South Africa loses C-band satellite in orbit

satellite in orbit

Satellite

By Prince Osuagwu

Satellite fleet operator Intelsat reported at the weekend that one of the two principal reflector antennas on its just-launched New Dawn telecommunications satellite for South Africa has failed to deploy in orbit and that release of the other antenna will await attempts to force the first one to spring loose.
The Intelsat New Dawn satellite was placed into geostationary transfer orbit April 22 by  European Ariane 5 ECA rocket. Since then, the satellite’s manufacturer, Orbital Sciences Corp. of Dulles, Va., has been overseeing the transfer of the satellite from the point where it was released by the rocket to its test location, at 23.1 degrees east longitude in geostationary orbit. The satellite’s final operating location is 32.8 degrees east, where it is scheduled to serve mainly an African audience.
Orbital has told Intelsat that the C-band reflector’s ejection-release mechanism has functioned, releasing a series of pins that hold the antenna close to the satellite’s body for launch, Intelsat said.
But other data, including temperature readings from the satellite, have confirmed that the reflector remains stuck in place.
This is South Africa’s first attempt to launch a satellite communications platform and its failure means that  the country must return to the drawing board if it must sustain its adventure in space.
It could be recalled that Nigeria also lost its Nigcomsat1, 18 months after launch and had to start the process of replacement which according to NigComSat, would be ready soon.
South Africa now may have to start anew because like Nigeria, South Africa has no back up satellite when the incident occured.
Perhaps this could be a possible reason why countries which desire to be in space especially which deploy communications satellite must as a rule have back up satellites to cushion the effect of possible failures.
The failure of the Intelsat built satellite removes the question of failure traceable to manufacturers and justifies the reality that satellites could fail irrespective of who manufactured them.
It is however gathered that Nigeria’s Nigcomsat 1R is due for launch in the last quarter of 2011.Talks on two back up satellites Nigcomsat 2 and 3 are also on- going and would be built a few months after the launch of Nigcomsat 1R.
Intelsat spokeswoman Dianne J. VanBeber said that the ground teams have begun a series of maneuvers to remedy the situation.
Intelsat said it would delay releasing the Ku-band reflector while the unblocking attempts on the C-band reflector are continued. The satellite has 28 C-band and 24 Ku-band transponders when measured in 36-megahertz equivalents. Aside from the blocked C-band reflector, the satellite is functioning normally, Intelsat said.
Intelsat New Dawn is owned by a joint venture of Luxembourg- and Washington-based Intelsat and Convergence Partners of South Africa. Valued at $250 million including construction, launch and insurance, Intelsat New Dawn is intended to replace Intelsat’s Galaxy 11 satellite at 32.8 degrees east. Intelsat estimates that Galaxy 11 will remain operational until April 2015.