Sea Launch is preparing for it's first mission since January 30th. On that occasion the launch vehicle exploded on the pad, causing damage to the semi-submersible platform that serves as a launch pad. More on this failure can be found in this thread.


The Sea Launch press release is reproduced below:

LONG BEACH, Calif., November 1, 2007 –The Odyssey Launch Platform and the Sea Launch Commander have departed Sea Launch Home Port, for the launch of the Thuraya-3 satellite. Liftoff is scheduled for November 13, in a 44-minute launch window that will open at 7:57 am Pacific Standard Time (15:57:00 GMT).

The vessels are sailing to the equatorial launch site at 154° West Longitude, in preparation for Sea Launch’s 25th mission. When the vessels arrive, the team will ballast the platform to launch depth and perform a final series of tests on the launch system and the spacecraft. A 72-hour countdown will culminate in the launch of the 5,180 kg (11,420 lb) Thuraya-3 satellite to geosynchronous transfer orbit, on its way to a final orbital location of 98.5 degrees East Longitude.

Boeing designed and built the GEO-Mobile (GEM) spacecraft in El Segundo, Calif., for Thuraya Satellite Telecommunications Company, based in the United Arab Emirates. Boeing also built, and Sea Launch successfully deployed into orbit, Thuraya-1 (October 20, 2000) and Thuraya-2 (June 10, 2003). The satellites are designed to provide a range of mobile voice and data services over large geographic regions.

Thuraya, the world's largest provider of handheld mobile satellite services, is preparing to operate commercially in Asia-Pacific markets as early as January 2008, when Thuraya-3 is expected to become operational. Thuraya's expansion towards East Asia will allow it to provide its proven and highly affordable voice, IP and rural telephony services to thousands of private, public and business customers in the densely populated Asian region.

Sea Launch will provide live coverage of the Thuraya-3 mission via satellite and on its website, beginning at 7:40am PST (15:40:00 GMT) on Nov. 13.

About Sea Launch Company
Sea Launch Company, LLC, headquartered in Long Beach, Calif., offers the most direct and cost-effective route to geostationary orbit for commercial communications satellites. With the advantage of a launch site on the Equator, the robust Zenit-3SL rocket can lift a heavier mass or provide longer life on orbit, offering best value plus schedule assurance. For additional information and images about the Thuraya-3 mission, please visit the Sea Launch website at: _www.sea-launch.com



Source: Sea Launch Press Release

Current Mission: Thuraya-3

We are progressing toward the launch of the Thuraya-3 communications satellite for Thuraya Satellite Telecommunications Company, based in Abu Dhabi. Over the weekend, the Sea Launch vessels arrived at the launch site and initiated a 72-hour countdown to launch. However, high ocean currents and winds are making it difficult for the Launch Platform to maintain the required position to proceed with launch operations and, as a result, the Mission Director issued a Hold on the countdown. We are monitoring conditions and will continue to update this site as information is available. Both the rocket and the spacecraft are safely stored in the environmentally-protected hangar on the Launch Platform.

Sea Launch's Zenit-3SL rocket resumes operations with this flight, carrying the Boeing-built Thuraya-3 mobile communications satellite into geosynchronous transfer orbit. Once operational, this satellite will expand Thuraya's network coverage to include all key markets of the Asia Pacific region.

Source: Sea Launch - Current Launch

Current Mission: Thuraya-3

Preparations continue for the launch of the Thuraya-3 mobile communications satellite for Thuraya Satellite Telecommunications Company, based in the United Arab Emirates. After a few days' delay due to high winds and strong ocean currents, we have resumed our countdown, with liftoff planned for Sunday, Nov. 18, at 7:37 am PST (15:37 GMT). We will begin our live launch coverage at 7:25am (15:25 GMT).

Sea Launch's Zenit-3SL rocket resumes operations with this flight, carrying the Boeing-built Thuraya-3 mobile communications satellite into geosynchronous transfer orbit. Once operational, this satellite will expand Thuraya's network coverage to include all key markets of the Asia Pacific region.

