The first of two Boeing-built communications satellites that were scheduled to be launched during the week of the Show was launched on 16 June by Lockheed Martin-led ILS International Launch Services. The Boeing Satellite Systems (BSS) Astra 2C communications satellite, built for Luxembourg's Societe Europeenne des Satellites (SES), was launched by an ILS Russian Proton booster from the Baikonur Cosmodrome.
Following on 19 June will be the launch of an ILS American Atlas IIAS from Cape Canaveral, carrying the first satellite built by BSS for the new ICO Global Communications company.
Both satellites are based on the successful Boeing 601 spacecraft bus, with Astra 2C being a standard 601HP model, equipped with 40 high-power Ku-band transponders for traditional broadband communications and ICO a specially modifed spacecraft to provide third-generation (3G) wireless services, including mobile voice, wireless Internet and other packet-data services.
Circular
The 3,643kg (8,000lb) Astra 2C is destined for a standard 36,000km (22,000 mile) circular geostationary orbit, while the 2,696kg ICO will be placed into a hybrid circular medium-Earth orbit at 10,390km.Randy Brinkley, president of BSS said he was "proud of the company's relationship with SES which began in 1993" with the former Hughes Space and Communications, which was purchased by Boeing in 2000. BSS has built nine satellites for SES. A tenth satellite, Astra 3A, is scheduled for launch in 2002.Brinkley said the ICO satellite "carries more computing power than 600 Pentium III-based computers"and features innovative transmit and receive antennas allowing direct air link to users.
ILS is a Lockheed Martin partnership with Proton builders Khrunichev and Energia to market the Atlas and Proton fleet of boosters for satellite operators worldwide, the establishment of which was announced at the 1995 Paris airshow as one of the first examples of US-Russian commercial space cooperation.
Source: Flight Daily News
