BY SPACEFLIGHT NOW

Follow the countdown and flight of the Sea Launch Zenit 3SL rocket with the Telstar 14/Estrela do Sul 1 communications satellite. Reload this page for the very latest on the mission.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2004

Despite the stuck solar array that will significantly hamper its mission, the newly-launched Telstar 14/Estrela do Sul 1 communications satellite will begin limited service in March, officials announced today.

Loral Space and Communications has released the following statement:

"As previously reported, the Telstar 14/Estrela do Sul 1 communications satellite fully deployed its South solar array but only partially deployed its North solar array. An investigation into the cause of the anomaly and the implementation of any corrective actions is ongoing.

"Space Systems/Loral, the manufacturer of the satellite, is raising the satellite to geostationary orbit. Telstar 14/Estrela do Sul is generating enough power to operate a minimum of 17 Ku-band transponders, making it capable of meeting immediate customer requirements, as well as Brazilian government requirements.

"The satellite, to be operated by Loral Skynet do Brasil at 63 degrees West longitude, was sent into space on January 10, 2004 on a Boeing Sea Launch Zenit-3SL rocket from the Odyssey Launch Platform, positioned on the equator in the Pacific Ocean. It is insured for partial and total losses up to a maximum of $250 million."

TUESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2004

The American-built communications satellite launched Saturday night to serve Brazil has failed to fully deploy one of its two power-generating solar panels. If controllers cannot correct the problem, the Telstar 14/Estrela do Sul 1 spacecraft's future will be in serious doubt.

Loral officials said the satellite's subsystems stable and corrective actions being analyzed. Here is the company's statement on the situation:

"Loral Space & Communications, today said that after launch on January 10, 2004, the Telstar 14/Estrela do Sul communications satellite fully deployed its South solar array but only partially deployed its North solar array.

"Space Systems/Loral, the manufacturer of the satellite, is in the process of collecting data prior to the initiation of available corrective actions to complete deployment of the North array. Incomplete deployment of a solar array, if not corrected, reduces a satellite's power.

"The satellite is in safe mode and has more than sufficient power to maintain satellite health. Further details will be available after completion of the investigation.

"The satellite, to be operated by Loral Skynet do Brasil at 63 degrees West longitude, was sent into space Saturday night on a Boeing Sea Launch Zenit 3SL rocket from the Odyssey Launch Platform, positioned on the equator in the Pacific Ocean. It is insured for partial and total losses up to a maximum of $250 million."

SUNDAY, JANUARY 11, 2004

Riding the first space launch of 2004, a satellite dubbed the "Star of the South" successfully ascended into the sky Saturday night to relay communications for Brazil and other parts of the Americas. Read our full story.

0540 GMT (12:40 a.m. EST)

Officials monitoring tonight's mission at the Sea Launch Home Port in Long Beach, California, are celebrating this successful deployment of Telstar 14/Estrela do Sul 1 into orbit by the Zenit 3SL rocket.

This marked the new year's first rocket launch from anywhere in the world.

"I can't think of a better way to start the year off," said Jim Maser, president of Sea Launch. "We've really started off the year with a great success and I hope it continues the rest of the year for everybody involved in the industry."

This was the 11th successful Sea Launch mission out of 12 flights dating back March 1999. It was the international consortium's fourth launch in the past seven months and the first of five-or-six missions planned this year. The next launch is expected late next month when the DirecTV 7S direct-to-home TV broadcasting satellite will be carried aloft.

0525 GMT (12:25 a.m. EST)

Ground controllers have acquired signals from the Telstar 14/Estrela do Sul 1 satellite via a tracking station in Gnangara, Australia, confirming the spacecraft is alive following launch into space tonight.

In the coming days, the spacecraft will maneuver itself into geostationary orbit 36,000 kilometers above the equator where it can match Earth's rotation and appear parked above 63 degrees West longitude. It is expected to be checked out and ready for service in about one month.

