Sea Launch Preparing to Launch U.S. Communications Satellite
Posted on: Thursday, 23 June 2005, 00:00 CDT
MOSCOW. June 22 (Interfax) - The U.S. communications satellite Intelsat Americas TM-8 (IA-8) will be launched at 4:58 p.m. Moscow time on June 23 from the Sea Launch floating platform.
The unsuccessful launch of a solar sail-powered spacecraft on Tuesday will not affect plans to launch the satellite from Sea Launch, a source in the Space Mission Control Center told Interfax. "These launches don't have any relation to each other," he said.
"A Zenit-3SL rocket will lift the 5,500 kg (12,125 lbs.) IA-8 satellite to geosynchronous transfer orbit," Boeing said in a press release that was sent to Interfax.
"The Space Systems/Loral-built IA-8 satellite is designed to provide expanded coverage over the Americas, the Caribbean, Hawaii and Alaska during its 15-year service life. IA-8 will host voice, video and data transmission and distribution services," the release says.
Sea Launch was set up in 1995. U.S. Boeing owns 40% of its shares, Russia's Energia has 25%, Ukraine's Yuzhnoye design bureau and Yuzhmash association have 15% and the British-Norwegian Kvaerner Group owns 20%.
The first launch from a sea platform was made in 1999, with 14 successful launches made since.
Source: Daily News Bulletin; Moscow - English
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