Sea Launch Reschedules XM-4 Liftoff Today

LONG BEACH, Calif., Oct. 30, 2006/Satnews Daily/ — The Sea Launch team plans to re-start the countdown for another launch attempt of the XM-4 satellite today, Monday, Oct. 30.

Sea Launch said the 58-minute launch window will open at 3:49 pm PST (23:49 GMT).

Launch officials said they have determined the cause of the off-nominal data received from the automated launch support equipment that resulted in a halt to the launch countdown on Oct. 26. They said their team has already implemented corrective action and is ready to proceed with launch operations.

Built by the Boeing Satellite Development Center, XM-4 satellite is a Boeing 702 spacecraft and carries a high-power S-band Digital Audio Radio Service (DARS) payload provided by Alcatel Alenia Space. Like the three XM satellites currently in orbit, XM-4 will broadcast XM's radio programming to over 7 million subscribers in cars, homes and portable radios throughout the continental United States and Canada.

The XM-4 satellite will have 18 kilowatts of total power at the beginning of life on orbit. Specified for a 15-year lifespan, Sea Launch’s direct insertion into equatorial orbit is designed to yield additional years of service life. This is Sea Launch's fourth launch for XM Satellite Radio, successfully completing previous missions in March 2001, May 2001 and February 2005.

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