Built by Space Systems/Loral in Palo Alto, California, the satellite will be operated by Loral Skynet do Brasil. Half of the satellite's power will be dedicated to Brazilian communications needs. The craft's other transmission beams will serve South America, Mexico, the U.S. and Canada. It will even cover the North Atlantic for the Connexion by Boeing's Internet-to-aircraft service.

0518 GMT (12:18 a.m. EST)

T+plus 65 minutes, 49 seconds. SPACECRAFT SEPARATION! The Telstar 14/Estrela do Sul 1 satellite has been released from the Block DM-SL upper stage to complete this 12th Sea Launch flight.

0513 GMT (12:13 a.m. EST)

T+plus 60 minutes. Deployment of the spacecraft from the upper stage is about five minutes away.

During this coast period between completion of the Block DM-SL stage's second burn and spacecraft separation, the stage is providing the necessary control and orientation for payload release.

0508 GMT (12:08 a.m. EST)

T+plus 55 minutes, 10 seconds. Shutdown of the Block DM-SL's 11D58M main engine has been confirmed. This completes the powered phase of tonight's launch. The stage will now coast for about 10 minutes before deploying the 10,350-pound Telstar 14/Estrela do Sul 1 satellite around T+plus 65 minutes, 47 seconds.

0507 GMT (12:07 a.m. EST)

T+plus 54 minutes. The Block DM-SL's second firing is going well, Sea Launch says.

0505 GMT (12:05 a.m. EST)

T+plus 52 minutes. Now half-way through this burn by the upper stage.

0502 GMT (12:02 a.m. EST)

T+plus 49 minutes, 30 seconds. Engine pressures reported normal on the Block DM-SL.

0502 GMT (12:02 a.m. EST)

T+plus 49 minutes, 10 seconds. The Block DM-SL upper stage is firing again for a six-minute burn to propel the satellite payload from a low-altitude parking orbit around Earth into the targeted geosynchronous transfer orbit with a high point of nearly 36,000 km.

0458 GMT (11:58 p.m. EST)

T+plus 45 minutes. The coast period for the upper stage is nearing an end. Engine ignition is about four minutes away. Sea Launch says everything is progressing well in tonight's flight.

0443 GMT (11:43 p.m. EST Sat.)

T+plus 30 minutes. Flying straight across the equator, the Block DM-SL and satellite cargo are currently cruising above South America. The duo will continue over the central Atlantic during the next several minutes. The upper stage re-ignites over Africa and spacecraft separation occurs above the Indian Ocean.

0428 GMT (11:28 p.m. EST Sat.)

T+plus 15 minutes. Sea Launch confirms that the Block DM-SL upper stage and Telstar 14/Estrela do Sul 1 satellite have achieved the low-altitude parking orbit. The next event in the flight will be re-ignition of the stage in about a half-hour.

0426 GMT (11:26 p.m. EST Sat.)

T+plus 13 minutes, 35 seconds. Engine cutoff. The first of two firings by the Block DM-SL upper stage has been completed.

The stage and attached satellite payload will coast in a preliminary parking orbit around Earth for the next half-hour before the next firing to complete the powered phase of launch.

The stage restart is due to occur at T+plus 49 minutes, 5 seconds into flight for a six-minute burn to reach geosynchronous transfer orbit.

Spacecraft deployment is scheduled for T+plus 65 minutes, 47 seconds after launch.

0423 GMT (11:23 p.m. EST Sat.)

T+plus 10 minutes, 30 seconds. This burn will last for another three minutes to reach a parking orbit around Earth.

0422 GMT (11:22 p.m. EST Sat.)

T+plus 9 minutes, 45 seconds. The upper stage engine performance reported normal.

0422 GMT (11:22 p.m. EST Sat.)

T+plus 9 minutes, 8 seconds. Ignition of the Block DM-SL upper stage has occurred! The motor is now firing for the first of two burns to deliver the satellite payload into geosynchronous transfer orbit tonight.

0421 GMT (11:21 p.m. EST Sat.)

T+plus 8 minutes, 53 seconds. The second stage vernier engines have shut down and the spent stage has been jettisoned. It will impact the Pacific about 4,800 km downrange from the launch platform.

