With this mission dedicated to space applications for telecommunications, weather and climate studies, Arianespace once again contributes to a better life on Earth.

Flight VA246 will be performed from Ariane Launch Complex No. 3 (ELA 3) in Kourou, French Guiana.

The Launch Readiness Review (LRR) will take place on Monday, December 3, 2018 in Kourou to authorize the start of operations for the final countdown.

To be installed as Ariane 5’s upper passenger, GSAT-11 is an operational telecommunication satellite designed and manufactured by ISRO.

To be positioned at 74° East, GSAT-11  ̶  ISRO’s largest and heaviest communication satellite ever  ̶  is configured on its next-generation I-6K structure to provide communications services from geostationary orbit in Ku- and Ka-bands in both forward and return links.

Offering a multi-spot beam coverage over the Indian mainland and nearby islands, GSAT-11 will bring significant advantages to users when compared with existing INSAT/GSAT satellite systems. Its designed lifetime is more than 15 years.

With two ISRO’s additional satellites remaining in Arianespace’s order book (GSAT-31 and GSAT-30), the launch of GSAT-11 is to be another vivid demonstration of the strong bond uniting Europe and India in space cooperation.

The GEO-KOMPSAT-2 program is a national program of the Korean Government to develop and operate two civilian geostationary satellites, GEO-KOMPSAT-2A and -2B.

Positioned on Ariane 5 as Flight VA246’s lower passenger, GEO-KOMPSAT-2A is designed to conduct meteorological and space weather monitoring missions whereas GEO-KOMPSAT-2B is to carry out Earth environment monitoring and ocean monitoring missions.

Covering the Asia-Pacific region, this weather satellite will be stationed at the 128.2° East orbital location for a 10-year nominal life in service. Developed by KARI at its facility in Daejeon, South-Korea, GEO-KOMPSAT-2A will be KARI’s second satellite, and the seventh for South-Korea to be lofted by Arianespace. 

Prior to Flight VA246, Arianespace has orbited 588th satellites, out of which 115 were launched for eight space agencies around the world (Europe, France, Italy, Sweden, U.S., India, Korea and Japan).

GSAT-11 and GEO-KOMPSAT-2A will be the 589th and 590th satellites to be orbited by Arianespace. 

 

Quelle: arianespace

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Update: 28.11.2018

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Arianespace integrates GSAT-11 and GEO-KOMPSAT-2A for next week’s Ariane 5 launch

The Ariane 5 launch vehicle for Arianespace’s 10th mission of 2018 is now fully assembled following integration of its two satellite passengers at the Spaceport in French Guiana.

During activity in Ariane 5’s Final Assembly Building, the upper payload component – containing GSAT-11, mounted on its SYLDA dispenser system and protected by an ogive-shaped fairing – was lowered into position over GEO-KOMPSAT-2A, which was previously installed atop the launcher’s central core stage.

This step clears the way for final checkout, which will enable the launch readiness review to be conducted on November 30, followed by Ariane 5’s rollout to the Spaceport’s ELA-3 launch zone the following Monday, and an early evening liftoff on Tuesday, December 4.

The upcoming mission is designated Flight VA246 in Arianespace’s numbering system, and it will inject the two payloads into geostationary transfer orbit.

At the service of Indian and South Korean space agencies

To be deployed first during the 33-minute flight sequence is GSAT-11, which was designed and assembled by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). Operating from a final orbital position at 74 deg. East, this advanced communications satellite will deliver multi-spot beam coverage over the Indian mainland and nearby islands – bringing significant advantages to the user community when compared with India’s existing INSAT/GSAT satellite systems.

Ariane 5’s second passenger – GEO-KOMPSAT-2A – was produced by the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI). It will be used primarily to provide meteorological observation and space weather monitoring, stationed in orbit at 128.2 deg. East.

Flight VA246 will mark Arianespace’s 10^th mission performed in 2018, and the company’s sixth this year using a heavy-lift Ariane 5 – which is one of three launch vehicles operated by Arianespace at the Spaceport, along with the medium-lift Soyuz and light-lift Vega.

Quelle: arianespace

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Update: 2.12.2018

Quelle: The Indian Express

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Update: 4.12.2018

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Arianespace’s Ariane 5 mission with GSAT-11 and GEO-KOMPSAT-2A is ready for liftoff

The Ariane 5 for Arianespace’s 10th mission of 2018 is now in the launch zone at French Guiana, positioning it for liftoff tomorrow with two international satellite payloads: India’s GSAT-11 and GEO-KOMPSAT-2A for Korea.

Logos for the GSAT-11 and GEO-KOMPSAT-2A satellite passengers are visible on Ariane 5’s payload fairing in this image taken prior to the launcher’s rollout today.

This heavy-lift launcher was transferred today from the Spaceport’s Final Assembly Building to the ELA-3 launch zone, enabling the final countdown to begin for its late afternoon departure on December 4 during a 1-hour, 16-minute launch window that opens at 5:37 p.m. local time in French Guiana.

Riding in the upper payload position for the 33-minute mission to geostationary transfer orbit is GSAT-11, built by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). With a liftoff mass set at 5,854.5 kg., it is ISRO’s largest and heaviest communication satellite ever, configured on the space agency’s next-generation I-6K satellite bus. It will be positioned at 74 deg. East after deployment by Ariane 5, providing communications services in Ku- and Ka-bands in both forward and return links.

The sixth flight in 2018 with Ariane 5

Ariane 5’s lower passenger is the 3,507.2-kg. GEO-KOMPSAT-2A, which is designed for meteorological and space weather monitoring missions as part of a Korean government national program. Produced by the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) at its facility in Daejeon, South-Korea – and to be stationed at the 128.2 deg. East orbital location – GEO-KOMPSAT-2A will be the seventh satellite launched by Arianespace for South Korea.

Designated Flight VA246, the upcoming mission is the 246^th launch of an Ariane family vehicle and Arianespace’s sixth in 2018 using the workhorse Ariane 5. The heavyweight launcher will deliver a lift performance of more than 10,200 kg., which includes the mass of its two satellite passengers as well as the Ariane 5’s dual-payload deployment system and integration hardware.

• Larger versions of the photos above are available in the Gallery.

 

Launch window for Flight VA246:

French Guiana	UTC	Bangalore	Seoul / Tokyo	Paris
Between 5:37 p.m. and 6:53 p.m. on Dec. 4	Between 20:37 and 21:53 on Dec. 4	Between 2:07 a.m. and 3:23 a.m. on Dec. 5	Between 5:37 a.m. and 6:53 a.m. on Dec. 5	Between 9:37 p.m. and 10:53 p.m. on Dec. 4

 

 Quelle: arianespace

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LIVE-Launch-Frams:

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Quelle: arianespace