Sea Launch Media Advisory
Sea Launch liftoff time for the DIRECTV 7S spacecraft on May 4th has been updated to 5:42am PDT (12:42 GMT) to accommodate availability of the TDRSS (NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System). Sea Launch uses the TDRSS to acquire telemetry from the Zenit-3SL launch vehicle during flight. Liftoff remains well within the mission's two-hour launch window, which opens at 5:22am PDT (12:22 GMT).
All operations are proceeding on schedule at the launch site on the Equator. The Sea Launch Commander is now safely stationed three miles from the Odyssey Launch Platform for the final hours of the launch countdown. The launch vehicle now stands erect on the launch pad in preparation for launch.
The Zenit-3SL vehicle will lift the 5,483 kg (12,063 lb.) DIRECTV 7S satellite to geosynchronous transfer orbit, on its way to a final orbital position at 119 degrees West Longitude. Built by Space Systems/Loral (SS/L) at their state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Palo Alto, Calif., the 1300-series spacecraft is one of several high capacity direct-to-home (DTH) broadcast satellites SS/L has produced for DIRECTV, the leading U.S. digital television provider.
Sea Launch will carry a live satellite feed and streaming video of the entire mission, beginning at 5:20 am PDT (12:20 GMT).
Sea Launch Company, LLC, headquartered in Long Beach, Calif., and marketed through Boeing Launch Services , is the world's most reliable commercial launch services provider. With the advantage of a launch site on the Equator, the proven Zenit-3SL rocket can lift a heavier spacecraft mass or provide longer life on orbit, yielding best value plus schedule assurance. Sea Launch offers the most direct and cost-effective route to geostationary orbit. For additional information, visit the Sea Launch website.
###
For further information: