Mission Failure: Arabsat 4A Fails to Reach Orbit After ILS Proton Launch Anomaly

BAIKONUR COSMODROME, Kazakhstan, March 1, 2006 — Khrunichev and International Launch Services announced this morning the failure of the Proton launch vehicle to put the Arabsat 4A satellite into proper orbit for EADS Astrium and the Arab Satellite Communications Organization (Arabsat).

ILS said in a statement the Proton Breeze M rocket lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome at 2:10 a.m. today local time (3:10 p.m. Tuesday EST, 20:10 Tuesday GMT). But preliminary flight information indicates that the Breeze M upper stage shut down early during its planned burn sequence.

As a contingency, the satellite was separated, ILS said, adding it cannot comment on the disposition of the spacecraft at this time.

Khrunichev said a Russian State Commission is being formed to determine the reasons for the anomaly. In parallel with the State Commission, ILS said, it will form its own Failure Review Oversight Board to review reasons for the anomaly and define a corrective action plan. ILS said it will release additional information when it becomes available.

The Arabsat 4A satellite is a Eurostar E2000+ model equipped with a payload featuring 24 transponders in C-band and 20 transponders in Ku-band. With a launch mass of about 3,350 kg, it would have been the thirtieth Eurostar to orbit.

Arabsat 4A is the first of two spacecraft built by EADS Astrium for Arabsat, the communications satellite operator based in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Arabsat 4A would have offered a wide range of satellite communications services with the highest power level and the widest coverage over the Arab countries.

EADS Astrium said a second spacecraft, Arabsat 4B, is currently in the final assembly stage and will by launched later this year.

ILS said it regrets the failure of the mission but added it remains committed to providing reliable, timely launch services for all its customers.

“To this end, ILS will work diligently with its partner Khrunichev to return Proton to flight as soon as possible,” it said in the statement.

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