Sirius 4 Launch Sat 17 Nov

Zaphod

MEDIA ADVISORY: ILS PROTON TO LAUNCH SES' SIRIUS 4

November 9, 2007

Payload: SIRIUS 4, A2100 AX platform

Separated mass: 4,385 kg (9,667 lbs)

Launch Vehicle: Proton M/Breeze M

Weight at liftoff: 691,272 kg (1.5 million lbs) including payload

Height: 56.2 m (184 ft)

Launch Time: 04:39 Nov. 18 Baikonur;23:39 Nov. 17 CET; 22:39 Nov. 17 GMT; 17:39; Nov. 17 EST

Launch Site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan Launch Pad 39

End User: SES SIRIUS, Stockholm, Sweden

Satellite Manufacturer: Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems,Newtown, PA

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

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

Satellite Use: Multi-mission satellite that will provide a wide range of telecommunications services, providing coverage over Europe, Africa and the Baltic/Nordic region.

Satellite Statistics:
52 active Ku-band transponders
2 active Ka-band transponders
Anticipated service life of 15 years

Mission Profile: The Proton launch vehicle will use a 4-burn Breeze M mission design to inject the satellite into a geosynchronous transfer orbit. The first three stages of the Proton will use a standard ascent trajectory to place the Breeze M fourth stage, with the satellite, into a suborbital trajectory, from which the Breeze M will place itself and the spacecraft into a circular parking orbit of 173 km (107.5 miles) inclined at 51.5 degrees. Once the upper stage and SIRIUS 4 are in the parking orbit, the unit will then be propelled into its transfer orbit by a series of additional burns of the Breeze M. Following separation from the Breeze M, the spacecraft will perform a series of liquid apogee burns to raise perigee, lower inclination, and circularize the orbit at the geostationary altitude of 35,786 km (22,236 miles).

Target Orbit at Separation: Apogee: 35,786 km (22,236 miles); Perigee: 7,030 km (4,368 miles); Inclination: 17.3 degrees

Spacecraft Separation: Approximately 9 hours, 13 minutes after liftoff

ILS Mission Statistics:
4th ILS Proton launch in 2007
43rd ILS mission on Proton
10th Proton launch of A2100 bus
329th Proton launch



Live Feed for Europe and Asia: New Skies NSS-7, transponder WHL5/EUH4, Channel 1 338 degrees West, Ku-band, digital PAL downlink 11148.400 MHz (horizontal), symbol rate 6.1113, fec: 3/4. Test signals start at 21:45 GMT.

More Information: Live webcast and general mission information are available on the ILS web site at www.ilslaunch.com. Launch status updates are available on the ILS U.S. domestic Launch Hotline at 1-800-852-4980.

Zaphod

Sh*te picture due to fog.

Zaphod

Launch and separation stages OK. End of first Breeze-M burn. 9 more hours and 2 more burns until it can be deemed a success.

Zaphod

Separation: We have just been notified that the fourth, and final, burn sequence has been completed. The Proton Breeze M carrying SES' Sirius 4 has placed the satellite in orbit. ILS' mission is now complete.

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