Proton-M liftoff with Eutelsat W3A

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Source: Novosti

Proton-M rocket is to liftoff the Baikonur space center at 23:06 (GMT) on March 15, subsequently orbiting the Eutelsat W3A satellite. The 4,250kg Eutelsat W3A, which will be servicing Europe, the Middle East and North-East Africa, has a 12-year service life on 7East.


The Proton-M rocket and its Breeze-M booster were developed and assembled by the Khrunichev spacecraft center. The Eutelsat W3A communications satellite, which was assembled by the Astrium company, relays live TV broadcasts, providing Internet access at the same time.

The Eutelsat company, which owns the W3A satellite, has also ordered its launch. The relevant launch contract was signed by the Russian-US International Launch Services (ILS) company, which promotes Russia's heavy-duty Proton rockets, as well as US Atlas rockets, on the global market. The ILS company includes Lockheed-Martin of the United States and the company's Russian partners, i.e. the Khrunichev state spacecraft center and the Energia space-rocket corporation.

The revamped Proton-M rocket has a greater power-to-weight ratio; its technical specifications have also been enhanced; the Proton's environmental impact has been minimized, as well. The Proton-M rocket features a new guidance system; moreover, its first stages will be falling over smaller territories.

Besides, the new Russian launcher is more environment-friendly; its first-stage engine completely drains all rocket-propellant tanks.

Each Proton-M launch vehicle boasts enlarged nose shrouds, thus making it possible to increase payload mass by over 100 percent. Such payloads can be launched with the help of advanced Proton-M boosters.

The list of such advanced boosters includes the Breeze-M system, which is renowned for its impressive power-to-weight ratio. Moreover, its sustainer engine can be fired more than once. Consequently, the Breeze-M can place specific payloads into numerous preset orbits, orbiting satellite clusters all the same. Each Breeze-M booster makes it possible to master new and unconventional launch concepts, i.e. launching geostationary satellites with the help of highly elliptical orbits.

The Breeze-M booster makes it possible to orbit six-ton payloads, also placing 3.2-ton payloads into geostationary orbits.

The Khrunichev center's www.khrunichev.ru web site is to cover this launch live.

Live coverage on satellites:
- Galaxy 3C-95W on 3,740V (North America in C Band);
- NSS 7-22 on 11,574H (Europe and Middle East);
- Hot Bird 6-13E on 11,179H (Europe and Middle East).

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And here's the launch -