Is Marc testing whether the phones work? :-)

(not on-topic, sorry, but I know several of you are interested in this subject)

from:
http://space.com/missionlaunches/launches/sealaunch_launch_001021.html

(the sea launch site is at:
http://www.sea-launch.com/
but that site hasn't been updated in the last couple of days, there is
nothing on that site regarding the outcome of the latest mission, although
of course the payload and details of the mission are there)

Sea Launch Scores
Another Success
With
Record-Breaking
Satellite

By Jim Banke
Senior Producer,
Cape Canaveral Bureau
posted: 04:00 am ET
21 October 2000


CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The world's heaviest commercial
communications satellite was launched into orbit from the
Pacific Ocean early Saturday in a bid to offer mobile
telephone service to more than 1.8 billion people.

But you'll have to live in a region encompassing parts of Asia,
Africa or Europe to enjoy the services of the 11,260-pound
(5,108-kilogram) Thuraya-1 spacecraft that was built by
Boeing Satellite Systems for the United Arab Emirates-based
Thuraya Satellite Telecommunications Company.

"We will be
offering the
service in almost
100 countries,"
said Thuraya
chairman
Muhammad
Hassan Omran.

Similar in
concept to the
plans of
U.S.-based
companies such
as Globalstar
and the
now-defunct Iridium, Thuraya wants to offer cell phone service
that uses both standard ground systems and a satellite to
relay voice and data transmissions.

Thuraya's hand-held units also boast the capability to receive
Global Positioning System navigation information, telling the
user almost precisely where they are on the planet.

To get the hand-held units small enough so customers more
handily accept them, the orbital satellite had to be extremely
powerful -- and consequently very heavy, said George Torres,
a spokesman for Boeing Satellite Systems.

"The complexity is on board the satellite," Torres said.

Formerly Hughes Space and Communications, the new
Boeing unit began operating this month after government
regulators approved Boeing's acquisition of the Hughes
property -- a milestone Saturday's launch has helped the
Boeing team celebrate.

"It was just last week we had our big Day One celebration
when we became Boeing," Torres said. "It's fitting that we
start this phase with Boeing because this is the largest,
heaviest commercial communications satellite ever
produced."

Boeing's contract to build two satellites for Thuraya as well
as the associated ground stations and provide more than
70,000 handsets is worth more than $1 billion, Torres said.

Thuraya-1 was carried into orbit by a Zenit-3SL rocket
launched from the Odyssey Launch Platform in the Pacific
Ocean by Sea Launch, the joint venture of companies
representing the United States, Ukraine, Russia and Norway.

Liftoff came at 1:52 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time (0552 GMT)
and the satellite separated from the top of the Zenit about two
hours later.

"That is a major milestone in the mission," said Sea Launch
mission commentator Steve Rondinaro. "Thuraya-1 is on its
own now."

The good news conclusion to the shot now gives Sea Launch
an 80 percent success rate over five launches. The third
mission -- launched this March -- failed because of a
computer program fault that was fixed and proven on the
fourth mission launched in July.

"Sea Launch has a great future." said company president Wil
Trafton. "We're very pleased to be where we are. We're going
to be around for a long time."

Giving support to Trafton's comments, Thuraya's chairman
announced at the post-launch celebration that Thuraya-2 will
be launched on Sea Launch when the satellite, which was
built as a ground spare, is needed.

In the meantime, the next Sea Launch is expected early next
year, Rondinaro said.
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