Source: Sea Launch - Current Launch

The Sea Launch press release is reproduced below:

LONG BEACH, Calif., November 16, 2007 - Sea Launch has resumed its countdown for the launch of the Thuraya-3 mobile communications satellite, with liftoff now planned for Sunday, Nov. 18, at 7:37 am PST (15:37 GMT).

The Sea Launch Commander is positioned alongside the Odyssey Launch Platform, at the launch site at 154 degrees West Longitude, on the equator. A day before liftoff, the launch team will erect the Zenit-3SL rocket on the launch pad and perform final tests on the launch system and the spacecraft before starting the terminal countdown.

During final preparations for liftoff, the platform will be evacuated, with all personnel safely positioned on the ship, four miles from the platform. At launch, the rocket will lift the 5,173 kg (11,381 lb) spacecraft to geosynchronous transfer orbit, on its way to a final orbital location of 98.5 degrees East Longitude.

Boeing built the GEO-Mobile (GEM) spacecraft in El Segundo, Calif., for Thuraya Satellite Telecommunications Company, based in the United Arab Emirates, to provide a range of mobile voice and data services over large geographic regions. Thuraya, the world's largest provider of handheld mobile satellite services, is preparing to operate commercially in Asia-Pacific markets as early as January 2008, when Thuraya-3 is expected to become operational.

The Sea Launch team arrived at the launch site on Nov. 10 and initiated a 72-hour countdown for a Nov. 14 launch. However, high winds and unusual strong ocean currents necessitated a hold in the countdown, delaying the launch until conditions met all launch commit criteria.

Sea Launch will provide live coverage of the Thuraya-3 mission via satellite and on its website, beginning at 7:25 am PST (15:25 GMT) on Nov. 18. Transponder coordinates for downlinking the satellite feed will be posted at: _www.boeing.com/nosearch/sealaunch/broadcast.html. A simultaneous webcast may be accessed at: _www.sea-launch.com/current_index_webcast.html.

About Sea Launch Company
Sea Launch Company, LLC, headquartered in Long Beach, Calif., offers the most direct and cost-effective route to geostationary orbit for commercial communications satellites. With the advantage of a launch site on the Equator, the robust Zenit-3SL rocket can lift a heavier mass or provide longer life on orbit, offering best value plus schedule assurance. For additional information and images about the Thuraya-3 mission, please visit the Sea Launch website at: _www.sea-launch.com[/font]


Contact: Paula Korn, 562.499.4729 or 562.254.5684 (cell), paula.korn@sea-launch.com
During launch operations, please contact our News Center at 562.951.7088 or 562.951.7388.

Source: Sea Launch Press Release

Current Mission: Thuraya-3

Preparations continue for the launch of the Thuraya-3 mobile communications satellite for Thuraya Satellite Telecommunications Company, based in the United Arab Emirates. After a few days' delay due to high winds and strong ocean currents, we have resumed our countdown, with liftoff now planned for Monday, Nov 19, at 7:33 PST (15:33 GMT). We will begin our live launch coverage at 7:25am (15:25 GMT).

Sea Launch's Zenit-3SL rocket resumes operations with this flight, carrying the Boeing-built Thuraya-3 mobile communications satellite into geosynchronous transfer orbit. Once operational, this satellite will expand Thuraya's network coverage to include all key markets of the Asia Pacific region.

Source: Sea Launch - Current Launch

Current Mission: Thuraya-3

Preparations continue for the launch of the Thuraya-3 mobile communications satellite for Thuraya Satellite Telecommunications Company, based in the United Arab Emirates. After a few days' delay due to high winds and strong ocean currents, we have resumed our countdown, with liftoff now planned for Tuesday, Nov 20, at 7:29 am PST (15:29 GMT). We will begin our live launch coverage at 7:15am (15:15 GMT).

