January 15, 2008
January 14, 2008: The Zenit-3SL rocket stands ready on the launch platform Odyssey stationed on the equator at 154 degrees West Longitude. It will be the first flight for Sea-Launch after the failure a year ago in January 2007 with NSS-8.
The Zenit-3SL rocket is based on the Zenit 2 launcher with an additional Block DM upper stage for geostationary transfer orbit missions. It is specifically designed to be launched from the former oil platform Odyssee.
Thuraya-3 is a telecommunications satellite for Thuraya Satellite Telecommunications Company, based in the United Arab Emirates. It is manufactured from Boeing based on the GEM series. It weighs approximately 5,173 kilograms at liftoff and will deliver various telecommunications services to the Asia Pacific region for at least 12.5 years.
The liftoff is scheduled for 11:49 GMT (6:49 am EST) on January 15, 2008.
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