Proton/Breeze-M Success (apparently)!

[Bradtothebone]

From the ILS launch blog:

"Posted by ILS Communications Team, 8:42 p.m. EDT on 18 August 2008 | 0 Comments

The Breeze M upper stage of our Proton M rocket continues
its climb into space with the Inmarsat-4 F3 satellite. We
have received confirmation that the 1st and 2nd burns of the
upper stage occurred and shut down as scheduled. "

For the complete blog:

Inmarsat-4 F3

Still looking good for Ciel-2 in November! :clap

Brad

 

[HDRoberts]

I believe there are 3 burns to go, but all is looking good. The second burn is where AMC-14 ran into trouble.

Hopefully all continues to go well, and Nimiq 4 goes well in October so Ciel-2 can get going before the year is out.

 

[nelson61]

"We have confirmed that the Breeze M upper stage has successfully completed its 3rd & 4th burns, as well as jettisoning its additional propellant tank. The vehicle is now in a 5-hour coast period, during which we will have nothing to report. The 5th burn is scheduled for around 3:35 a.m. Eastern time, or 7:25 GMT. Separation of the Inmarsat 4 spacecraft is scheduled to follow that by about 16 minutes"

 

[photoman76]

Why is a Proton/Breeze-M launch so different than an Ariane 5 launch?

A Proton/Breeze-M launch takes about 9 hours and 5 upper stage burns before satellite separation. But the recent Ariane 5 launch of Superbird 7 and AMC 21 took 30 minutes from launch to separation with only two upper stage burns.

 

[HDRoberts]

We have had a successful mission with the Proton M Breeze M rocket, carrying the Inmarsat-4 F3 satellite built by EADS Astrium for Inmarsat. We have had confirmation that the satellite separated from the vehicle on schedule at 3:46 am Eastern time, or 7:46 GMT, 9 hours and 3 minutes after liftoff.

Everything occurred as planned with ignition, shutdown and separation of the Proton’s first three stages. Then the Breeze M upper stage with the satellite continued the mission, igniting five times, then releasing the satellite into transfer orbit.

Thank goodness.

 

[Voyager6]

Why is a Proton/Breeze-M launch so different than an Ariane 5 launch?

A Proton/Breeze-M launch takes about 9 hours and 5 upper stage burns before satellite separation. But the recent Ariane 5 launch of Superbird 7 and AMC 21 took 30 minutes from launch to separation with only two upper stage burns.

French Guiana is just slightly more than 5 degrees above the equator. Baikonur in Kazahkstan is slightly more than 45 degrees above the equator. More burns are needed to adjust the orbit to 0 degrees (Equatorial).