Sea Launch Mission page

Launch Successful

Sea Launch AG has successfully launched the ATLANTIC BIRD™ 7 broadcast satellite from the Equator on the ocean-based Odyssey Launch Platform, marking its first mission for Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL) and its awaited return to launch operations following re-organization in late 2010.

Current Mission - ATLANTIC BIRD™ 7

Sea Launch is preparing for the launch of the ATLANTIC BIRD™ 7 communications satellite in September 2011. Built by Astrium, an EADS company, the ATLANTIC BIRD™ 7 satellite will weigh approximately 4,600 kilograms (10,141 lbs.) at launch. Its final geostationary orbit will be located at 7 degrees West Longitude, a key neighbourhood for Eutelsat's digital broadcasting markets in the Middle East and North Africa.

Launch Coverage

Sea Launch will produce live coverage of the ATLANTIC BIRD™ 7 mission, and stream video of the event on this website. Launch broadcast will begin approximately 15 minutes before scheduled liftoff. Please click here to view our live mission coverage.

Mission Highlights

ATLANTIC BIRD™ 7 is delivered to Long Beach for its Sea Launch mission

Zenit-3SL hardware being offloaded at Home Port

Payload Unit being transferred to ACS

Rocket transfer and ILV testing

ACS and LP Departure

Helicopter Operations

Mission Success!

Payload

ATLANTIC BIRD™ 7 will be based on Astrium’s Eurostar 3000 platform, optimized for high-growth broadcasting markets, two beams will give superior coverage across the Middle East, including Gulf states, as well as North Africa and North-West Africa.

Up to 44 Ku band transponders will be connected to a broad high power footprint serving the Middle East and North Africa for Direct-to-Home (DTH) broadcasting.
A second footprint for North-West Africa, across the Maghreb countries and extending down to the Gulf of Guinea will be connected to a payload of up to 12 Ku-band transponders designed for consumer broadcasting services and equipped to meet high for internet access services.

ATLANTIC BIRD™ 7 vital statistics:

Platform: Astrium Eurostar E3000
Width with solar panels deployed 33 m
Mass at launch 4.6 tones
Power at end-of-life 12 kW
Operational lifetime 15 + years

Astrium, a wholly owned subsidiary of EADS, is dedicated to providing civil and defense space systems and services.

Mission Profile

From its ocean-based launch site located directly on the equator at 154 degrees West Longitude, a Zenit-3SL launch vehicle will lift the 4,600 kilograms (10,141 lbs.) ATLANTIC BIRD™ 7 spacecraft into an optimized geosynchronous transfer orbit on its way to its final geostationary orbit at 7 degrees West longitude.

Lifting off from the Odyssey Launch Platform, the Zenit-3SL rocket will begin its ascent phase of flight. The first stage of the vehicle will separate 2:29 minutes after liftoff, and the protective payload fairing will be jettisoned 43 seconds later. Following its 6 minute burn, the second stage will separate from the Block DM-SL upper stage. The Block DM-SL will begin a 5:40 minute operation and then shut down for a 37:13 minute coast period. The Block DM-SL will burn a second time for 5:51 minutes. Following this second burn, and another 9:50 minute coast period, the spacecraft will separate from the upper stage over the Indian Ocean.

Launch Timeline

Time	Event
L= 0:00:00	Liftoff
L+ 0:02:29	Stage 1 Separation
L+ 0:03:12	Payload Fairing Jettison
L+ 0:08:29	Stage 2 Separation
L+ 0:08:39	Block DM 1st Burn Ignition
L+ 0:51:31	Block DM 2nd Burn Ignition
L+ 1:07:12	Spacecraft Separation