News
September 1, 2013.
Amos-4 spacecraft was delivered into target orbit
The Integrated Launch Vehicle Zenit-3SLB consisting of launch vehicle (LV) Zenit-2SB and Ascent Unit (AU) with the upper stage (US) Block DM-SLB has delivered the 4.26-ton telecommunication spacecraft (SC) AMOS-4 into its target geotransfer orbit.
The launch under the Land Launch program occurred at 00:05 Moscow Time.
The mission plan, which called for three burns of the upper stage main engine in automatic mode for SC injection has been fully completed. The spacecraft control has been handed over to the Customer.
The mission control for the upper stage with the SC was provided by the Technical Management (The Technical Manager is the President and Designer General of S.P. Korolev RSC Energia V.A. Lopota). The mission analysis was conducted by RSC Energia specialists within the Lead Operations Control Team working at the Mission Control Center for upper stages and unmanned spacecraft (RSC Energia, Korolev). The Flight Director was the NTTs Deputy Manager - Head of Division Yu.A. Skursky.
The functioning of the upper stage onboard systems was continuously monitored via telemetry data coming into the Mission Control Center using outside assets for data reception and transmission.
The successful launch and injection of AMOS-4 SC into target geotransfer orbit verified the validity of organizational & technical decisions and modifications made which were accepted on the Zenit LV after the lift-off accident on February 01, 2013.
For reference:
- This launch was the sixth launch for the Land Launch project, which is a land-based version of the Sea Launch project and is based at Baikonur launch site.
- Upper stage DM-SLB is a modification of the DM-type upper stages belonging to the D, DM family of upper stages developed at S.P. Korolev RSC Energia, and is based on modification DM-SL operated under the Sea Launch program, and has state-of-the-art onboard systems (control system, radio system, thermal control system, etc.).
- Upper stages of the DM type Block developed and manufactured by RSC Energia were designed for spacecraft delivery from low-Earth orbits to high-energy orbits, including GEO, as well as for spacecraft injection into trajectories that would take them to the Moon and planets of our solar system. Present-day modifications of the upper stage are operated together with LVs Proton and Zenit.
- Amos-4 satellite operated by private company Spacecom will render satellite DTH.VSAT and wideband Internet services for the territory of the Russian Federation, Middle East, South-Eastern and Central Asia. The satellite was manufactured in Israel by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI).
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