22:51 GMT (6:51 pm EDT): Successful separation of VINASAT-1. Another successful Ariane launch came to its end.
22:46 GMT (6:46 pm EDT): Separation of the Sylda 5 payload structure in order to free the underlying VINASAT-1 satellite.
22:44 GMT (6:44 pm EDT): The Star One C2 satellite is separated.
22:42 GMT (6:42 pm EDT): Shut-down of the upper stage. The next steps are the separation of the satellites and the payload structure Sylda 5.
22:26 GMT (6:26 pm EDT): Main engine cutoff and separation of the first stage. The second cryogenic stage ignited. The ESC-A upper stage with its HM-7B engine will now burn for almost 16 minutes.
22:20 GMT (6:20 pm EDT): The payload fairing is jettisoned. As the rocket reached over 100 kilometers altitude and left the dense atmosphere, this cover is no longer needed.
22:19 GMT (6:19 pm EDT): The two solid rocket boosters have been jettisoned after 140 seconds. The main stage continues to push the rocket skywards.
22:17 GMT (6:17 pm EDT): Liftoff of the Ariane 5 ECA rocket carrying Star One C2 and VINASAT-1.
22:16 GMT (6:16 pm EDT): T-1. Switched to onboard power. Everything is ready for the launch of the Ariane 5 rocket. The Vulcain main engine will be ignited 7 seconds before the boosters to ensure proper operation.
22:13 GMT (6:13 pm EDT): T-4. The tanks are pressurised for flight.
22:10 GMT (6:10 pm EDT): T-7. The so-called synchronized sequence is started. This sequence runs completely automated. If a problem occurs the countdown have to be reset to the start of the automated sequence.
22:02 GMT (6:02 pm EDT): 15 minutes remaining until the launch. Everything is currently on go.
21:17 GMT (5:17 pm EDT): The clock says one hour until launch. The weather looks fine for launch.
17:27 GMT (1:27 pm EDT): The fueling for the Ariane 5 main stage has begun. The stage is powered by the Vulcain engine feeded by liquid oxygen (LOX) and liquid hydrogen (LH2). Today’s launch will be the 38th for Ariane 5 and the 182th for the Ariane family. We are under 5 hours from the launch now.
April 18, 2008
April 17, 2008: The Ariane 5 ECA rocket with its Star One C2 and VINASAT-1 payload is ready for the launch tomorrow. It will rolled out to the launch pad this afternoon.
The payload consists of two satellites weighing a total of 6,737 kilograms:
Star One C2 is a telecommunications satellite for communications, multimedia and broadband Internet services for South America based on the Spacebus 3000 B3 platform built by Thales Alenia Space. It will carry a total of 45 transponders and weighs about 4,100 kilograms.
VINASAT-1, built on the A2100A platform by Lockheed Martin, will provide telecommunications throughout Vietnam. The satellite carries a total of 12 Ku-band and 8 C-band transponders and weighs about 2,637 kilograms.
The Ariane 5 will fly in its ECA version with the cryogenic upper stage ESC-A powered by the HM-7B engine. It uses the Sylda dual payload structure.
The launch window opens at 22:17 GMT (6:17 pm EDT) for 67 minutes on April 18.
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