DSCS-2 Credit - USAF

DSCS provided secure voice and data communications for the US military. The DSCS system originated in the DoD's Initial Defense Communications Satellite Program, which was inaugurated in 1966. After launching 26 of these spacecraft, the Air Force renamed the program and in 1971 launched the first of 16 DSCS Block II satellites.

The contract was managed by the DCA (Defense Communications Agency) for the USAF. The spacecraft was spin stabilized with a despun antenna platform. Body mounted solar cells produced 535 watts. Three NiCd batteries provided 36 AHr total. A hydrazine propulsion system was used. The payload consisted of two 20 watt X-Band transponders with 500 MHz bandwidths. Steerable narrow beam antennas and drive mechanisms provided a measure of communications privacy. Capacity was 1300 voice channels or 100 Mbps of data. The system was compatible with ground-portable units.

Design Life: 5 years. Typical orbit: Geosynchronous. Length: 4.00 m (13.10 ft). Maximum Diameter: 3.00 m (9.80 ft). Mass: 562 kg (1,238 lb). Associated Launch Vehicle: Titan 34D, Titan 3C.

• 1971 November 3 - DSCS II-01 - Program: DSCS. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Titan 3C. Mass: 520 kg (1,140 lb). Perigee: 35,765 km (22,223 mi). Apogee: 35,815 km (22,254 mi). Inclination: 13.80 deg. Period: 1,436.30 min.

  Defense Satellite Communications System. Space craft engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A). Positioned in geosynchronous orbit over the Americas at 106 deg W in 1972-?; over the Americas at 81 deg W in 1977-1979; over the Americas at 100-110 deg W in drift 1979-1998 As of 1 September 2001 located at 103.05 deg W drifting at 0.044 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 9 located at 110.10W drifting at 0.035W degrees per day.

• 1971 November 3 - DSCS II-02 - Program: DSCS. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Titan 3C. Mass: 520 kg (1,140 lb). Perigee: 35,819 km (22,256 mi). Apogee: 35,824 km (22,259 mi). Inclination: 13.60 deg. Period: 1,437.90 min.

  Defense Satellite Communications System. Space craft engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A). Positioned in geosynchronous orbit over the Americas at 112 deg W in 1972. As of 30 August 2001 located at 146.34 deg E drifting at 0.101 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 5 located at 36.33W drifting at 0.201E degrees per day.

• 1973 December 13 - DSCS II-03 - Program: DSCS. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Titan 3C. Mass: 566 kg (1,247 lb). Perigee: 36,413 km (22,625 mi). Apogee: 36,661 km (22,780 mi). Inclination: 13.90 deg. Period: 1,474.60 min.

  Defense Satellite Communications System; 13 deg W. Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C). Positioned in geosynchronous orbit over the Atlantic Ocean at 13 deg W in 1974-1977; over the Atlantic Ocean 57-66 deg W in 1977-1979 As of 3 September 2001 located at 104.01 deg E drifting at 9.429 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 9 located at 148.24W drifting at 9.427W degrees per day.

• 1973 December 13 - DSCS II-04 - Program: DSCS. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Titan 3C. Mass: 566 kg (1,247 lb). Perigee: 36,300 km (22,500 mi). Apogee: 36,837 km (22,889 mi). Inclination: 13.50 deg. Period: 1,476.30 min.

  Defense Satellite Communications System; 175 deg E. Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C). Positioned in geosynchronous orbit over the Pacific Ocean at 175 deg E in 1974-1977; over the Indian Ocean 65 deg E in 1977-1980; over the Indian Ocean 60-61 deg E in 1980-1984; over the Indian Ocean 66 deg E in 1984-1987; over the Americas at 56-62 deg W in 1989-1993 As of 5 September 2001 located at 138.02 deg W drifting at 9.919 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 3 located at 146.85E drifting at 9.914W degrees per day.

• 1975 May 20 - DSCS II-05 - Program: DSCS. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Titan 3C. FAILURE: Transtage gyro platform lost power; attitude control lost; orbit too low. Mass: 566 kg (1,247 lb). Perigee: 160 km (90 mi). Apogee: 256 km (159 mi). Inclination: 28.60 deg. Period: 88.60 min.

  Unusable orbit. Space craft engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A).

• 1975 May 20 - DSCS II-06 - Program: DSCS. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Titan 3C. FAILURE: Partial Failure. Mass: 566 kg (1,247 lb). Perigee: 160 km (90 mi). Apogee: 256 km (159 mi). Inclination: 28.60 deg. Period: 88.60 min.

  Unusable orbit. Space craft engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A).

• 1977 May 12 - DSCS II-07 - Program: DSCS. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Titan 3C. Mass: 565 kg (1,245 lb). Perigee: 36,759 km (22,840 mi). Apogee: 36,894 km (22,924 mi). Inclination: 15.80 deg. Period: 1,489.60 min.

  Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C). Positioned in geosynchronous orbit over the Atlantic Ocean at 12 deg W in 1977-1979; over the Atlantic Ocean 5 deg W in 1979; over the Pacific Ocean 140 deg E in 1980-1981 As of 28 August 2001 located at 152.07 deg W drifting at 12.959 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 10 located at 47.37W drifting at 12.959W degrees per day.

