See also: Second Proton Launch of 2008



The Khrunichev State Research And Production Space Centre press release is reproduced below:

22.02.2008 Breeze M Upper Stage for Proton M Rocket Delivered to Baikonur



The Breeze M was delivered at 9:44 Moscow Time in Jubileyniy airport of Baikonur, on an Antonov cargo plane AN-124-100 “Ruslan” operated by a Russian carrier Polet - who has been acting as the prime carrier of the Russian Federation Space Agency since 1999.

The upper stage will be transported to Cosmodrome Pad 92 and mounted on a stand at assembly and testing Building 92A-50, where international launch team from ILS,Krunichev Space Center, Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems, SAAB Space is conducting preparations for the AMC-14 launch.
The launch will mark the second Proton commercial mission of the year and 45th Proton commercial flight carried out under ILS.

In the coming days Khrunichev team will undertake operations to ready the upper stage for integration with the spacecraft.

Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center– the largest Russia’s space industry cornstone, the designer and manufacturer of Proton launch vehicle family.

ILS is a joint venture of Space Transport Inc., Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center and RSC Energia. ILS has exclusive rights to market the Proton, Russia’s premier heavy-lift vehicle, to commercial satellite operators worldwide. ILS is incorporated in Delaware in the United States, and is headquartered in McLean, Va., a suburb of Washington, D.C.

Source: Khrunichev Press Release

The Khrunichev State Research And Production Space Centre press release is reproduced below:

29.02.2008 AMC-14 Launch Campaign:Fuelling of Breeze M started today



The Russian space industry teams led by Khrunichev, the Proton Breeze M launch vehicle maker, continue independent operations to prepare the three stages of their Proton rocket and Breeze M upper stage for AMС -14 telecommunications satellite launch for SES Americom

As planned, Russian team started loading of the Breeze M upper stage with propellant components and compressed gases this morning. Yesterday, in preparation for the fuelling activities, the upper stage was transferred to the Breeze M fuelling area. A crew from Chemical Transport Engineering Design Bureau (Russia) is conducting the operation. This work is to be completed by March 1.

Once the high pressure and oxidizer tanks of the Breeze M are filled with propellants, on the same day, the upper stage will be re-moved from the fueling station into 92A-50 Integration and Testing Facility (MIK), Hall 101.In the MIK the upper stage will run through a series of final mechanical and electrical health checks before mating with its payload (the Lockheed Martin –built AMC-14 spacecraft and adapter system).

The mating will mark the beginning of another big phase of the launch campaign - series of operation to assemble the Proton’s Ascent Unite or Space Head (made of the combined spacecraft and adapter payload, Breeze M upper stage and payload fairing). All the works on the AU will be jointly performed by Khrunichev/ Lockheed Martin/ SAAB Space (the manufacture of separation system) /SES Americom /ILS.

The March Proton Breeze M launch with AMC 14 telecommunications satellite will be performed under auspices of International Launch Services. International Launch Services is the U.S.-Russian joint venture between Space Transport Inc. and Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center with RSC Energia. The AMC-14 mission marks the 45th mission for the ILS partnership.

Source: Khrunichev Press Release

The Khrunichev State Research And Production Space Centre press release is reproduced below:

04.03.2008 AMC -14 Launch Campaign: AMC -14 joins Breeze M upper stage

The international launch team has started combined operations to assemble Ascent Unit of the Proton Breeze M space launch vehicle.

Preparations for March launch of Proton Breeze M launcher with Lockheed Martin-built AMC-14 telecommunications satellite for SES Americom are progressing well in Baikonur.

On completion of series of stand-alone and fuelling operations with AMC-14 spacecraft and Breeze M upper stage, and after the spacecraft adapter and launch vehicle fairing were readied to support further operations ( “combined operations”) - the international launch team has begun assembling of the Proton’s Ascent Unit (AU).This marks another major phase of the launch campaign.

