No lift off for New Dawn

COMPUTING

The Arianespace 5 rocket carrying with Africa’ s first privately-owned satellite, New Dawn. aboard failed to lift off last night as scheduled.
The lift-off was scheduled to take place the Arianespace Launch Complex in Kourou, French Guiana, last night, with a live stream to be broadcast online.

Only hours before lift-off, major investor Convergence Partners reported it was all systems go for launch.

Hours later, Convergence Partners issued a statement saying: “ the launch of the Intelsat New Dawn spacecraft aboard an Ariane 5 rocket, initially scheduled for launch on March 30, 2011, was scrubbed after the launch sequence was shut down automatically. The spacecraft is secure. Arianespace is going to review the data and make another launch attempt at a later date.”

Arianespace said in a statement that the launch had been shut down when an anomaly detected during the automated checkout procedure stopped the sequence before ignition of the solid boosters.

“ The synchronized countdown was conducted as planned, including the startup of Ariane 5’ s cryogenic main engine.  Following the normal procedures for an Ariane 5 launch, this cryogenic engine’ s operation is fully validated during a period of seven seconds before an ignition command is given to the two solid boosters – which commits the vehicle to liftoff.”

Arianespace Chairman & CEO Jean-Yves Le Gall said the cryogenic main engine’ s checkout process was not completed successfully because of an anomaly detected on the launcher, preventing the boosters’ ignition and thereby averting the launch.  The Ariane 5 and its two payloads were then switched to a safe mode on the launch pad.

Le Gall stated that while data analysis is underway to determine the anomaly’ s source, the Ariane 5 will be rolled back to the Spaceport’ s Final Assembly Building, where it is to be returned to a flight-ready condition. 

“ We do not take any risks, and therefore it is very important we determine the causes,” he added.

He said Arianespace will set a new launch date as soon as possible.

The Intelsat New Dawn satellite is owned by a joint venture between Intelsat and a consortium led by Convergence Partners.

The satellite’ s 28 C-band and 24 Ku-band 36 MHz transponder units are designed specifically to supply critical communications infrastructure for African customers who have experienced exceptional growth along with the development of the region.

Once deployed, the satellite will be stationed at 32.8º East longitude, and will be integrated with Intelsat’ s global satellite fleet.