MEXSAT Bicentenario satellite sends 1st signals from space
The MEXSAT Bicentenario satellite, built by Boeing partner Orbital Sciences Corporation, sent its first signals from space today following launch from Kourou aboard an Ariane 5 rocket. Read more
Launch of Ariane 5 with Skynet 5D & Mexsat 3 on VA211
Spoiler
The final orbital launch of 2012 occurred tonight, December 19th 2012 at 21:49 UTC from Kourou in French Guiana. The Ariane 5 rocket took off on her 7th mission of 2012 carrying Skynet 5D for Britain and Mexsat 3 for Mexico. Skynet 5D is a military satellite and will provide communications and broadband for armed services. Mexsat 3 has 12 Ku and C-Band transponders and will provide communications for Mexico.
The Launch Readiness Review (RAL) took place in Kourou on Monday December 17, 2012 and authorised count-down operations for the SKYNET 5D and MEXSAT BICENTENARIO launch. Arianespace will orbit two satellites on its seventh Ariane 5 launch of the year: the Skynet 5D military communications satellite for Astrium Services, on behalf of the British Ministry of Defence, and the Mexsat Bicentenario telecommunications satellite for the Mexican Secretariat of Communications and Transport. The choice of Arianespace by leading space communications operators and manufacturers is clear international recognition of the company's excellence in launch services. It will be launched from the Ariane launch complex N° 3 (ELA3), in Kourou, French Guiana.
THE ARIANE 5 ECA LAUNCHER LIFT-OFF for this flight is scheduled on December 19 to 20, 2012 as soon as possible within the following launch window:
> Kourou: Between 06:49pm and 08:08pm > GMT/TU: Between 09:49pm and 11:08pm > Paris: Between 10:49pm and 12:08am > Wahsington: Between 04:49pm and 06:08pm
An Arianespace Ariane 5 ECA rocket is scheduled to launch the Skynet 5D and Mexsat 3 (Mexsat Bicentenario) communications satellites from Kourou, French Guiana, at 21:30 UT, 19th December, 2012.
Mexsat Bicentenario is based on Orbital's GEOStar-2 platform and will generate approximately 3.5 kilowatts of payload power and carry 12 active extended Ku-band and 12 active extended C-band transponders. The spacecraft will provide communications services to Mexico and its surrounding waters from the 114.9 degrees West Longitude orbital slot. In addition to the Mexsat Bicentenario spacecraft, Orbital will also provide the FSS ground segment, including the satellite command and control ground equipment and software as well as training and operational documentation. Read more