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Sea Launch Successfully Delivers XM-3 to Orbit |
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LONG BEACH, Calif., March 1, 2005/Satnews Daily/ — Sea Launch Co. successfully delivered on Monday XM Satellite Radio’s XM-3 satellite to orbit from its ocean-based platform on the Equator in its first mission in 2005. Sea Launch said early data indicate the spacecraft is in excellent condition.
The Sea Launch Zenit-3SL rocket lifted off at 7:51 pm PST Feb. 28 (03:51 GMT, Mar. 1), precisely on schedule, from the Odyssey Launch Platform, positioned at 154 degrees West Longitude. Launch officials said all systems performed nominally throughout the flight.
The Block DM-SL upper stage inserted the 4,703 kg (10,346 lb) XM-3 satellite into an optimized geosynchronous transfer orbit of 2468 km x 35786 km, on its way to an orbital location for routine testing prior to placement in its final orbital position at 85 degrees West Longitude. A ground station in South Africa acquired the spacecraft’s first signal an hour after liftoff, as planned, Sea Launch said.
The launch had been delayed at least three times due to bad weather condition and because of a problem on the launcher. A launch attempt was made on Feb. 23, Wednesday, but the Russian rocket Zenit-ZSL broke down five minutes before the launch, according to an ITAR-TASS report that quoted an official at the Russian Mission Control Centre outside Moscow.
Initially, the launch was to take place on Thursday, Feb. 17 and later Friday, Feb. 18, but launch officials postponed the flight because of strong sea currents and winds in the area of the Odyssey oceanic platform.
Built by Boeing Satellite Systems, International, Inc., the XM-3 satellite is a 702 model spacecraft, one of the most powerful satellites built today, designed to provide 18 kilowatts of total power at beginning of life. Like its sister spacecraft, XM-1 and XM-2 – also launched by Sea Launch - XM-3 will transmit more than 150 channels of digital-quality music, news, sports, talk, comedy and children's programming to subscribers across the continental United States.
Jim Maser, president and general manager of Sea Launch, immediately congratulated Boeing Satellite Systems and XM Satellite Radio following the successful mission. “We are extremely proud to be able to provide another launch for both XM and Boeing and we look forward to continuing our long and mutually beneficial relationships,” he said.
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