Subj : Soyuz 2.1b to Launch 36 OneWeb Satellites To : All From : NasaSpaceFlight Date : Mon Dec 27 2021 04:30:04 Soyuz 2.1b to Launch 36 OneWeb Satellites Date: Mon, 27 Dec 2021 04:17:35 +0000 Description: At 13:10 UTC (08:10 EST) on December 27, Starsem, Arianespace, and Roscosmos will launch a The post Soyuz 2.1b to Launch 36 OneWeb Satellites appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com . FULL STORY ====================================================================== At 13:10 UTC (08:10 EST) on December 27, Starsem, Arianespace, and Roscosmos will launch a Soyuz 2.1b for OneWeb flight 12 from Site 31/6 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The launch is also known as ST-37 by both Arianespace and Starsem. Starsem is a joint French-Russian company that commercializes Soyuz launches. This year, a total of five OneWeb missions were launched from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in eastern Russia, and another two launched from Baikonur. Vostochny is the newest cosmodrome for Russia, while Baikonur is the oldest and originated from the Soviet era. The last OneWeb launch from Baikonur occurred on Sept 14. The satellites: Once launched, these satellites will join OneWebs ever growing satellite constellation, which will eventually provide global internet accesssimilar to SpaceXs Starlink constellation. In total, the initial Oneweb constellation will consist of 648 individual satellites. These satellites are initially launched into 500 km polar orbits and eventually raise their orbits to an operational orbit of 1200 x 1200 km above the earth. The OneWeb constellation consists of higher orbits than the Starlink constellation. Visualization of a OneWeb satellite in orbit. (Credit: OneWeb) The first six OneWeb missions launched on a Soyuz ST-B from the ELS (Ensemble de Lancement Soyouz) in Kourou, French Guiana. For the constellation, launches have occurred from Kourou, Vostochny, and Baikonur. OneWeb was originally known as WorldVu. In March of 2020, OneWeb filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy, and its assets were bought in July 2020 by both the government of the United Kingdom and Bharti Enterprises Ltd. See Also Soyuz/OneWeb #12 UPDATES Russian Forum Section L2 Russian Section Click here to Join L2 The 36 OneWeb satellites for this mission were manufactured in Cape Canaveral, Florida near the NASA Kennedy Space Center Visitor Center. The satellites are built in Florida as part of a joint venture between OneWeb and Airbus Defense and Space. After being built, these satellites departed the LLF (Launch and Landing Facility) at NASAs Kennedy Space Center on a Volga-Dnepr Antonov An-124 aircraft and arrived at Baikonur at the end of November. Preparations for launch: The Soyuz 2.1b for the mission was manufactured at the Progress Space Rocket Center in Samara, Russia. The sections of the launch vehicle were then transported by rail from Russia to the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The stages of the Soyuz 2.1b were then assembled in the MIK-40 assembly building, located nearby Site 31/6. The Soyuz 2.1b is a derivative of the R-7 Semyorka ICBM (Intercontinental Ballistic Missile). Meanwhile, the 36 OneWeb satellites were integrated with the payload dispenser and the Fregat upper-stage inside MIK-112. This is part of the same facility that facilitated final processing and assembly for both the Soviet N-1 and Energia-Buran vehicles prior to rollout. The two high bays inside MIK-112 that were used for the N-1 and Energia-Buran were abandoned after the roof collapsed on the flight-proven Buran OK-1.01 orbiter on May 12, 2002, destroying it. The Fregat and the payloads were then encapsulated by two aerodynamic fairings and transported to the MIK-40 complex for final assembly. Upon arrival at the MIK-40 complex, the encapsulated payloads and the Fregat were integrated with the third stage, known as Blok-I. This was then integrated with the rest of the Soyuz 2.1b launch vehicle. The launch vehicle was rolled out to Site 31/6 from the MIK-40 complex on December 24 by train. Once at the launch pad, the Soyuz 2.1b was rotated to the vertical position on the pad. Then, two umbilical masts were connected to the launch vehicle, and both gantry towers were raised to encompass the launch vehicle. Launch: At nine hours before launch, final systems checks on the ground support equipment will begin. This will be followed by the beginning of the automatic launch sequence on the Fregat upper stage at around T-5 hours prior to launch. At the T-3 hours and 30 minute mark, fueling will begin on the Soyuz 2.1b rocket. The three-stage launch sequence will then begin later at T-1 hour and 30 minutes. In the final 35 minutes of the countdown, the two green launch gantry towers will be lowered, revealing the launch vehicle. Around 16 seconds prior to liftoff, the final umbilical mast will retract, signaling ignition of the four RD-107A engines each on one of the four side boosters. These boosters are known as Blok B, G, D, and V respectively. At the same time, the single RD-108A engine on the core first stage boosterknown as Blok Awill also ignite. After it is confirmed that each of the engines are running properly, the engines will increase power to full thrust at T-4 seconds. At T-0, the Soyuz 2.1b will lift off from Site 31/6. This will mark the second launch from this launch complex this month, with the first one being the launch of Soyuz MS-20 on a Soyuz 2.1a launch vehicle. With the retirement of Site 1/5 in 2019, the complex has remained the sole active Soyuz launch complex at Baikonur. After liftoff, the Soyuz 2.1b rocket will roll to take the OneWeb payloads to the proper orbital inclination. The vehicle will then pitch down as it heads downrange of Baikonur. After being depleted, the four side boosters will separate from the Blok-A core stage, forming a formation known as the Korolev Cross. The two aerodynamic payload fairings will later separate, exposing the payloads to space. The RD-0124 engine on Blok-I will later ignite while the stage is still connected to Blok-A, which is called hot staging. Seconds later, Blok-I will separate from Blok-A. Soon after, three skirt sections will separate from the engine section on the Blok-I stage. Blok-I will continue to ascend under the RD-0124 engine until engine shutdown in orbit. Then, the Fregat upper stage will separate. Soon after separation, the Fregat will ignite its single S5.92 pressure fed engine, which runs on UDMH and N2O4. The Fregat will then enter a coast phase before reigniting its engine for a second burn. After this second burn, the payload separation sequence for the 36 OneWeb satellites will begin. (Featured image: The Soyuz 2.1b is rotated to the vertical position at Site 31/6. Credit: Roscosmos). The post Soyuz 2.1b to Launch 36 OneWeb Satellites appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com . ====================================================================== Link to news story: https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2021/12/soyuz-2-1b-36-oneweb-satellites/ --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 (Linux/64) * Origin: tqwNet Science News (1337:1/100) .