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Program: GTE. Objective: Communications. Through a series of purchases and mergers, General Telephone and Electronics (GTE) ended up with a consolidated constellation of geosynchronous communications satellites originally launched by itself and two other entities. Gstar was GTE’s original planned fleet. The Spacenet satellites were built by Southern Pacific Communications (SPC), which was bought by GTE before the first Spacenet ever launched. The ASC satellites were initiated by American Satellite Corp. (Amersat). This company was bought by Continental Telecommunications Inc. (Contel) before the first one was launched, and became Contel ASC. In March 1991, General Telephone and Electronics (GTE) in turn merged with Contel and acquired its satellites.
Major Events:

  • 1984 May 23 - Spacenet F1.  Spacecraft: AS 3000. Mass: 705 kg (1,554 lb). Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Vehicle: Ariane.

    Stationed at 120 deg W. C, Ku band communications satellite. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 120 deg W in 1984-1993; 115 deg E in 1993-on. As of 2 September 2001 located at 165.12 deg E drifting at 0.985 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 10 located at 109.23W drifting at 1.077W degrees per day.

  • 1984 November 10 - Spacenet F2.  Spacecraft: AS 3000. Mass: 705 kg (1,554 lb). Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Vehicle: Ariane.

    Stationed at 68 deg W. C, Ku band communications satellite. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 69 deg W in 1984-1997; 115 deg E in 1997-1998 As of 5 September 2001 located at 65.20 deg E drifting at 1.887 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 9 located at 64.76W drifting at 1.866W degrees per day.

  • 1985 May 8 - GStar 1.  Spacecraft: AS 3000. Mass: 705 kg (1,554 lb). Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Vehicle: Ariane.

    Stationed at 103 deg W. Ku band communications satellite. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 103 deg W in 1985-1996; 105 deg W in 1997-1999 As of 5 September 2001 located at 105.33 deg W drifting at 0.011 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 9 located at 105.07W drifting at 0.006W degrees per day.

  • 1985 August 27 - ASC-1.  Spacecraft: ASC. Mass: 1,271 kg (2,802 lb). Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Shuttle.

    Released by STS 51I 8/27/85; stationed at 81 deg E. C, Ku band communications satellite. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 128 deg W in 1985-1994 As of 5 September 2001 located at 99.97 deg W drifting at 0.156 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 10 located at 119.21W drifting at 0.126W degrees per day.

  • 1985 September 12 - Spacenet F3.  Spacecraft: AS 3000. Mass: 600 kg (1,320 lb). Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Vehicle: Ariane.

  • 1986 March 28 - GStar 2.  Spacecraft: AS 3000. Mass: 1,140 kg (2,510 lb). Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Vehicle: Ariane.

    Ku band communications satellite. Stationed at 70 degrees W. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 105 deg W in 1986-1992; 125 deg W in 1992-1997 As of 5 September 2001 located at 148.11 deg W drifting at 1.728 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 10 located at 2.39W drifting at 1.699W degrees per day.

  • 1988 March 11 - Spacenet F3R.  Spacecraft: AS 3000. Mass: 1,212 kg (2,672 lb). Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Vehicle: Ariane.

    US domestic communications; 87 deg W. C, Ku band communications satellite. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 87 deg W in 1988-1997; 83 deg W in 1997-1999 As of 2 September 2001 located at 107.85 deg W drifting at 2.220 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 9 located at 153.60E drifting at 2.179W degrees per day.

  • 1988 September 8 - GStar 3.  Spacecraft: AS 3000. Mass: 1,270 kg (2,790 lb). Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Vehicle: Ariane.

    AKM malfunctioned, but orbit achieved using on-board propulsion system. Ku band communications satellite. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 93 deg W in 1989-1996; 105 deg W in 1996-1999 As of 5 September 2001 located at 105.39 deg W drifting at 0.005 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 9 located at 105.31W drifting at 0.004W degrees per day.

  • 1990 November 20 - GStar 4.  Spacecraft: AS 3000. Mass: 1,295 kg (2,854 lb). Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Vehicle: Ariane.

    Stationed at 125 deg W. Ku band communications satellite. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 125 deg W in 1990-1992; 105 deg W in 1992-1999 As of 6 September 2001 located at 104.95 deg W drifting at 0.005 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 10 located at 74.47W drifting at 4.077W degrees per day.

  • 1991 April 13 - ASC-2 / Spacenet F4.  Spacecraft: ASC. Mass: 1,350 kg (2,970 lb). Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Delta.

    Commercial business communications; stationed at 101 deg W. C, Ku band communications satellite. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 101 deg W in 1991-1999; 81 deg W in 2000. As of 6 September 2001 located at 172.04 deg E drifting at 0.007 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 9 located at 34.51E drifting at 2.539W degrees per day.

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© Mark Wade, 1997 - 2008 except where otherwise noted.