• 1977 May 12 - DSCS II-08 - Program: DSCS. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Titan 3C. Mass: 565 kg (1,245 lb). Perigee: 37,061 km (23,028 mi). Apogee: 37,343 km (23,203 mi). Inclination: 15.50 deg. Period: 1,509.00 min.

  Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C). Positioned in geosynchronous orbit over the Pacific Ocean at 175 deg E in 1977-1979 over the Atlantic Ocean 12 deg W in 1979-80 over the Pacific Ocean 175 deg E in 1980-1983 over the Pacific Ocean180 deg E in 1983-1986 over the Atlantic Ocean 1 deg W in 1986-1989 As of 3 September 2001 located at 143.55 deg W drifting at 17.451 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 9 located at 13.13E drifting at 17.445W degrees per day.

• 1978 December 14 - DSCS II-12 - Program: DSCS. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Titan 3C. Mass: 550 kg (1,210 lb). Perigee: 36,283 km (22,545 mi). Apogee: 36,332 km (22,575 mi). Inclination: 9.80 deg. Period: 1,462.80 min.

  Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C). Positioned in geosynchronous orbit over the Pacific Ocean at 175 deg E in 1979-1981 over the Indian Ocean 66 deg E in 1981-1983 over the Indian Ocean 60 deg E in 1983-1987 over the Pacific Ocean177 deg E in 1988-1989 over the Indian Ocean 71 deg E in 1990-1992 As of 1 September 2001 located at 93.28 deg E drifting at 6.600 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 8 located at 143.60E drifting at 6.589W degrees per day.

• 1978 December 14 - DSCS II-11 - Program: DSCS. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Titan 3C. Mass: 550 kg (1,210 lb). Perigee: 37,515 km (23,310 mi). Apogee: 37,749 km (23,456 mi). Inclination: 9.80 deg. Period: 1,531.40 min.

  Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C). Positioned in geosynchronous orbit over the Pacific Ocean at 135 deg W in 1979-1983 over the Pacific Ocean 129 deg W in 1983-1989 As of 5 September 2001 located at 62.62 deg W drifting at 22.467 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 10 located at 96.59E drifting at 22.469W degrees per day.

• 1978 March 25 - DSCS II F-10 - Program: DSCS. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Titan 3C. FAILURE: Failure.

• 1978 March 25 - DSCS II-09 - Program: DSCS. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Titan 3C. FAILURE: Second stage hydraulic pump failure. Mass: 550 kg (1,210 lb).

  Launched with DSCS F10.

• 1979 November 21 - DSCS II-13 - Program: DSCS. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Titan 3C. Mass: 611 kg (1,347 lb). Perigee: 37,104 km (23,055 mi). Apogee: 37,195 km (23,111 mi). Inclination: 13.60 deg. Period: 1,506.30 min.

  Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C). Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 12 deg W in 1980-1981; 131 deg W in 1981-1983; 179 deg W in 1983; 175 deg E in 1983-1989;179 deg W in 1989-1993 As of 3 September 2001 located at 21.08 deg E drifting at 16.828 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 10 located at 37.50W drifting at 16.828W degrees per day.

• 1979 November 21 - DSCS II-14 - Program: DSCS. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Titan 3C. Mass: 611 kg (1,347 lb). Perigee: 36,316 km (22,565 mi). Apogee: 36,351 km (22,587 mi). Inclination: 13.30 deg. Period: 1,464.10 min.

  Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C). Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 66 deg E in 1980-1981; 12 deg W in 1981-1986; 179 deg W in 1986-1990; 174 deg E in 1990; 65 deg E in 1991-1994 As of 31 August 2001 located at 27.01 deg W drifting at 6.916 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 11 located at 50.79E drifting at 6.926W degrees per day.

• 1982 October 30 - DSCS II-15 - Program: DSCS. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Titan 34D. Perigee: 37,277 km (23,162 mi). Apogee: 37,332 km (23,196 mi). Inclination: 11.30 deg. Period: 1,514.40 min.

  Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 15 deg W in 1983-1987; 66 deg E in 1987; 60 deg E in 1987-1994; 65 deg E in 1994-1997 As of 5 September 2001 located at 114.00 deg W drifting at 18.661 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 9 located at 172.94E drifting at 18.658W degrees per day. Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C).

• Bramscher, Robert G, Spaceflight, "A Survey of Launch Vehicle Failures", 1980, Volume 22, page 351.

• USAF Satellite Database, USAF Institute of Technology, 1995. Accessed at: ftp://archive.afit.af.mil/pub/space/.

• McDowell, Jonathan, Jonathan's Space Home Page, Harvard University, 1997-present. Jonathan McDowell's complete on-line listing of all objects orbited and over 20,000 rocket launches Accessed at: http://www.planet4589.org/jsr.html.

• Krebs, Gunter, Gunter's Space Page, University of Frankfurt, 1996. Accessed at: http://www.skyrocket.de/space.

• JPL Mission and Spacecraft Library, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 1997. Accessed at: http://msl.jpl.nasa.gov/home.html.

• McDowell, Jonathan, Launch Log, October 1998. Jonathan McDowell's complete on-line listing of all objects orbited since Sputnik. Accessed at: http://hea-www.harvard.edu/~jcm/space/log/launch.html.