Powered by one RD-0213 engine, the third stage develops thrust of 583 kN (131,000 lbf), and a four-nozzle vernier engine that produces thrust of 31 kN (7,000 lbf). Guidance, navigation, and control of the Proton M during operation of the first three stages is carried out by a triple redundant closed-loop digital avionics system mounted in the Proton’s third stage.

The Breeze-M upper stage is the Phase III variant, a recent upgrade which utilizes two new high-pressure tanks (80 liters) to replace six smaller tanks, along with the relocation of command instruments towards the centre – in order to mitigate shock loads when the additional propellant tank is being jettisoned.

It was a problem with that upper stage which resulted in the loss of the Ekspress-AM4 communications satellite in August - which was not an ILS mission - when the stage, otherwise known as the Briz-M, failed to insert the satellite into the correct transfer orbit due to a problem with the last of the mission profile burns.

This failure led to a delay for the ViaSat-1 mission by ILS, which was initially scheduled for September. The launch was successfully conducted in October.

The Proton M launch vehicle, utilizing a 4-burn Breeze M mission design, lifted off from Pad 39 at Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, with the AsiaSat 7 satellite on board. The first three stages of the Proton used a standard ascent profile to place the orbital unit (Breeze M upper stage and the AsiaSat 7 satellite) into a sub-orbital trajectory. 

From this point in the mission, the Breeze M performed planned mission maneuvers to advance the orbital unit first to a circular parking orbit, then to an intermediate orbit, followed by a transfer orbit, and finally to a geostationary orbit. 

Separation of the AsiaSat 7 satellite occurred approximately 9 hours, 13 minutes after liftoff, at an orbital location of 13,814 km Perigee and 35,586 km Apogee – with an inclination of zero degrees.

AsiaSat 7 is designed as a replacement satellite for AsiaSat 3S at 105.5 degrees East. This new generation satellite will carry 28 C-band and 17 Ku-band transponders as well as a Ka-band payload. Its region-wide C-band beam covers over 50 countries across Asia, the Middle East, Australasia and Central Asia.

AsiaSat 7 also offers 3 Ku-band beams with intra beam switching capability, serving East Asia and South Asia, and a steerable Ku beam. AsiaSat 7 will provide satellite capacity for television broadcast and VSAT Network services across the Asia-Pacific Region.

The 3,813 kg (8,406 lbs) satellite was built by Space Systems/Loral and is expected to enjoy 15 years of service in orbit. 

The launch is the fourth AsiaSat Satellite launched on ILS Proton, the 20th Space Systems/Loral Satellite launched on ILS Proton, the fifth ILS Proton launch in 2011 and 8th Proton launch in 2011 – marking the 69th ILS Proton launch overall.

(Images via ILS).

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Proton Mission:

The Proton booster is 4.1 m (13.5 ft) in diameter along its second and third stages, with a first stage diameter of 7.4 m (24.3 ft). Overall height of the three stages of the Proton booster is 42.3 m (138.8 ft).

The first stage consists of a central tank containing the oxidizer surrounded by six outboard fuel tanks. Each fuel tank also carries one of the six RD-276 engines that provide first stage power. Total first stage vacuum-rated level thrust is 11.0 MN (2,500,000 lbf).

Of conventional cylindrical design, the second stage is powered by three RD-0210 engines plus one RD-0211 engine and develops a vacuum thrust of 2.4 MN (540,000 lbf).

Powered by one RD-0213 engine, the third stage develops thrust of 583 kN (131,000 lbf), and a four-nozzle vernier engine that produces thrust of 31 kN (7,000 lbf). Guidance, navigation, and control of the Proton M during operation of the first three stages is carried out by a triple redundant closed-loop digital avionics system mounted in the Proton’s third stage.

The Breeze-M upper stage is the Phase III variant, a recent upgrade which utilizes two new high-pressure tanks (80 liters) to replace six smaller tanks, along with the relocation of command instruments towards the centre – in order to mitigate shock loads when the additional propellant tank is being jettisoned.

It was a problem with that upper stage which resulted in the loss of the Ekspress-AM4 communications satellite in August – which was not an ILS mission – when the stage, otherwise known as the Briz-M, failed to insert the satellite into the correct transfer orbit due to a problem with the last of the mission profile burns.

This failure led to a delay for the ViaSat-1 mission, which was initially scheduled for September.

“Immediately after the failure of the Russian Federal Proton mission with the Express AM4 satellite, the Russian Inter-Agency Commission conducted a formal investigation into the cause of the failure. The Inter-Agency Commission identified the cause of the Express AM4 failure as a configuration error in the flight control software of the Proton Breeze-M upper stage,” noted a statement from ViaSat.

“Following that investigation, Roscosmos lifted the ban on Proton/Breeze M launch processing during the last week of August and appropriate recommendations have been prepared for implementation on upcoming launches.”

That final clearance was approved, following a review of the investigation conclusions by a Failure Review Oversight Board (FROB) conducted September 8 and 9 by International Launch Services (ILS) with ViaSat participation.

A Russian government launch using the Proton-M and Briz-M since returned the duo to launch action ahead of the previous ILS mission, which successfully lofted the QuetzSat-1 telecommunications satellite for SES into its GEO transfer orbit.

As per usual, the Proton M launch vehicle will be utilizing a five-burn Breeze M mission design, following lift off from Pad 39 at Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan.

The first three stages of the Proton will use a standard ascent profile to place the orbital unit (Breeze M upper stage and the ViaSat-1 satellite) into a suborbital trajectory. From this point in the mission, the Breeze M will perform planned mission maneuvers to advance the orbital unit first to a circular parking orbit, then to an intermediate orbit, followed by a transfer orbit, and finally to a geosynchronous transfer orbit.

Separation of the ViaSat-1 satellite was scheduled to occur approximately 9 hours, 12 minutes after liftoff, later confirmed by ILS.

“It is extremely rewarding to be entrusted to launch our customers’ satellites. With this successful launch on ILS Proton, we are able to support ViaSat’s innovative plan to enhance and expand high-speed broadband services with the most powerful all Ka-band satellite in the world,” noted ILS president Frank McKenna. 

“On behalf of ILS and Khrunichev, we congratulate ViaSat on this milestone achievement and thank the teams of ILS, Khrunichev, ViaSat and Space Systems/Loral for a job well done.”

ViaSat-1 is the highest throughput satellite ever built. The total capacity is in excess of 140 Gbps, more than all other communication satellites over North America combined. The all Ka-band spot beam ViaSat-1 is designed to transform the quality of satellite broadband service through a new system design that focuses on maximizing total bandwidth throughput.

Via this technique, the cost per bit is reduced to a fraction of that provided by previous generation satellites, significantly changing the economics and performance of satellite communications. The satellite, to be located at 115 degrees W, will use 72 beams to cover 75 percent of the Continental United States, as well as the most populated areas of Alaska, Hawaii, and Canada.

Built by Space Systems/Loral, the 6,740 kg spacecraft is expected to have a lifetime of 15 years.

This launch marked the first ever mission for ViaSat via ILS, the 19th Space Systems/Loral Satellite Launched on ILS Proton, the fourth ILS Proton Launch in 2011, and the 68th ILS Proton mission overall.

(Images via Roscosmos, ILS).

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Proton Launch:

The Proton booster is 4.1 m (13.5 ft) in diameter along its second and third stages, with a first stage diameter of 7.4 m (24.3 ft). Overall height of the three stages of the Proton booster is 42.3 m (138.8 ft).

The first stage consists of a central tank containing the oxidizer surrounded by six outboard fuel tanks. Each fuel tank also carries one of the six RD-276 engines that provide first stage power. Total first stage vacuum-rated level thrust is 11.0 MN (2,500,000 lbf).

