* Astronomy

Blobrana · L

RE: Ariane 5 ECA launch

Blobrana · L

T minus 1 h 10 minutes

Check of connections between launcher and telemetry, tracking and command systems

Blobrana · L

T minus 3 hours

Blobrana · L

Credit Arianespace

Blobrana · L

The final countdown has begun for tonight's heavy-lift Ariane 5 ECA mission.

The Arianespace Ariane 5 rocket was rolled from its final assembly hangar to the pad at the Guiana Space Centre in South America, and set up at the launch pad.
Countdown activities began this morning, and included electrical system checks. This is to be followed by the afternoon fuelling of Ariane 5's main cryogenic stage with liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen.
The mission will move into its final preparations with the synchronized sequence start-up, which begins 16 minutes before lift-off.

T – 11 h 30 m Start of final countdown
T – 7 h 30 m Check of electrical systems
T – 5 h 50 m Start of filling of main cryogenic stage with liquid oxygen and hydrogen
T – 3 h 20 m Chill down of Vulcain main stage engine

Blobrana · L

Liftoff is scheduled within the following launch window:

KOUROU: From 08:46p.m. to 09:31p.m. on November 16, 2005.
GMT: From 23:46 to 00:31 on November 16-17, 2005.
PARIS: From 00:46a.m. to 01:31a.m. on November 17, 2005.
WASHINGTON: From 07:46p.m. to 08:31p.m. on November 16, 2005.

Blobrana · L

Arianespace says it will move the rocket from its launch pad to the Spaceport's final assembly building today to work on the unspecified problem.

"We don't expect to launch before Tuesday now because we have to... fix the problem we have" spokeswoman Claudia Hoyeu

Jean-Yves Le Gall, Arianespace's chief executive, said he was "confident" about a launch later this week.

The `minor problem`, that halted the countdown, involved the mobile launch table on which the heavy-lift vehicle was installed.

Blobrana · L

The launch of two communications satellites on an Ariane 5 was delayed Saturday because of an apparent problem with ground equipment.
Though, Arianespace has released no details.

A new date will be announced in the next few hours.

Blobrana · L

Launch Scrubbed.

"The heavy-lift Ariane 5 ECA and its payload of Spaceway 2 for DIRECT TV and Telkom 2 for PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia remain in a safe stand-by mode at Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana" - Arianespace.

Blobrana · L

T minus 25 minutes

The countdown comprises all final preparation steps for the launcher, the satellites and the launch site. If it proceeds as planned, the countdown leads to the ignition of the main stage engine, then the two 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, which is managed by the control station and onboard computers starting at T-7 minutes.
If an interruption in the countdown means that T-0 falls 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.