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161st Ariane Mission Press Kit
161st Ariane Mission Press Kit
APPENDICES
1. Flight 162 Key personnel.
2. Launch environment conditions.
3. Synchronized sequence.
4. ARIANESPACE, its relations with ESA and CNES.
Injection orbit
Perigee altitude 650 km
Apogee altitude 35,786 km at injection
Inclination 7° degrees
The lift-off is scheduled on the night of September 27 to 28, 2003 as soon as possible within
the following launch window :
Launch opportunity
Universal time (GMT) Paris time Washington time Kourou time Bangalore time
Between 11:02 pm 01:02 am 07:02 pm 08:02 pm 04:32 am
and 11:21 pm 01:21 am 07:21 pm 08:21 pm 04:51 am
on September 27, 2003 September 28, 2003 September 27, 2003 September 27, 2003 September 28, 2003
The actual work for satellite range operations lasts 27 working days for INSAT 3E from its
arrival in Kourou (before beginning combined operations). Additional checks were carried on
the INSAT 3E satellite from August 18 to September 12.
The actual work for satellite range operations lasts 14 working days for e-BIRD™ from its
arrival in Kourou (before beginning combined operations).
The actual work for satellite range operations lasts 12 working days for SMART-1 from its
arrival in Kourou (before beginning combined operations).
The countdown comprises all final preparation steps for the launcher, the satellites and the
launch site. The nominal countdown leads to the ignition of the main stage engine, then the
two solid boosters, for a lift-off at the targeted time, as early as possible in the satellites
launch window.
The countdown culminates in a synchronized sequence (see appendix 3), which is managed by
the control station and onboard computers starting at T-7 minutes.
If an interruption in the countdown results in T-0 falling outside the launch window, then the
launch will be delayed by one, two or more days, depending on the problem involved, and the
solution developed.
Time Events
– 11h 30 mn Start of final countdown
– 7h 30 mn Check of electrical systems
– 4h 50 mn Start of filling of main cryogenic stage with liquid oxygen and hydrogen
– 3h 20 mn Chilldown of Vulcain main stage engine
– 1h 10 mn Check of connections between launcher and telemetry, tracking and command systems
– 7 mn 00 s "All systems go" report, allowing start of synchronized sequence
– 4 mn 00 s Tanks pressurized for flight
– 1 mn 00 s Switch to onboard power mode
– 04 s Onboard systems take over
– 03 s Unlocking of guidance systems to flight mode
HO Ignition of the cryogenic main stage engine (EPC) ALT (km) V. rel. (m/s)
+ 7.0 s Ignition of solid boosters 0 0
+ 7.3 s Lift-off 0 0
+ 13 s End of vertical climb and beginning of pitch rotation (10 seconds duration) 0.077 29.0
+ 17 s Beginning of roll manoeuvre 0.314 67.0
+ 2 mn 21 s Jettisoning of solid boosters 68.0 2070.6
+ 3 mn 10 s Jettisoning of fairing 105.5 2268.8
+ 8 mn 13 s Acquisition by Natal tracking station 136.3 5478.5
+ 9 mn 51 s Extinction of main cryogenic stage 142.4 7667.4
+ 9 mn 57 s Separation of main cryogenic stage 144.8 7686.8
+ 10 mn 04 s Ignition of the storable propellant stage (EPS) 147.7 7683.3
+ 12 mn 30 s Acquisition by Ascension tracking station 220.2 7838.3
+ 21 mn 48 s Acquisition by Malindi tracking station 885.2 8324.1
+ 26 mn 56 s Extinction of EPS 1619.0 8589.9
+ 29 mn 01 s Separation of INSAT 3E satellite 2002.9 8323.5
+ 32 mn 43 s Separation of Sylda 5 2777.7 7829.8
+ 34 mn 17 s Separation of e-BIRD™ satellite 3126.4 7625.1
+ 39 mn 54 s Separation of ACU + ACY 4463.0 6925.4
+ 41 mn 40 s Separation of SMART-1 satellite 4894.6 6722.7
+ 57 mn 22 s End of ARIANESPACE Flight 162 mission 8717.5 5275.6
Séparation
du satellite
Satellite
Allumage separation
de l’EPS
Upper stage
ignition 200 km
Séparation
et mise à feu
de l’EPC
Main stage 150 km
separation
and burnout
EPC re-entrée
Séparation Main stage
de la coiffe 100 km breakup
Payload
fairing
jettisoned
Séparation 50 km
des EAP
Solid rocket
booster
separation
Press Contact :
Shri S. Krishnamurthy
Director, P and PR
ISRO Headquarters
New Bel Road, Bangalore 560 094
Tel.: (91 80) 3415275
Fax: (91 80) 3412253
Press Contact:
Press contact
Franco BONACINA
ESA, Spokesman and Head of Media Relations Division
Tel.: +33 (0) 1 53 69 77 13
E-mail : franco.bonacina@esa.int
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