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Aviation History
2000
2000-1 - 1589.PDF
Atlas V expendable set for commercial launch by 2002 GRAHAM WARWICK/WASHINGTON DC LOCKHEED MARTIN is to launch its first Atlas V evolved expendable launch vehicle (EELV) commercially in mid-2 002, the US Air Force (USAF) has revealed. The company has declined to give details of the first launch, including which version of the Atlas V will fly first, except to say that it will carry a commercial payload but will not be for Teledesic, its only announced cus tomer. "We are in conversation with other customers," says the company. The first flight of Boeing's Delta IV EELV will be a commercial launch in November next year. This will be followed by the first USAF launch under the EELV contract of a defence satellite com munications system in May 2002 from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The USAF says its first Atlas V launch under the EELV contract will be in the second half of 2003. This will also be from Cape Canaveral - under a restructuring of the contract, Lockheed Martin is no longer required to build a West Coast launch pad at Vandenberg, California. Also as a result of the restructur ing, two of Lockheed Martin's nine EELV launches have been trans ferred to Boeing, which now has 21 missions. The missions transferred are Defense Support Program early-warning satellite and Defense Meteorological Satellite Program launches from Vandenberg. Lockheed Martin will complete the design and quali fication of the Atlas V heavylift variant under the restructured contract, but "we will not build it until we sell it," the company says. Lockheed Martin originally requested the contract restructur ing witii the USAF because it does not believe the market for West Coast and heavylift launches can support two competitors. Instead, the company will focus its efforts on launches of the Atlas V Series 400 and 500 from the East Coast. Requiring Lockheed Martin to completely develop the Atlas V Heavy ensures the company is in a position to provide back-up for the full range of Boeing Delta IV vehicles, the USAF says. West Coast launches of the Atlas V could be performed from the existing Vandenberg Adas II.3 launch pad, says Lockheed Martin. • Sea Launch first as UAE satellite goes into orbit THE BOEING-LED Sea Launch company successfully launched a Zenit 3 SL booster from the Odyssey mobile launch plat form in the equatorial Pacific Ocean on 21 October, carrying the Thuraya communications satellite for the United Arab Emirates. Thuraya will operate in geosta tionary orbit at 44°E. The launch of the 5,108kg (11,2001b) Thuraya satellite marked a milestone as the heaviest commercial payload in history, Boeing says. The Thuraya turnkey'mobile communications system is being provided by Boeing Satellite Systems' ifirst Geosynchronous Mobile (GEM) spacecraft based on the Boeing 702 spacecraft bus and equipped with a 78kg, 12.25m (40ft) diameter aperture reflector, which was packed into a 1.3m diameter container for launch. A second spacecraft has been built as a ground spare and there is an option for a third. Thuraya marks Boeing's "entry into the around sesment and mobile satellite systems division. J Thuraya's composite L-band feed array reflector is 12.25m in diameter provision of a complete space- based turnkey mobile communica tions system, including satellite, groun segmen . phones, capable of providing ser vices to 1.8 billion people", says Tig Krekel, president of the company's Arianespace caters for internet demand WITH THE internet driving a demand for ever larger broadband communications satellites, Arianespace hopes to capitalise on its lead in heavylift launch vehicles. The internet accounts for up to 50% of all satellite traffic carried today, says Leo Mondale, vice- president of Arianespace's US arm. "It is up to 225 transponders from zero four years ago." The opening up of the Ka frequency band has resulted in a move to larger satellites. "The physical characteristics of Ka-band mean it is more efficient to fly large satellites - as big as 5.5-6t," says Mondale. As many as 15 large satellites could be launched in the next three years; he says. Manufacturers are building larger spacecraft, including the already in service 5.21 Boeing (for merly Hughes) 702, and the 6t Alcatel Spacebus 4000 and 7.5t Space Systems/Loral 20.20, which are under development. With a payload to geostationary orbit of 6.2t, the Ariane 5 is currently the largest launcher commercially available, but Boeing's 6.5t-capacity Delta rV Medium Plus and Lockheed Martin's 8.6t Atlas V Series 500 are due to be available from 2002. Arianespace, with three Ariane 5 commercial launches under its belt, represents "the path of lowest possible risk", says Mondale, adding: "Everybody is talking to us as a backup." Arianespace has already booked three large broad band satellite launches: one for Telesat Canada and two for Wild Blue Communications, in which Arianespace has an investment. ESA has begun an Ariane 5 enhancement programme which will take the vehicle's GTO payload to 8t next year, 10.5t by 2002 and 12t by 2006 - sufficient to launch two large satellites simultaneously. Boeing is developing the 13.It-capability Delta IV Heavy, with the first launch scheduled for 2003. While Lockheed Martin will complete qualification of an Atlas VHeavy, it has no plans to offer the vehicle commercially as it does not see a big enough market. • FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 31 October - 6 November 2000 33
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