Of conventional cylindrical design, the second stage is powered by three RD-0210 engines plus one RD-0211 engine and develops a vacuum thrust of 2.4 MN (540,000 lbf).

Powered by one RD-0213 engine, the third stage develops thrust of 583 kN (131,000 lbf), and a four-nozzle vernier engine that produces thrust of 31 kN (7,000 lbf). Guidance, navigation, and control of the Proton M during operation of the first three stages is carried out by a triple redundant closed-loop digital avionics system mounted in the Proton’s third stage.

The Breeze-M upper stage is the Phase III variant, a recent upgrade which utilizes two new high-pressure tanks (80 liters) to replace six smaller tanks, along with the relocation of command instruments towards the centre – in order to mitigate shock loads when the additional propellant tank is being jettisoned.

It was a problem with that upper stage which resulted in the loss of the Ekspress-AM4 communications satellite last month – which was not an ILS mission – when the stage, otherwise known as the Briz-M, failed to insert the satellite into the correct transfer orbit due to a problem with the last of the mission profile burns.

A Russian government launch using the Proton-M and Briz-M has since successfully returned the duo to launch action ahead of the ILS mission.

Once again, the mission utilizing a 5-burn Breeze M profile after lift-off from Pad 39 at Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, with the QuetzSat-1 satellite on board.

The first three stages of the Proton used a standard ascent profile to place the orbital unit (Breeze M upper stage and the QuetzSat-1 satellite) into a sub-orbital trajectory. From this point in the mission, the Breeze M performed planned mission maneuvers to advance the orbital unit first to a circular parking orbit, then to an intermediate orbit, followed by a transfer orbit, and finally to a geosynchronous transfer orbit.

Separation of the QuetzSat-1 satellite was successful and on schedule, approximately 9 hours, 13 minutes after liftoff.

QuetzSat-1, part of the 45+ satellite fleet of SES, will be located at the 77 degree west orbital location at which the Mexican Government has granted the DTH frequency rights to QuetzSat S. de R.L. de C.V., a Mexican-controlled company comprised of SES and Mexican investors.

The spacecraft will provide coverage over Mexico, North America and Central America. The spacecraft is fully contracted to EchoStar Corporation and will be used in part by Dish Mexico, an EchoStar joint venture, for DTH services in Mexico and to a subsidiary of DISH Network for use in connection with its U.S. DTH business.

Sporting 32 Ku-band transponders, the spacecraft is expected to conduct a 15 year tour of duty in its Geostationary orbit at 77 degrees West.

“ILS is dedicated to the success of SES and its customer, EchoStar, with the selection of ILS Proton to launch QuetzSat-1,” said Frank McKenna, President of ILS. “This is the fourth SES satellite entrusted to ILS this year, and we look forward to providing outstanding quality, service and schedule assurance to support the continued growth of the SES satellite fleet.”

“We are pleased that ILS is partnering with SES, Space Systems/Loral and EchoStar in the QuetzSat-1 mission and look forward to a flawless, on-time and on-spec launch for QuetzSat-1 with ILS Proton,” added Martin Halliwell, President of SES ENGINEERING, the procurement and operations division of SES.

The launch was the third ILS Proton launch in 2011, the 67th ILS Proton launch overall. The mission was also the 19th SES bird to be launched on an ILS Proton.

(Images: Roscosmos, ILS)

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Proton Launch:

The Proton booster is 4.1 m (13.5 ft) in diameter along its second and third stages, with a first stage diameter of 7.4 m (24.3 ft). Overall height of the three stages of the Proton booster is 42.3 m (138.8 ft).

The first stage consists of a central tank containing the oxidizer surrounded by six outboard fuel tanks. Each fuel tank also carries one of the six RD-276 engines that provide first stage power. Total first stage vacuum-rated level thrust is 11.0 MN (2,500,000 lbf).

Of conventional cylindrical design, the second stage is powered by three RD-0210 engines plus one RD-0211 engine and develops a vacuum thrust of 2.4 MN (540,000 lbf).