Sea Launch's Zenit-3SL rocket resumes operations with this flight, carrying the Boeing-built Thuraya-3 mobile communications satellite into geosynchronous transfer orbit. Once operational, this satellite will expand Thuraya's network coverage to include all key markets of the Asia Pacific region.

Source: Sea Launch - Current Launch

Current Mission: Thuraya-3

Sea Launch made a tactical decision to put the countdown on hold this morning (Nov. 21) due to deteriorating ocean conditions at the launch site. The team is in the process of determining the next launch opportunity for the Thuraya-3 satellite. We will provide updated information as soon as it becomes available. We have been experiencing unusually high winds and high ocean currents for the past several days, outside of our launch parameters.

Sea Launch's Zenit-3SL rocket resumes operations with this flight, carrying the Boeing-built Thuraya-3 mobile communications satellite into geosynchronous transfer orbit. Once operational, this satellite will expand Thuraya's network coverage to include all key markets of the Asia Pacific region.

Source: Sea Launch - Current Launch

Current Mission: Thuraya-3

Due to continued off-nominal sea-state conditions, Sea Launch remains on hold for the launch of the Thuraya-3 spacecraft. The team is in the process of determining the next launch opportunity for the Thuraya-3 satellite. We will provide updated information as soon as it becomes available. We have been experiencing unusually high winds and high ocean currents for the past several days, outside of our launch parameters.

Sea Launch's Zenit-3SL rocket resumes operations with this flight, carrying the Boeing-built Thuraya-3 mobile communications satellite into geosynchronous transfer orbit. Once operational, this satellite will expand Thuraya's network coverage to include all key markets of the Asia Pacific region.

Source: Sea Launch - Current Launch

I can't wait to find out what they discover if anything

It's a communications satellite launch, it is highly unlikely it will discover anything.

The Sea Launch press release is reproduced below:

LONG BEACH, Calif., November 26, 2007 - Due to unusually strong ocean currents at the launch site, Sea Launch is rescheduling the launch campaign for the Thuraya-3 satellite. The team is establishing an extended schedule for the Thuraya-3 mission, as the vessels return to Sea Launch Home Port. All personnel are doing well and all systems and the spacecraft are secure.

The Sea Launch team arrived at the launch site on Nov. 10 and initiated a 72-hour countdown for a Nov. 14 launch. Since that time, the Launch Platform has been subject to ocean currents of up to twice the normal levels, coupled with high winds. The result has been an inability for the vessel to maintain its launch position within established launch commit criteria. The launch team put the countdown on hold several times in an effort to work around the challenging environmental conditions, and to find alternative positions and headings for the vessels. However, sea-state conditions continued to deteriorate further.

The Odyssey Launch Platform, recently refurbished, performed as expected in all operational aspects. Throughout operations at the launch site, all segments of the satellite and launch system remained nominal in launch readiness and are now being secured for transit to Home Port, according to procedure.

"Notwithstanding the ingenuity and positive attitude of every person in every segment on this mission and the absolute readiness of all systems to support the launch of Thuraya-3, Mother Nature is not cooperating," said Rob Peckham, president and general manager of Sea Launch. "Therefore, the integrated team (Marine Segment, Mission Director, Rocket Segment and Spacecraft) has agreed to terminate the countdown. We will now focus on extending the campaign and scheduling the corresponding activities required to return to the launch site and launch our customer’s satellite."

About Sea Launch Company
Sea Launch Company, LLC, headquartered in Long Beach, Calif., offers the most direct and cost-effective route to geostationary orbit for commercial communications satellites. With the advantage of a launch site on the Equator, the robust Zenit-3SL rocket can lift a heavier mass or provide longer life on orbit, offering best value plus schedule assurance. For additional information and images about the Thuraya-3 mission, please visit the Sea Launch website at: _www.sea-launch.com[/font]


Contact: Paula Korn, 562.499.4729 or 562.254.5684 (cell), paula.korn@sea-launch.com
During launch operations, please contact our News Center at 562.951.7088 or 562.951.7388.

