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UPDATE: EGNOS Satellite Launch Set for August 6

June 21, 2012  - By

 

News courtesy of CANSPACE Listserv.

UPDATE: The Interfax news agency has announced that the rescheduled launch date for SES-5 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, originally scheduled for June 18, is August 6, 2012.

The launch is being delayed due to a problem with a first stage subsystem on the Proton launch vehicle. The rocket has been rolled back to the assembly building for further tests.

SES-5 is also known as Sirius 5 stemming from the development of the Sirius satellite constellation by Nordic Satellite AB, now owned by Luxembourg’s SES.

The satellite carries a transponder for the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS). The transponder is intended to eventually replace or one of those on the currently used EGNOS satellites (Inmarsat 3-F2 at 15.5 degrees west using PRN 120, Artemis at 21.5 degrees east using PRN124, and Inmarsat-4-F2 at 25 degrees east using PRN 126 and designated for industry tests).

Unlike the present L1-only EGNOS satellites, SES-5 will have transponders on both the L1 and E5 frequencies similar to the setup on the Wide Area Augmentation System satellites, which broadcast on L1 and L5.

SES-5 is to be stationed at 5 degrees east longtiude.

A second SES satellite with EGNOS transponders is under construction. The SES Astra 5B satellite is scheduled for launch in the second quarter of 2013 and will be positioned at SES Astra’s 31.5 degrees east orbital position.

Role Switch. On March 22 and 23, Inmarsat-4-F2 at 25 degrees east using PRN126 and Artemis at 21.5 degrees east using PRN124 switched roles. PRN126 became an EGNOS operational signal-in-space satellite while PRN124 became the test satellite, transmitting message type 0. PRN120 and PRN126 returned to service around 17:00 UTC on Tuesday, June 26.

According to an EGNOS service announcement dated April 3, the switch was due to the aging state of the Artemis satellite.

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