Featured Image: Arianespace
Lift Off Time | June 22, 2022 – 22:50 UTC | 18:50 GFT |
|---|---|
Mission Name | MEASAT-3d and GSAT-24 |
Launch Provider | Arianespace |
Customer | MEASAT and NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) |
Rocket | Ariane 5 ECA+ |
Launch Location | ELA-3, Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana |
Payload mass | ~ 5,680 kg (12,500 lb) |
Where did the satellites go? | Geostationary Transfer Orbit |
Did they attempt to recover the first stage? | No, this is not a capability of Arianespace |
Where did the first stage land? | It crashed into the Pacific Ocean |
Did they attempt to recover the fairings? | No, this is not a capability of Arianespace |
Were these fairings new? | Yes |
This was the: | – 70th orbital launch attempt of 2022 – 2nd Arianespace mission of 2022 – 1st Ariane 5 mission of 2022 – 113th Ariane 5 mission ever – 291st mission for Arianespace |
Where to watch | Official replay |
How Did It Go?
In the first Ariane 5 launch of the year, Arianespace successfully delivered two communication satellites to a geostationary orbit. Each satellite will service a region of Asia, one designed by a company in India, the other in Malaysia. While Arianespace is headquartered in France, they do not launch from Europe. Instead, they launch from the overseas territory of French Guiana, which has the benefit of being much closer to the equator.
What’s On Board?
The Ariane 5 ECA rocket has the unique ability to host two large payloads through the use of a “table” adapter.
This “table” comes as two different options. One of which is called the Sylda 5 and the other Speltra. Both of them serve very similar purposes and are encapsulated inside the fairing. Being able to carry two payloads represents a massive advantage to help split launch costs between two companies and “kill two birds with one stone.” One of the main differences between the two payloads is size.
For integration, the bottom satellite is placed on the payload adapter and then encased in the table structure. Afterwards, the top satellite is then placed on the table. This normally leads to the larger payload in the top position. The final step is fairing encapsulation around both satellites.
What Is MEASAT-3d?
Built by Airbus, the MEASAT-3d satellite is 57th satellite based on the E3000 satellite platform. It will be positioned in a geostationary orbit at 91.5 degrees east. Through this orbit, the satellite will be able to service it’s primary area, Asia and the Pacific.
MEASAT-3d has the capability to provide broadband service up to 100Mbps throughout Malaysia covering areas where there is little to no connectivity from Earth-based systems. In addition, MEASAT-3d will be able to provide High Definition (HD), 4k, and 8k video.
Many communications satellites have multiple other satellites that are identical or very similar in all aspects. In this case, MEASAT-3d will be joining the previously launched MEASAT-3b. Having multiples of the same satellite allows for better connectivity in certain areas and for users to be distributed among the various satellites in order to avoid overloading one. MEASAT-3d has a planned operation life of 19 years
What Is GSAT-24?
GSAT-24 is also a communications satellite. It was built by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) for NewSpace India Limited (NSIL). The satellites services include high-quality video, telecommunications, and broadcast coverage to all of India. The satellite will be “Demand Driven,” meaning it will increase functionality as more customers use it. GSAT-24 operates in the Ku-band.
What Is The Ariane 5 ECA?
The Ariane 5 ECA is a European heavy-lift launch vehicle developed by Arianespace for the European Space Agency. Regarded as one of the most reliable launch vehicles in the world, the Ariane 5 has launched 109 times since 1996 with a 95.4% success rate. The rocket flew 82 consecutive missions without failure before suffering a partial failure in January 2018. The Ariane 5 launches from the European Spaceport in French Guiana, a spaceport close to the equator, which allows the rocket to take advantage of the Earth’s greater rotation speed there and boost the launch performance.
The ECA version of the Ariane 5 is capable of launching two large satellites, one on top of the other, using an adapter known as the Système de Lancement Double Ariane (SYLDA). The adapter covers the lower satellite as it supports the higher satellite. When the time comes for satellite deployment, the top satellite is released first, the SYLDA is then jettisoned, and the bottom satellite is released last.
Boosters
Two P241 solid rocket boosters (SRBs) are attached to the sides of the rockets main stage. They are fueled with a mixture of ammonium perchlorate (AP) (68%), aluminium fuel (18%), and Hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) (14%). Each booster provides about 7,080 kN (1,590,000 lbf) of thrust, burning for 130 seconds before crashing into the ocean. They are usually left to sink to the bottom of the ocean, but similarly to the Space Shuttles SRB, it is possible to recover them using parachutes. When this is done it is for post-flight analysis, and the boosters are not reusable.
Main Stage
The Ariane 5 has a cryogenic H173 main stage, called the EPC (Étage Principal Cryotechnique — Cryotechnic Main Stage), which burns for 540 seconds. It is comprised of a main tank, which is 30.5 m tall and has two compartments, one compartment for liquid hydrogen (LH2) and the other for liquid oxygen (LOx). A Vulcain 2 engine sits at the base and provides vacuum thrust of 1,390 kN (310,000 lbf).
Second Stage
The ECA has an upper stage called the ESC-A (Étage Supérieur Cryotechnique — Cryogenic Upper Stage), and uses an HM7B engine, which is fueled by liquid hydrogen (LH2) and liquid oxygen (LOx). The stage provides 67 kN (15,000 lbf) in vacuum, has an ISP of 446 seconds, and will burn for 945 seconds.