Source: Sea Launch Press Release

The Sea Launch press release is reproduced below:

LONG BEACH, Calif., January 2, 2008 - The Odyssey Launch Platform and the Sea Launch Commander have departed Sea Launch Home Port, for the rescheduled Thuraya-3 mission. Liftoff is now planned for January 15, in a 44-minute launch window that opens at 3:49am Pacific Standard Time (11:49 GMT).

Following delays in November due to unusually strong currents at the launch site, Sea Launch has increased power and fuel capabilities on the Launch Platform and evaluated the use of existing margins on identified launch parameters - all of which are intended to enhance launch availability.

When the vessels arrive at the equatorial launch site, the team will ballast the platform to launch depth and perform a final series of tests on the launch system and the spacecraft. A 72-hour countdown will culminate in the launch of the 5,173 kg (11,381 lb) Thuraya-3 satellite to geosynchronous transfer orbit, on its way to a final orbital location of 98.5 degrees East Longitude. Sea Launch will provide live coverage of the Thuraya-3 mission via satellite and on its website, beginning at 3:30am PST (11:30 GMT) on January 15.

Boeing designed and built the GEO-Mobile (GEM) spacecraft in El Segundo, Calif., for Thuraya Satellite Telecommunications Company, based in the United Arab Emirates. Boeing also built, and Sea Launch successfully deployed, Thuraya-1 (October 20, 2000) and Thuraya-2 (June 10, 2003). The satellites are designed to provide a range of mobile voice and data services over large geographic regions.

Thuraya, the world's largest provider of handheld mobile satellite services, is preparing to operate commercially in Asia-Pacific markets when Thuraya-3 becomes operational. Thuraya's expansion towards East Asia will allow it to provide its proven and highly affordable voice, IP and rural telephony services to thousands of private, public and business customers in the densely populated Asian region.

About Sea Launch Company
Sea Launch Company, LLC, headquartered in Long Beach, Calif., offers the most direct and cost-effective route to geostationary orbit for commercial communications satellites. With the advantage of a launch site on the Equator, the robust Zenit-3SL rocket can lift a heavier mass or provide longer life on orbit, offering best value plus schedule assurance. For additional information and images about the Thuraya-3 mission, please visit the Sea Launch website at: _www.sea-launch.com[/font]


Contact: Paula Korn, 562.499.4729 or 562.254.5684 (cell), paula.korn@sea-launch.com
During launch operations, please contact our News Center at 562.951.7088 or 562.951.7388.

Source: Sea Launch Press Release

Those Sea Launch folks are something else!

It's quite an operation, with a success rate that's just amazing.

I'll look forward to watching them work!

The Sea Launch press release is reproduced below:

LONG BEACH, Calif., January 12, 2008 - The Sea Launch team has arrived at its launch site on the Equator and initiated a new 72-hour countdown, in preparation for the launch of the Thuraya-3 mobile communications satellite on Tuesday, January 15. Liftoff is planned at the opening of a 44-minute window, at 3:49am Pacific Standard Time (11:49 GMT).

Following delays in November due to unusually strong currents, the Sea Launch Commander and the Odyssey Launch Platform have returned to the launch site at 154 degrees West Longitude for launch operations. A day before liftoff, the launch team will erect the Zenit-3SL rocket on the launch pad and perform final tests on the launch system and the spacecraft before beginning the terminal countdown.

During final preparations for liftoff, the platform will be evacuated, with all personnel safely positioned on the ship, four miles from the platform. At launch, the rocket will lift the 5,173 kg (11,381 lb) spacecraft to geosynchronous transfer orbit, on its way to a final orbital location of 98.5 degrees East Longitude.

Sea Launch will provide live coverage of the Thuraya-3 mission via satellite and on its website, beginning at 3:30am PST (11:30 GMT) on Jan. 15. Transponder coordinates for acquiring the satellite feed are posted at: http://www.boeing.com/nosearch/sealaunch/broadcast.html.
Live streaming video will be posted at: www.sea-launch.com/current_index_webcast.html.

