ArianespaceAriane 5 ECA+Ariane Launch Area 3, Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana
Galaxy 30, MEV-2 & BSAT-4B
Launched
August 15, 2020
Image: ESA/CNES/Arianespace/Optique vidéo du CSG
Summary
Galaxy 30, MEV-2 & BSAT-4B launched on an Arianespace Ariane 5 ECA+ from Ariane Launch Area 3, Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana on August 15, 2020. It was Arianespace's 287th launch, 5th this year and humanity's 5,984th orbital launch attempt. It was the 3rd Ariane 5 ECA+ flight and the 2nd this year. The payload was bound for Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO). BSAT-4b, one of 5 catalogued objects, reached a 279 × 35,797 km orbit inclined 5.9°. 5 objects from this launch are catalogued, 3 of them payloads.
- Watch
- Vehicle
- Ariane 5 ECA+ · Arianespace
- Booster
- No booster details on record.
- Mission
- Communications · Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO)
- Milestone
- 3rd Ariane 5 ECA+ flight · 2nd this yearArianespace's 287th launch5th this yearhumanity's 5,984th orbital launch attempt62nd orbital launch attempt this year
Webcast
Flight preview
Orbit: as tracked
BSAT-4b · NORAD 46112 · 2020-056 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 5 objects
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- TBA - TO BE ASSIGNED
- Object ID
- UNKNOWN
- Epoch
- 2020-08-16 01:14:51 UTC
- Mean motion
- 2.27655751 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.7275727
- Inclination
- 5.9471°
- Ascending node
- 124.9562°
- Arg. of perigee
- 177.8521°
- Mean anomaly
- 97.5423°
- Element set
- 999
- Rev at epoch
- 0
- B*
- 0
Perigee, apogee and period are Kepler figures from the catalogued mean elements, not a propagated state. Published orbit: GTO. Ascent drawn from padside's representative profile.
Catalogued objects
5 catalogued: 3 payloads, 1 rocket stage, 1 component; 4 still in orbit
- BSAT-4b · NORAD 46112 · in orbit
- MEV-2 · NORAD 46113 · docked April 12, 2021
- Galaxy 30 · NORAD 46114 · in orbit
Ariane 5 L5112 ESC-D · in orbit
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
Galaxy-30 is a geostationary communications satellite for Intelsat. Satellite is built by Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems (NGIS) and is planned to provide video distribution and broadcast services to customers in North America. Galaxy 30 satellite is launched in tandem with MEV-2 vehicle. MEV-2, which stands for Mission Extension Vehicle-2, is the second servicing mission by NGIS. MEV-2 will rendezvous and dock with the Intelsat 1002 satellite in early 2021. Then, MEV-2 will use its own thrusters and fuel supply to control the satellite’s orbit, thereby extending its useful lifetime. Another passenger of the flight is the BSAT-4b satellite for the Japanese operator BSAT. BSAT-4b will serve as a back-up for BSAT-4a satellite, launched in 2017. BSAT-4b will provide Direct-to-Home television services and is expected to operate for at least 15 years.
Pad
Ariane Launch Area 3, Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana
110th launch from Ariane Launch Area 3, 3rd this year · 300th from Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana
118 launches from this pad · 336 from Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana
178 days after the previous launch from this pad
All launches from Guiana Space Centre, French GuianaOpen in maps
Questions
When did Galaxy 30, MEV-2 & BSAT-4B launch?
Galaxy 30, MEV-2 & BSAT-4B launched on August 15, 2020. The time is known to the hour, not the minute.
Where can I watch Galaxy 30, MEV-2 & BSAT-4B?
Coverage: Arianespace Flight VA253 – Galaxy 30 / MEV-2 / BSAT-4b - 31 July 2020 (EN); Arianespace Flight VA253 – Galaxy 30 / MEV-2 / BSAT-4b - 31 July 2020 (EN); Arianespace Flight VA253 – Galaxy 30 / MEV-2 / BSAT-4b - 31 July 2020 (EN). Watch the replay
What rocket launched Galaxy 30, MEV-2 & BSAT-4B?
Ariane 5 ECA+, flown by Arianespace. Ariane 5 ECA+ spec sheet
Where did Galaxy 30, MEV-2 & BSAT-4B launch from?
Ariane Launch Area 3, Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana.
What orbit did Galaxy 30, MEV-2 & BSAT-4B reach?
BSAT-4b, one of 5 catalogued objects, reached a 279 × 35,797 km orbit inclined 5.9°.
How many satellites did Galaxy 30, MEV-2 & BSAT-4B launch?
3 payloads from this launch are catalogued, 2 of them still in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).