Prisma Satellites

The launch takes place from one of the many military silos for Dnepr rockets in the Dombarovsky Missile Area around Yasny. A launch from Yasny to a Sun Syncrounous orbit is directed southwards, with a 1:st stage drop-zone located in Kazakhstan, see attached map picture. The launch is preliminary planned for June 15th at 14.42.16 UTC. The time is chosen in order to reach a Local time of Ascending Node (LTAN) of 06:00, meaning that the orbit plane is more or less on the dawn-dusk line during the whole mission.

Reports:

Go for Launch

The following was reported this morning from the SSC representative on the launch site, Hans Hellman:

"Today at 10:00 AM local time a reporting meeting was held at Yasny launch base. At the meeting the outcome from a State Committee meeting (LRR) held yesterday was presented. The State Committee consists of managing directors and chairmens of the Russian and Ukrainian companies contributing in the Dnepr program and also officers in charge of the 13 division of the Russian strategic missile force.

The outcome from the state committee meeting was very short and clear: Dnepr is ready for launch today at 14:42:16 UTC.

The PRISMA and PICARD S/C teams both reported they are ready for launch.

/Hans"

Written by

Staffan Persson

2010-06-15 / 12:05:15

A successful launch!

SSC's mission control center established contact with Prisma at 16.14 UTC. Solar panels are deployed, systems are working nominally.

SSC's press release

Written by

Annika Benson

2010-06-15 / 19:25:15

Launch ok, contact expected at 16.15 UTC

The Prisma satellites have been delivered to orbit. The Dnepr rocket took off at 14.42 UTC. Sixteen minutes later it released the French satellite Picard and then the two Prisma satellites, which will remain clamped together during the first weeks in orbit. We are now waiting for the first contact with Prisma at 16.15 UTC.

Live reports in Swedish on www.rymdkanalen.se, will be resumed at 16.00 UTC.

Written by

Annika Benson

2010-06-15 / 17:35:41