0420 GMT (11:20 p.m. EST Sat.)

T+plus 7 minutes, 30 seconds. The second stage RD-120 main engine has shut down. The vernier engines continue to fire.

0420 GMT (11:20 p.m. EST Sat.)

T+plus 7 minutes, 15 seconds. The second stage is throttling down in preparation for engine cutoff.

0420 GMT (11:20 p.m. EST Sat.)

T+plus 7 minutes. Vehicle is stable on the power of the second stage.

0419 GMT (11:19 p.m. EST Sat.)

T+plus 6 minutes. Main engine and vernier steering thruster pressures on the second stage reported good.

0417 GMT (11:17 p.m. EST Sat.)

T+plus 5 minutes, 30 seconds. "Flight is nominal" is the report from mission control.

0417 GMT (11:17 p.m. EST Sat.)

T+plus 3 minutes. Liftoff time was 0412:59.17 GMT.

0416 GMT (11:16 p.m. EST Sat.)

T+plus 3 minutes, 30 seconds. The command has been issued to jettison the rocket's payload fairing, or nose cone. It protected the satellite cargo during atmospheric ascent. The nose cone will impact the Pacific about 950 km downrange.

0416 GMT (11:16 p.m. EST Sat.)

T+plus 3 minutes. A good flight still being reported as the second stage burns.

0415 GMT (11:15 p.m. EST Sat.)

T+plus 2 minutes, 31 seconds. The first stage RD-171 engine has shut down and the spent stage was jettisoned. It will impact the Pacific Ocean approximately 834 km downrange from the Odyssey launch platform.

Meanwhile, the second stage engine has been ignited for its firing.

0415 GMT (11:15 p.m. EST Sat.)

T+plus 2 minutes, 15 seconds. Coming up on staging. First stage engine performance is reported normal.

0415 GMT (11:15 p.m. EST Sat.)

T+plus 2 minutes. The vehicle has passed the area of maximum acceleration of 4-g's.

0414 GMT (11:14 p.m. EST Sat.)

T+plus 1 minute, 10 seconds. The vehicle has passed through the region of maximum dynamic pressure.

0413 GMT (11:13 p.m. EST Sat.)

T+plus 30 seconds. Riding the thrust of its liquid-fueled first stage main engine, the Zenit rocket is maneuvering to the proper heading to fly eastward along the equator.

0413 GMT (11:13 p.m. EST Sat.)

LIFTOFF! Liftoff of the first space launch of 2004 as the Zenit 3SL rocket blasts off carrying the Telstar 14/Estrela do Sul 1 telecommunications spacecraft.

0412 GMT (11:12 p.m. EST Sat.)

T-minus 30 seconds. The final readiness checks have been completed to verify all systems are "go" for an on-time launch tonight. Stand by for terminal count.

0412 GMT (11:12 p.m. EST Sat.)

T-minus 1 minute and counting. At liftoff the vehicle will experience about 1.6-g's of acceleration as it ascends from the Odyssey launch platform stationed on the equator at 154 degrees West.

0411 GMT (11:11 p.m. EST Sat.)

T-minus 2 minutes and counting. The engine start preparations are beginning to ready the first stage RD-171 powerplant for ignition. The Russian-made engine has four nozzles and powers the rocket for the first two-and-a-half minutes of flight.

0408 GMT (11:08 p.m. EST Sat.)

T-minus 5 minutes and counting. Liftoff remains set for 0413 GMT. There are no problems being reported by Sea Launch mission control.

0403 GMT (11:03 p.m. EST Sat.)

T-minus 10 minutes and counting. The launch site weather conditions at the equator are acceptable for tonight's flight. Winds are 13 knots from east-southeast and the temperature is 79 degrees F.

0357 GMT (10:57 p.m. EST Sat.)

T-minus 16 minutes. The countdown is reaching a major milestone as the transporter/erector arm is retracted from against the rocket. The arm was used to roll the rocket out of the environmentally-controlled hangar atop the Odyssey platform and to lift the rocket upright. Once the arm is lowered to the platform deck, it will be returned to the hangar and the doors closed for launch.

