Artemis

Artemis was a European Space Agency satellite to test new communications technologies. It carried the Silex laser communications experiment, an S-band inter-orbit link, a Ka-band data relay package, a large L-band antenna for mobile services, and an L-band navigation package. The 3105 kg satellite was equipped with an Astrium S400 400 N liquid apogee engine with 1538 kg of propellants; a set of 10 N RCS thrusters; and four 20 mN ion thrusters with 40 kg of xenon. The 2.5 kW spacecraft was to provide voice and data communications between mobile phones in Europe and North America, and act as a relay satellite between low-Earth orbiters and ground stations. Eventually, as part of the planned EGNOS system (to be operational by about 2010) it was to provide navigation/location determination as an independent European counterpart to the GPS and GLONASS fleets.

Mass: 3,105 kg (6,845 lb). Main Engine Propellants: 1,538 kg (3,390 lb). Electrical System: Solar cells. Electric System: 2.50 average kW.

• 2001 July 12 - Artemis - Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Complex: ELA3. Launch Vehicle: Ariane 5. Mass: 3,105 kg (6,845 lb). Perigee: 32,451 km (20,164 mi). Apogee: 32,586 km (20,247 mi). Inclination: 1.10 deg. Period: 1,272.40 min.
  Artemis was a European Space Agency satellite designed to test new communications technologies. The Ariane 510 vehicle failed to reach its correct orbit. The solid boosters and main stage worked as planned and put the EPS upper stage in the planned near-suborbital trajectory. The EPS stage then fired but the Aestus engine failed to reach full thrust and cut off 1 minute early. Instead of the planned 858 x 35853 km orbit, only a 592 x 17528 km orbit was reached. The 3.1 tonne (with fuel), 2.5 kW spacecraft carried two pairs of ion engines and had adequate xenon propellant for those engines to reach geosynchronous altitude. This was the first ever rescue of a satellite mission using electric propulsion. The satellite reached its operational orbit in 31 January 2003.using the four German RITA electric xenon thrusters. Artemis could then function as originally planned, as there remained sufficient chemical propellant for 10 years’ operation. Artemis was to provide voice and data communications between mobile phones in Europe and North America, and act as a relay satellite between low-Earth orbiters and ground stations. Eventually, as part of the planned EGNOS system (to be operational by about 2010) it was to provide navigation/location determination as an independent European counterpart to the GPS and GLONASS fleets. As of 2007 Mar 11 located at 21.40E drifting at 0.001W degrees per day.