ILS / Roscosmos - SES-4 (formerly NSS-14) Mission poster.
14.02.2012
February 14 at 23.36.37 GMT on launch pad area 200 Baikonur launch took place of a space rocket "Proton-M" with the upper block (RB), "the Briz-M", designed for launching into orbit communications spacecraft SES-4 (formerly NSS-14) satellite.
We had a successful liftoff about 11 minutes ago of the ILS Proton M Breeze M rocket, which is carrying the SES-4 satellite on-board. The three stages of the Proton vehicle have performed as planned, and it is up to the Breeze M upper stage to complete the mission. The upper stage has begun its first burn, which is scheduled to last around 4 minutes.
Proton-M & SES-4 (formerly NSS-14) launch
February 14, 2012 2:58 pm (GMT)
We have received confirmation of completion of the first burn. The vehicle is now scheduled to be out of range for about an hour, after which we will hear confirmation of the second burn.
February 14, 2012 4:14 pm (GMT)
As the Breeze M upper stage of our Proton M rocket continues its climb into space with the SES-4 satellite on-board, we have received confirmation that the 2nd burn of the upper stage occurred and shut down as scheduled.
SES-4 (formerly NSS-14) communications satellite
The next events are scheduled for about 2 hours from now. The Breeze M upper stage will ignite for a 3rd time and burn for approximately 11 minutes; after that the additional propellant tank will be jettisoned and the the Breeze M will ignite and burn for a 4th time. All this will happen in a span of almost 20 minutes while the vehicle is again out of range of a ground station. We should reacquire the vehicle shortly after the 4th burn is complete.
Office of the spacecraft from the upper stage is scheduled for 08.48 GMT on February 15.
Mission control website: http://www.ilslaunch.com/mission-control/mission-ses-4
Images, Video, Text, Credit: Press Service of the Russian Space Agency (Roscosmos PAO) / ILS.
Best regards, Orbiter.ch
