Space X launches Qatar’s first Geostationary satellite, Esh’ail 2 from Florida’s Space coast “Kennedy Space Center” on Thursday 3:46 PM ET on a trajectory towards the Geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) positioned at 25.5 Degree East. The Esh’ail 2 satellite will provide the world’s first geostationary radio amateur service.
The Esh’ail 2 Satellite, built by the Mitsubishi Electric based on (MELCO) DS 2000 Satellite bus with high power capacity and flexibility for various applications. It carries two AMSAT P4A transponders and is powered by two deployable solar arrays and batteries. It features multi transponder Ka-Band capacity which further boosts secure communications for government sectors and various business across the MENA region, in addition to Ku-Band. The uplinks will be in the range of 2.4 – 2.45 GHz and the downlinks will be in the field of 10.45 – 10.5 GHz. The lifespan of the design is 16 years. The Esh’ail 2 Satellite will also meet the demands of global connectivity by boosting broadband delivery and broadcast services in Qatar as well as facilitate a reliable high-quality content transfer and enterprise communications. Es’hail 2 will also provide anti-jamming protection and redundancy and back up for Es’hail 1.
The satellite was deployed 32 minutes after the liftoff from (LC-39A) Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center by a two-stage to orbit medium vehicle “Falcon 9” powered by liquid oxygen and rocket propellent and ignited by TEA-TUB (triethylaluminium-triethyl borane). The two stages are equipped with Merlin rocket engines, the first stage of the vehicle is equipped with nine engines and the second stage is equipped with a vacuum engine, which carries the Esh’ail 2 to the Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO). Few minutes after the lift-off, the 1st stage had separated from the Falcon 9. The 1st stage landed on point at the Space X’s “Of Course I Still Love You” drone ship few minutes after separation. The second stage is further pushed towards the geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) from its trajectory until the payload is deployed.
Timeline:
In 2010, Qatar Satellite Company Establish Es’hailSat to Manage and Develop Satellite Industry
In 2013, Es’hail 1 Entered Into Service On Qatar National Day “Dec 18th, 2013” For Monitoring of TV Channels, Data Services & Business.
In 2014, Es’hailSat Selected Mitsubishi Electric Company to Build Es’hail 2
In 2015, Es’hailSat Started Construction of Their State of The Art Teleport Facility in Doha, Qatar.
In 2018,
Nov 15th
3:46 PM EST: Lift Off of The Falcon 9
3:48:35 PM EST: MECO – Main Engine Cut Off
3:48:39 PM EST: Stage 1 Separation
3:54:07 PM EST: SECO 1 – Second Engine Cut Off
3:54:16 PM EST: Stage 1 Landing On Space X’s Drone Ship “Of Course I Still Love You”
4:13:29 PM EST: SECO 2 – Engine Shuts Down After Short Burn To Push The Es’hail 2 Satellite Towards The Elliptical Orbit For Deployment.
4:18:29 PM EST: Es’hail 2 Satellite Separation From Falcon 9 Into The Elliptical Transfer Orbit To Move Into Geostationary Transfer Orbit.
In December 2018, Opening of The Teleport Facility In Qatar (Tentative)
In January 2019, Satellite Service Delivery.