Boeing designed and built the GEO-Mobile (GEM) spacecraft in El Segundo, Calif., for Thuraya Satellite Telecommunications Company, based in the United Arab Emirates. Boeing also built, and Sea Launch successfully deployed, Thuraya-1 (October 20, 2000) and Thuraya-2 (June 10, 2003). The satellites are designed to provide a range of mobile voice and data services over large geographic regions.

Thuraya, the world's largest provider of handheld mobile satellite services, is preparing to operate commercially in Asia-Pacific markets when Thuraya-3 becomes operational. Thuraya's expansion towards East Asia will allow it to provide its proven and highly affordable voice, IP and rural telephony services to thousands of private, public and business customers in the densely populated Asian region.

About Sea Launch Company
Sea Launch Company, LLC, headquartered in Long Beach, Calif., offers the most direct and cost-effective route to geostationary orbit for commercial communications satellites. With the advantage of a launch site on the Equator, the robust Zenit-3SL rocket can lift a heavier mass or provide longer life on orbit, offering best value plus schedule assurance. For additional information and images about the Thuraya-3 mission, please visit the Sea Launch website at: _www.sea-launch.com[/font]


Contact: Paula Korn, 562.499.4729 or 562.254.5684 (cell), paula.korn@sea-launch.com
During launch operations, please contact our News Center at 562.951.7088 or 562.951.7388.

Source: Sea Launch Press Release

The Sea Launch press release is reproduced below:

LONG BEACH, Calif., January 15, 2008 - Sea Launch successfully launched the Thuraya-3 mobile communications satellite today with a perfect flight of the Zenit-3SL vehicle. The achievement marked Sea Launch’s 25th mission, since the international team began operations with its first launch in 1999.

Lifting off at 3:49am Pacific Time (11:49 GMT) from the Odyssey Launch Platform at 154 degrees West Longitude, the Zenit-3SL rocket placed the 5,173 kg (11,381 lb) Thuraya-3 satellite into Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit. Spacecraft separation occurred 99 minutes after liftoff, at 1,388 miles above the Pacific Ocean, north of New Zealand. A tracking station in Fillmore, California, acquired the first signal from the spacecraft a few minutes later, as planned. All systems performed nominally throughout the flight.

“Congratulations to Thuraya on the tremendous success of this mission,” said Rob Peckham, president and general manager of Sea Launch. “I also want to congratulate Boeing and thank the entire Sea Launch team and all the people around the world who support us.

“We are proud to be supporting Thuraya’s expansion into the Asia-Pacific market with the launch of Thuraya-3. We especially appreciate Thuraya’s continued trust and confidence in our launch team and we look forward to future opportunities to support the growth of their business,” Peckham said.

Boeing built the GEO-Mobile (GEM) spacecraft in El Segundo, Calif., for Thuraya Satellite Telecommunications Company, based in the United Arab Emirates, to provide a range of mobile voice and data services over large geographic regions. Thuraya, the world's largest provider of handheld mobile satellite services, is preparing to operate commercially in Asia-Pacific markets when Thuraya-3 becomes operational. With a designed lifetime of 12.5 years, the satellite will be positioned in Geosynchronous Orbit, 35,786 km (22,236 miles) above the Earth, at 98.5 degrees East Longitude.

Sea Launch Company, LLC, based in Long Beach, Calif., offers the most direct and cost-effective route to geostationary orbit for commercial communications satellites. With the advantage of a launch site on the Equator, the robust Zenit-3SL rocket can lift a heavier mass or provide longer life on orbit, offering best value plus optimized spacecraft orbital delivery. For additional information and images about the Thuraya-3 mission, please visit the Sea Launch website at: _www.sea-launch.com


Contact: Paula Korn, 562.499.4729 or 562.254.5684 (cell), paula.korn@sea-launch.com
During launch operations, please contact our News Center at 562.951.7088 or 562.951.7388.

Source: Sea Launch Press Release

Source:Sea Launch