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Sea Launch Aborts XM-3 Launch |
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Feb. 22/Satnews Daily/ — Sea Launch halted the Tuesday launch of Satellite Radio's XM-3 satellite at approximately seven minutes before liftoff because of an “out of specification condition” that was identified on the launch vehicle.
Launch officials said they are in the process of rescheduling the launch but it will not occur earlier than Friday, Feb. 25.
Initially, the launch was to take place on Thursday and later Friday but launch officials postponed the flight because of strong sea currents and winds in the area of the Odyssey oceanic platform. A Zenit-3SL rocket will deliver the XM-3 satellite to orbit at 85 degrees West.
XM-3 was manufactured by Boeing Satellite Systems and based on its 702 platform. XM-3 is the tenth Boeing 702 manufactured by Boeing in El Segundo, Calif.
Like its sister spacecraft, XM-1 and XM-2, XM-3 will transmit more than 130 channels of digital-quality music, news, sports, talk, comedy and children’s programming to subscribers across the continental United States.
Sea Launch said the spacecraft, fully fueled at the time of launch, will weigh approximately 4703 kg (10,346 lbs).
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