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| UK's Skynet military satellite set for launch | UK's Skynet military satellite set for launch |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| By Jonathan Amos Science correspondent, BBC News | By Jonathan Amos Science correspondent, BBC News |
| The UK military is about to get a powerful new telecommunications satellite, Skynet-5D. | The UK military is about to get a powerful new telecommunications satellite, Skynet-5D. |
| The nearly five-tonne platform will complement three others already in orbit, enabling British forces to stay connected over most of the globe. | The nearly five-tonne platform will complement three others already in orbit, enabling British forces to stay connected over most of the globe. |
| It will launch on an Ariane rocket from French Guiana late on Wednesday. | It will launch on an Ariane rocket from French Guiana late on Wednesday. |
| The Skynet system, which includes the radio equipment deployed on ships, on vehicles and in the hands of troops, is the UK's single biggest space project. | The Skynet system, which includes the radio equipment deployed on ships, on vehicles and in the hands of troops, is the UK's single biggest space project. |
| It is valued at up to £3.6bn over 20 years and is run by a commercial company, Astrium, in a Private Finance Initiative (PFI) with the Ministry of Defence (MoD). | It is valued at up to £3.6bn over 20 years and is run by a commercial company, Astrium, in a Private Finance Initiative (PFI) with the Ministry of Defence (MoD). |
| UK forces pay an annual service charge for which they get guaranteed bandwidth, with spare capacity then sold to "friendly forces". These third party customers include the Nato allies such as the US. | UK forces pay an annual service charge for which they get guaranteed bandwidth, with spare capacity then sold to "friendly forces". These third party customers include the Nato allies such as the US. |
| The first three satellites were launched in 2007-2008. They match the sophistication of the very latest civilian platforms used to pass TV, phone and internet traffic, but have been "hardened" for military use. | The first three satellites were launched in 2007-2008. They match the sophistication of the very latest civilian platforms used to pass TV, phone and internet traffic, but have been "hardened" for military use. |
| Classified technologies on board will resist, for example, attempts to disable the spacecraft with lasers or to "jam" their operation with rogue signals. | Classified technologies on board will resist, for example, attempts to disable the spacecraft with lasers or to "jam" their operation with rogue signals. |
| Putting a fourth spacecraft in the fleet gives some assurance to the MoD that a basic service can be maintained through this decade even if there is a failure in orbit of one or two satellites. | Putting a fourth spacecraft in the fleet gives some assurance to the MoD that a basic service can be maintained through this decade even if there is a failure in orbit of one or two satellites. |
| 5D is largely a clone of 5A, 5B and 5C, and even includes a number of spare parts held in reserve. | 5D is largely a clone of 5A, 5B and 5C, and even includes a number of spare parts held in reserve. |
| "From a distance you would not be able to tell the difference between them all," said Van Odedra, the Skynet programme manager at Astrium, Europe's biggest space company. | "From a distance you would not be able to tell the difference between them all," said Van Odedra, the Skynet programme manager at Astrium, Europe's biggest space company. |
| "It is inside though that there have been some subtle changes in terms of the configuration - particularly the UHF payload. We were able to introduce some design changes to be able to provide more than double the number of channels compared with 5A, 5B and 5C." | "It is inside though that there have been some subtle changes in terms of the configuration - particularly the UHF payload. We were able to introduce some design changes to be able to provide more than double the number of channels compared with 5A, 5B and 5C." |
| UHF (Ultra High Frequency) is much in demand. The frequency supports "comms on the move" - soldiers in forward deployments with backpack radios, and the like. | UHF (Ultra High Frequency) is much in demand. The frequency supports "comms on the move" - soldiers in forward deployments with backpack radios, and the like. |
| The MoD wants more of it and Astrium is keen to be able to sell additional capacity to its third-party customers. | The MoD wants more of it and Astrium is keen to be able to sell additional capacity to its third-party customers. |
| A lot of key encrypted data will go through the satellite's X-band (SHF, Super High Frequency) payload. | A lot of key encrypted data will go through the satellite's X-band (SHF, Super High Frequency) payload. |
| Astrium intends to purchase further X-band capacity on a Canadian satellite launching next year. This will be positioned over the Americas and when combined with Skynet's own X-band offering will give UK forces coverage from 178 West to 135 East - near global coverage. | Astrium intends to purchase further X-band capacity on a Canadian satellite launching next year. This will be positioned over the Americas and when combined with Skynet's own X-band offering will give UK forces coverage from 178 West to 135 East - near global coverage. |
| Although principally a military system, Skynet is finding use also in civilian sectors. | Although principally a military system, Skynet is finding use also in civilian sectors. |
| "Using Skynet, we also support something called the High Integrity Telecommunication System (HITS) for the UK Cabinet Office," explained Simon Kershaw, executive director of government communications at Astrium Services. | "Using Skynet, we also support something called the High Integrity Telecommunication System (HITS) for the UK Cabinet Office," explained Simon Kershaw, executive director of government communications at Astrium Services. |
| "HITS is a civil-response, national-disaster-response capability. It was deployed during the Olympics. It provides emergency comms support. The network runs from police strategic command centres across the UK into the crisis management centres, and into government as well," he told BBC News. | "HITS is a civil-response, national-disaster-response capability. It was deployed during the Olympics. It provides emergency comms support. The network runs from police strategic command centres across the UK into the crisis management centres, and into government as well," he told BBC News. |
| "And we still fly three of the old Skynet-4 satellites, one of which is now 22 years old - not bad for a design life of eight years. | "And we still fly three of the old Skynet-4 satellites, one of which is now 22 years old - not bad for a design life of eight years. |
| "Skynet-4C is now in such an inclined orbit that we offer several hours of coverage over the South Pole each day. It's a niche and unique capability for what is a geostationary satellite." The British and American Antarctic operations make use of this service. | "Skynet-4C is now in such an inclined orbit that we offer several hours of coverage over the South Pole each day. It's a niche and unique capability for what is a geostationary satellite." The British and American Antarctic operations make use of this service. |
| 5D represents probably the completion of the current generation Skynet system. Already, Astrium is in discussion with the MoD about the shape of a possible follow-on. | 5D represents probably the completion of the current generation Skynet system. Already, Astrium is in discussion with the MoD about the shape of a possible follow-on. |
| It is not clear just yet what the military's requirements will be in the 2020s but it is almost certain to include some satellite capability. | It is not clear just yet what the military's requirements will be in the 2020s but it is almost certain to include some satellite capability. |
| Whatever happens, spacecraft still working at the end of the Astrium contract will return to the ownership of the MoD for the sum of £1. | |
| The Ariane launch from the Kourou spaceport is scheduled for 18:49 local time (21:49 GMT). The rocket will be carrying a second satellite - a three-tonne Mexican telecommunications platform called Mexsat Bicentenario. Skynet-5D will be the first to be dropped off by Ariane, separating 27 minutes into the flight. | The Ariane launch from the Kourou spaceport is scheduled for 18:49 local time (21:49 GMT). The rocket will be carrying a second satellite - a three-tonne Mexican telecommunications platform called Mexsat Bicentenario. Skynet-5D will be the first to be dropped off by Ariane, separating 27 minutes into the flight. |
| 5D will then use its own propulsion system to move itself into an eventual operating position at 53 degrees East at a geostationary altitude of 36,000km. | 5D will then use its own propulsion system to move itself into an eventual operating position at 53 degrees East at a geostationary altitude of 36,000km. |
| Jonathan.Amos-INTERNET@bbc.co.uk and follow me on Twitter: @BBCAmos | Jonathan.Amos-INTERNET@bbc.co.uk and follow me on Twitter: @BBCAmos |