The combined operations are being performed jointly by teams from Khrunichev (the Proton and Breeze M upper stage maker), Lockheed Martin, SAAB Space, SES Americom, and International Launch Services (the Proton launch services provider).

Yesterday, as part of the planned works, the AMC -14 spacecraft was mechanically mated with the adapter system (consisting of Khrunichev-made adapter and SAAB–made separation system) and the Breeze M upper stage.

The stack (sc/adapter/upper stage) is undergoing the routine electrical checks, before it will be encapsulated within payload fairing.
The AU integration operations are expected to be completed within the next couple of days.

Source: Khrunichev Press Release

The Khrunichev State Research And Production Space Centre press release is reproduced below:

07.03.2008 AMC -14 Satellite To Join Proton M rocket



Khrunichev launch team has started operations to integrate the Space Head Unit (made of the AMC-14 spacecraft, adapter, Breeze M upper stage and payload fairing) to Proton rocket in Hall 101 of Assembly and Test Building 92-A50 (“MIK”).

After these works are completed, the integrated space launch vehicle (a combination of Space Head Unit, Proton M rocket and AMC-14 spacecraft) will be transferred from Hall 111 to technological fueling station for Breeze M upper stage fueling. The fueling of low-pressure tanks of Breeze M upper stage with propellants will last the next couple of days.

According to the launch campaign schedule, the Proton Breeze M/AMC-14 launch vehicle will be readied for rolling out to its launch pad (#39) by the beginning of the next week.
The AMC-14 spacecraft is scheduled to be launched aboard Proton M/Breeze M on March 15.

Source: Khrunichev Press Release

The International Launch Services press release is reproduced below:


ILS PROTON TO LAUNCH AMC-14 SATELLITE

March 7, 2008

Payload:
AMC-14 communications satellite
Lockheed Martin A2100 platform
Separated spacecraft mass: Approx. 9,127 lbs (4,140 kg)

Launch Vehicle:
Proton M/Breeze M
Weight at liftoff: 691,272 kg (1,523,565 lbs), including payload
Height: 56.2 m (184 ft)

Launch Date:
March 15 (Baikonur)
March 14 (GMT, U.S.)

Launch Time:
05:18 a.m. Baikonur
23:18 GMT
07:18 p.m. EDT

Launch Site:
Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Launch Pad 39

Launch Customer:
SES AMERICOM, Princeton, N.J.
Part of SES family of companies

Satellite Manufacturer:
Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems,
Newtown, Pa.

Launch Vehicle Manufacturer:
Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center,
Moscow

Launch Services Provider:
International Launch Services (ILS), McLean, Va.

Satellite Use:
Advanced Broadcast Satellite Service satellite for SES AMERICOM’S AMERICOM2Home® customer, EchoStar’s DISH Network direct-to-home entertainment service, covering all 50 United States.

Satellite Statistics:

• 32 Ku-band transponders
• Orbital location: 61.5 degrees West longitude
• Anticipated service life of 15 years

Mission Profile:
The Proton M launch vehicle, utilizing a three-burn Breeze M mission design, will lift off from Pad 39 at Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan. The first three stages of the Proton will use a standard ascent trajectory to place the Breeze M fourth stage and the AMC-14 satellite into a suborbital trajectory. From there the Breeze M will place itself and the spacecraft into a circular parking orbit. Following two additional burns of the Breeze M, the satellite will be injected into a geostationary transfer orbit. Separation will occur approximately 6 hours, 55 minutes and 50 seconds after liftoff.

