Starsem/Arianespace Flight ST12

A view through the control room windows of Starsem's Baikonur Cosmodrome payload preparation facility shows AMOS 2 undergoing its Unified Propulsion System testing.

November 26 update: Pre-launch checkout underway for the AMOS 2 satellite

Starsem's payload preparation facility at Baikonur Cosmodrome is alive with activity this week as the AMOS 2 satellite enters its final checkout phase for the Starsem/Arianespace Flight ST12 in December.

The Israeli-built broadcast and telecommunications satellite has completed the validation of its Unified Propulsion System, and spacecraft pressurization testing is underway.

Starsem's modern payload processing center in the Cosmodrome's MIK112 building is a dedicated, state-of-the-art facility with Class 100,000 clean rooms. It is designed to handle the complete integration checkout, test, and fueling of customer spacecraft.

While AMOS 2 is readied for liftoff, the three main stages for Starsem's Soyuz launch vehicle are entering their own preparation phase in the MIK 40 assembly/integration building at the Cosmodrome.

AMOS 2 is to have a liftoff mass of 1,300-kg., and will be positioned at an orbital slot of 4 deg. West.

The Fregat upper stage for Flight ST12 is to be brought to the Kazakhstan launch site this week aboard an An-124 cargo aircraft.

Flight ST12 is a joint Arianespace/Starsem commercial mission - a result of the two companies' launcher family policy that was developed to best meet their clients' needs. AMOS 2 originally had been scheduled for launch aboard an Arianespace Ariane 5, but was it was transferred to the Starsem Soyuz-Fregat vehicle in agreement with the satellite's operator, Spacecom Ltd.

Liftoff of Flight ST12 is planned for the second half of December. The AMOS 2 platform will weigh approximately 1,300 kg., and is to be positioned at a geostationary orbit slot of 4 deg. West, over the Gulf of Guinea. Its payload of 22 Ku-band transponders will provide the distribution of digital TV channels and business data for private/public networks.

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To read the December 28th update, "Success for Flight ST12 - The AMOS 2 satellite is in orbit!", click here.

To read the December 24th update, "The Soyuz/Fregat is in the launch zone!", click here.

To read the December 15th update, "The Fregat upper stage is fueled and ready for integration with AMOS", click here.

To read the December 12th update, "Fueling of the AMOS 2 satellite is complete", click here.

To read the November 18th update, "Preparations have begun for the liftoff of AMOS 2 ", click here.

To see the latest headlines click here.