the Proton, plus a short burn by the Block DM upper stage, will use a standard ascent trajectory to place the space head unit comprising the Block DM, ACeS spacecraft and adapter into a 200 km (108 nautical miles) circular parking orbit inclined at 51.6 degrees. Once ACeS Garuda-1 is in the parking orbit, it will be propelled to its transfer orbit by the Block DM.

The six stage one RD-253 engines are ignited at approximately T-1.6 seconds and are commanded to 40% of nominal thrust. Thrust is increased to 100% at T-0 seconds. Liftoff confirmation is signaled at T+0.57 seconds. The staged ignition sequence allows verification that all engines are functioning nominally before being committed to launch. The Proton executes a roll maneuver beginning at T+10 seconds to align the flight azimuth to the desired direction. The vehicle incurs its maximum dynamic pressure of 800 pounds per square foot at approximately 70 seconds into the flight.

After the flight of the first stage, stage two's four RD-0210 engines begin their ignition sequence and are commanded to full thrust when stage one is jettisoned at 126.7 seconds. Stage three's vernier engines are ignited at 331.7 seconds followed by stage two shutdown at 334.4 seconds. Stage two separation occurs after six small, solid retro-fire motors are ignited at 333.4 seconds into flight.

Stage three's single RD-0210 engine is ignited at 340.5 seconds and burns until shut down at 578 seconds. The four vernier engines burn for an additional 10 seconds and are shut down at 588.6 seconds. After a five second coast, the stage three retro-fire motors are ignited and stage three is separated from the upper stage. Payload fairing jettison occurs during stage three flight at 344.2 seconds. Fifty-five seconds after the stage three separation, the Block DM releases its shroud and orients itself for the first of threeburns. At 15 minutes and 46 seconds into flight, the Block DM ignites its first burn of about 66 seconds to circularize the 200km initial parking orbit of the space head unit.

Launch poster
The poster for the ACeS Garuda 1 launch aboard Proton. Photo: ILS
 
 

The Block DM and ACeS Garuda-1 are there-by delivered to the 200 km (108 nautical miles) circular parking orbit with a 51.6 degree inclination. Next, the Block DM executes a series of programmed turns, culminating in a maneuver to properly align its longitudinal axis for the second-burn.

After the alignment maneuver, the Block DM enters into a stabilized flight mode. Twenty five minutes after the longitudinal alignment maneuver, the Block DM executes a 180-degree turn about the roll axis to compensate for possible gyroscopic drift. Forty minutes after the roll maneuver, the Block DM reaches the first ascending node, and the two SOZ units axial loading engines begin a 300 second burn to settle the propellants.

After the settling burn, the main engine ignites, raising the transfer orbit apogee to approximately geosynchronous altitude. The second main engine burn lasts approximately 438 seconds. The Block DM then enters stabilized flight for approximately five hours in order to reach transfer orbit apogee. During this time, the Block DM executes maneuvers to meet ACeS Garuda-1 sun angle and thermal constraints. After reaching the transfer orbitapogee, the Block DM initiates another 300 second propellant settling burn followed by an approximately 100 sec. main engine burn to raise perigee and reduce inclination. The Block DM then maneuvers to prepare for spacecraft separation.

Separation occurs approximately six hours and 40 minutes after liftoff. After separation, ACeS Garuda-1 will perform a series of apogee burns that will raise its perigee and lower its inclination in order to arrive in geostationary orbit.

Mission Status Center
For the latest updates on the progress of the countdown see Spaceflight Now's regularly updated Mission Status Center.

Flight data file
Vehicle: Proton
Payload: Garuda 1
Launch date: Feb. 12, 2000
Launch window: 0910:54-0911:06 (4:10-4:11 a.m. EST)
Launch site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan

Pre-launch Briefing
Launch timeline - Chart with times of the events to occur during launch.

The Garuda 1 satellite - Overview of the ACeS communications spacecraft.


Explore the Net
International Launch Services - Lockheed Martin, Khrunichev and Energia consortium which globally markets the Russian Proton and U.S. Atlas rockets.

Asia Cellular Satellite - Will operate Garuda 1 as part of Global Mobile Personal Communications Services based in Indonesia.

Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems - U.S. manufacturer of Garuda 1.

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MISSION STATUS CENTER