Fueling operations have been completed aboard the Odyssey platform. Over the past couple of hours, the rocket was loaded with kerosene propellant and cryogenic liquid oxygen. The platform was cleared of all workers prior to this hazardous activity, with all personnel moved to the Sea Launch Commander ship safely positioned about three miles away.

0300 GMT (10:00 p.m. EST Sat.)

The countdown continues for tonight's flight of the Sea Launch Zenit rocket from the Odyssey platform along the equator in the Pacific.

We will post periodic updates on this page about the final minutes of the count and the 65-minute launch.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 9, 2004
1930 GMT (2:30 p.m. EST)

The Zenit 3SL rocket has been rolled out and erected on the Odyssey launch platform today. Launch remains set for Saturday night.

0501 GMT (12:01 a.m. EST)

A new satellite to link Brazil with its northern neighbors is awaiting launch Saturday night from a platform anchored in the remote stretches of the tropical Pacific Ocean.

Liftoff of the Estrela do Sul 1 communications satellite aboard the 12th Sea Launch Zenit 3SL rocket is scheduled for 11:13 p.m. EST (0413 GMT Sunday) from the Odyssey launch platform located along the Equator at 154 degrees West longitude.

The launch was reset 10 minutes into the evening's two-hour window to "accommodate better access" with NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellite used to relay telemetry from the rocket during flight, a Sea Launch spokeswoman explained.

Odyssey and the Sea Launch Commander control ship both arrived on station Wednesday and the international launch team began the 72-hour launch countdown late in the day, local time.

The launch was delayed 24 hours due to a series of storms the vessels encountered en route from the Sea Launch home port in Long Beach, California, to the equator. The severe weather slowed them up a bit, pushing the liftoff back one day, Sea Launch said.

Wrapped up atop the rocket is the Estrela do Sul telecommunications satellite, destined to join the Loral Skynet fleet of satellites that span the globe to provide a wide variety of services including the areas of video broadcast, cable, direct-to-home broadcasting and the Internet.

Also known as Telstar 14, the 10,350-pound craft will split coverage with over fifty percent of its abilities focusing on Brazil. From its perch 22,300 miles above the Equator at 63 degrees West longitude, Estrela do Sul's 41 Ku-band transponders will also link to coverage beams dedicated to other portions of the Americas as well as the North Atlantic.

Those additional beams will largely provide Internet services directly to aircraft under the Connexion by Boeing program.

"Telstar 14/Estrela do Sul 1 will become the backbone of Loral's fixed satellite services business in Latin America," said Loral Skynet president Terry Hart. "With this new satellite, Loral will have the capability to offer its customers unique coverage patterns in Brazil and Latin America and will be the first Brazilian operator to offer its own Ku-band service to Brazil."

Originally slated to fly aboard the third Delta 4 rocket mission, Estrela do Sul was switched to Sea Launch by Boeing Launch Services -- the marketer of both vehicles.

Looking ahead to upcoming events, the 200-foot three-stage Zenit 3SL booster is expected to be rolled out of its protective hangar aboard Odyssey and onto its launch pedestal on Friday.

Fueling of the rocket with a load of highly-refined kerosene and super-cold liquid oxygen will take place in the final hours of the countdown Saturday night.

After liftoff, the vehicle's Ukrainian-built first stage will burn its RD-171 powerplant for about two-and-a-half minutes, when the stage will separate followed by ignition of the second stage, which will fire until almost nine minutes into flight.

The Russian Energia Block DM-SL will burn twice over the next hour, first to place the payload into a stable parking orbit, then to inject the satellite into its intended separation orbit. Spacecraft separation is expected at about the one hour, six minute point.

Estrela do Sul will use on-board propulsion to raise its initial 750-kilometer high perigee to geosynchronous altitude during the weeks after launch.

Watch this page for live updates chronicling the final countdown and launch of Estrela do Sul -- Brazil's "Star of the South."