Powered by one RD-0213 engine, the third stage develops thrust of 583 kN (131,000 lbf), and a four-nozzle vernier engine that produces thrust of 31 kN (7,000 lbf). Guidance, navigation, and control of the Proton M during operation of the first three stages is carried out by a triple redundant closed-loop digital avionics system mounted in the Proton’s third stage.

The Breeze-M upper stage is the Phase III variant, a recent upgrade which utilizes two new high-pressure tanks (80 liters) to replace six smaller tanks, along with the relocation of command instruments towards the centre – in order to mitigate shock loads when the additional propellant tank is being jettisoned.

SES-3, the 45th satellite in the SES fleet, is part of a total fleet of more than 40 satellites of parent company SES. The satellite is expected to replace AMC-1 at 103 degrees West longitude in mid 2012 and provide continuity of service to the enterprise, government and media sectors from the center of the North American arc.

SES-3 will be the home of key media companies delivering educational, international and high definition video channels throughout the U.S. The satellite will also be powering mobile communications, private networks and thousands of VSAT terminals for the enterprise community.

SES-3 is the third satellite in a new generation of SES WORLD SKIES satellites bearing the “SES” name, joining the existing line of AMC satellites over North America and the NSS satellites covering the rest of the world.

The Orbital Sciences Corporation bird consists of 24 C-band, 24 Ku-band, 500 MHz Ka-band, and has an anticipated service life of 15 years.

The smaller KazSat-2 telecommunication satellite features 12 Ku-band transponders for fixed communications and 4 Ku-band transponders.

The Proton M launch vehicle, utilizing a 6-burn Breeze M mission design, lifted off from Pad 39 at Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, with the SES-3 satellite on board. This a shared launch configuration, where the SES-3 satellite is launched while mated to the top of the KazSat-2 satellite.

The first three stages of the Proton used a standard ascent profile to place the orbital unit (Breeze M upper stage and the SES-3 and KazSat-2 satellites) into a sub-orbital trajectory.

From this point in the mission, the Breeze M performed planned mission maneuvers to advance the orbital unit first to an elliptical parking orbit, then to an intermediate orbit, followed by a transfer orbit, and finally to a geosynchronous transfer orbit.

Separation of the SES-3 satellite occurred approximately 8 hours, 1 minute after liftoff. An hour later, the Breeze M placed the KazSat-2 satellite directly into geosynchronous orbit. Separation of the KazSat-2 satellite occurred approximately 9 hours, 24 minutes after liftoff.

This was the 66th ILS Proton Launch Overall and the 365th Proton mission since 1965.

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The 8K82KM Proton-M will use a standard ascent trajectory to place the Breeze M fourth stage and the Ciel-2 satellite into a suborbital trajectory. From there the Breeze M will place itself and the spacecraft into a circular parking orbit.

From this orbit the Breeze M will make four more burns and the satellite will be injected into a geostationary transfer orbit. Target orbit at separation, that is schedule to occur at approximately L+9 hours, 12 minutes, is apogee 35,603 km (22,123 miles), perigee 5,597 km (3,478 miles) and inclination 19.5 degrees.

The Ciel-2 satellite is based on the Thales Alenia Space Spacebus 4000 C4 and has a separated spacecraft mass of approximately 5,561 kg (12,260 lbs). The satellite will be used to provide Advanced Broadcast Satellite Service satellite delivering high-definition and other TV services throughout North America.

Anchor customer is DISH Network Corp. From its orbital position at 129 degrees West longitude, the high-powered Ku-band spacecraft will deliver a variety of communications services throughout Canada and the larger North American market.

Built by the Khrunichev State Research and Production Center, 8K82KM Proton-M is the largest Russian launch vehicle in operational service. The rocket launches all Russian geostationary and interplanetary missions under Khrunichev, establishing it as the principal workhorse of the Russian space program.