Target Orbit at Separation:

• Apogee: 35,786 km (22,236 miles)
• Perigee: 6,257 km (3,889 miles)
• Inclination: 19.7°

Spacecraft Separation:
Approximately 6 hours, 56 minutes after liftoff

ILS Mission Statistics:

• 2nd ILS mission this year
• 7th ILS Proton launch for SES AMERICOM
• 11th A2100 satellite launch on Proton
• 45th ILS mission on Proton

Live Broadcast in U.S.:
AMC-1, transponder 17, C-band, 103 degrees West, downlink 4040 MHz (horizontal), analog NTSC. Test signals start at 6:30 p.m. EDT

In Europe, Russia & Kazakhstan:
NSS-7, transponder WHL4/EUH3, Channel 1, Ku-band, 338 degrees East; FEC 3/4, sym rate: 5,632; downlink 11095.6 MHz (horizontal), digital PAL, Test signals start at 22:30 GMT, broadcast about 22:55.

More Information: Live webcast and general mission information are available on the ILS web site at _http://www.ilslaunch.com/. Launch status updates are available on the ILS U.S. domestic Launch Hotline at 1-800-852-4980.

###

CONTACT: Fran Slimmer, ILS, McLean, Va.;1-571-633-7462, mobile: +1-646-229-4801; f.slimmer@ilslaunch.com
#08-07
Source: ILS News Release

The Khrunichev State Research And Production Space Centre press release is reproduced below:

11.03.2008 AMC-14 Mission on Proton Breeze M

Proton Breeze M with AMC-14 Spacecraft Installed on Baikonur Launch Pad

Following the authorization by Russian State Commission, the roll out of the fully assembled Proton Breeze M launcher, carrying AMC -14 spacecraft, to launch pad 39 commenced early in this morning (at 6:30 a.m. Baikonur time). By 10:00 a.m. the rocket was erected in vertical position. Once installed onto the pad, the Proton was enclosed inside a mobile service tower to provide access to it during the remaining on-pad activities. These operations were performed by technicians from Khrunichev, Barmin General Engineering Design Bureau and other Russia’s space industry organizations.

The Russian State Commission Meeting was held on Monday, March 10, at Baikonur with participating of all the organizations involved in the AMC-14 launch campaign (ILS, SES Americom, Lockheed Martin, Saab Space, Russian Space Forces and Roscosmos’s entities) to certify the readiness of the integrated space rocket for the roll –out from Launch Vehicle Integration Hall of 92A50 Building (“MIK”) and installation onto launch pad 39. Following the positive conclusion on readiness of all subsystems of the integrated SR, the Commission gave a go–ahead to the roll out.

Planned on–pad operations are now in progress on the subsystems of the integrated space launcher. The operations are proceeding right on schedule.

The State Commission will meet again on Friday, 14 March to certify the readiness of the Proton Breeze M vehicle and flight control team for the launch. The lift off of the Proton Breeze M launch vehicle with AMC 14 spacecraft remains scheduled for March 15, at 02:08:55 a.m. (Moscow time).

Source: Khrunichev Press Release

The International Launch Services press release is reproduced below:

ILS DECLARES PROTON LAUNCH ANOMALY

BAIKONUR COSMODROME, Kazakhstan, March 14, 2008 - Khrunichev and International Launch Services regret to announce an anomaly during today's Proton mission with the AMC-14 satellite.

The Proton Breeze M rocket lifted off at 5:18 a.m. today local time from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, carrying the AMC-14 satellite for SES AMERICOM and its customer, EchoStar Corporation. Preliminary flight information indicates that the anomaly occurred during the second burn of the Breeze M upper stage. The satellite failed to reach the planned orbit. The satellite was built by Lockheed Martin.

A Russian State Commission has begun the process of determining the reasons for the anomaly. ILS will release details when data become available. In parallel with the State Commission, ILS will form its own Failure Review Oversight Board. The FROB will review the commission’s final report and corrective action plan, in accord with U.S. and Russian government export control regulations.

ILS remains committed to providing reliable, timely launch services for all its customers. To this end, ILS will work diligently with its partner Khrunichev to return Proton to flight as soon as possible.

###

Contact: Fran Slimmer, International Launch Services, McLean, Va.; +1-571-633-7462; mobile: +1-646-229-4801; f.slimmer@ilslaunch.com

#08-08

Source: ILS News Release