The Proton booster is 4.1 m (13.5 ft) in diameter along its second and third stages, with a first stage diameter of 7.3 m (24.0 ft). Overall height of the three stages of the Proton booster is 42.3 m (138.8 ft).

The first stage consists of a central tank containing the oxidizer surrounded by six outboard fuel tanks. Each fuel tank also carries one of the six RD-275 engines that provide first stage power. Total first stage sea-level thrust is approximately 9.6 MN (2,158,000 lbf) with a vacuum-rated level thrust of 10.5 MN (2,360,000 lbf).

The second stage is powered by three RD-0210 engines plus one RD-0211 engine and develops a vacuum thrust of 2.3 MN (517,000 lbf).

The third stage is powered by one RD-0213 engine, this stage develops thrust of 583 kN (131,000 lbf), and a four-nozzle vernier engine that produces thrust of 31 kN (7,000 lbf).

The Breeze M is powered by one pump fed gimbaled main engine that develops thrust of 19.6 kN (4,400 lbf). The Breeze-M is composed of a central core and a jettisonable additional propellant tank. Inert mass of the stage at lift-off is approximately 2,370 kg (5,225 lb).

The quantity of propellant carried is dependent on specific mission requirements and is varied to maximize mission performance. The Breeze M is controlled by a closed loop, triple-redundant guidance system.

This was the sixth ILS mission of the year, the 15th ILS Proton launch for SES AMERICON, 3rd Spacebus 4000 model to launch on Proton and the 49th ILS mission on Proton.

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The first three stages of the Proton will use a standard ascent trajectory to place the Breeze-M fourth stage and the satellite into a suborbital trajectory from which the Breeze M Upper Stage will then place itself and the spacecraft into a low Earth circular parking orbit.

The Proton booster is 4.1 m (13.5 ft) in diameter along its second and third stages, with a first stage diameter of 7.3 m (24.0 ft). Overall height of the three stages of the Proton booster is 42.3 m (138.8 ft).

The first stage consists of a central tank containing the oxidizer surrounded by six outboard fuel tanks. Each fuel tank also carries one of the six RD-275 engines that provide first stage power. Total first stage sea-level thrust is approximately 9.6 MN (2,158,000 lbf) with a vacuum-rated level thrust of 10.5 MN (2,360,000 lbf).

The second stage is powered by three RD-0210 engines plus one RD-0211 engine and develops a vacuum thrust of 2.3 MN (517,000 lbf).

The third stage is powered by one RD-0213 engine, this stage develops thrust of 583 kN (131,000 lbf), and a four-nozzle vernier engine that produces thrust of 31 kN (7,000 lbf).

The Breeze M is powered by one pump fed gimbaled main engine that develops thrust of 19.6 kN (4,400 lbf). The Breeze-M is composed of a central core and a jettisonable additional propellant tank. Inert mass of the stage at lift-off is approximately 2,370 kg (5,225 lb).

The quantity of propellant carried is dependent on specific mission requirements and is varied to maximize mission performance. The Breeze M is controlled by a closed loop, triple-redundant guidance system.

The Proton M launch vehicle, utilizing a 5-burn Breeze M mission design to place the orbital unit (Breeze M upper stage and the ASTRA 1M satellite) into a sub-orbital trajectory.

From this point in the mission, the Breeze M will perform planned mission maneuvers to advance the orbital unit first to a circular parking orbit, then to an intermediate orbit, followed by a transfer orbit and finally to a geosynchronous transfer orbit. Separation of the ASTRA 1M satellite is scheduled to occur approximately 9 hours, 12 minutes into the mission.

ASTRA 1M will be positioned at 19.2 degrees East longitude, where it will provide pan-European coverage. It will primarily deliver direct-to-home services, including high-definition television.

The launch of the spacecraft will allow SES ASTRA to move capacity to its increasingly important orbital position 23.5 degrees East. ASTRA 1M will carry 36 transponders covering the FSS and BSS frequency bands.

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