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Intelsat
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Program: Intelsat. Objective: Communications. Overview: Intelsat operated the world's first commercial communications satellite. It has provided the scheduled transoceanic television and voice and data communications service ever since. Major Events:
- 1989 October 27 - Intelsat 6A F-2. Spacecraft: HS 393. Mass: 4,215 kg (9,292 lb). Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Vehicle: Ariane 44L.
Stationed at 24.5 deg E. At the time, the Intelsat 6 series were the largest commercial spacecraft ever built. The series were also the first commercial satellites to employ Satellite Switched/Time Division Multiple Access (SS/TDMA) techniques. Spacecraft: Based on Hughes 393 bus. Spin stabilised with despun antenna. Hydrazine propulsion system. Passive thermal control. Telescoping dual-cylinder structure with deployed antennas. Body mounted solar cells generate 2250 W (EOL). Solar drums are each about 6m tall. Payload: 38 (plus 12 backup) C-Band and 10 (plus 4 backup) Ku-Band transponders.120,000 telephone calls and 3 colour TV broadcasts simultaneously. SS/TDMA (Satellite-Switched Time Division Multiple Access) techniques used. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 37 deg W in 1989-1990; 24 deg W in 1990-1991; 55 deg E in 1991; 60 deg E in 1992; 63 deg E in 1992-1997; 62 deg E in 1997-1999 As of 29 August 2001 located at 62.02 deg E drifting at 0.018 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 9 located at 150.55E drifting at 0.004W degrees per day.
- 1990 March 14 - Intelsat 6 F-3. Spacecraft: HS 393. Mass: 4,215 kg (9,292 lb). Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Titan 34D.
38 C-band and 10 Ku-band transponders. Placed in unusable low earth orbit after second stage separation failure. In May 1992 shuttle STS-49 snared the satellite, and in three EVA's the crew attached a new perigee boost motor, which then reboosted the satellite to geosynchrounous orbit. Positioned at 34 deg W in 1992-1997; 24 deg W in 1997-2001. Later assigned to Intelsat spin-off New Skies, which positioned it at 340º East, from where it provided C-band coverage of the entire Atlantic region, including virtually all of Latin America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and the eastern half of North America. As an inclined orbit satellite, IS-603 was best suited for voice/data trunking and video contribution, but could also be used for carrier-scale IP services, notably network bridging and expansion. It supplemented the prime Atlantic region coverage provided by the station-kept NSS 7 satellite, located at 338º East. As of 2007 Mar 11 located at 19.96W drifting at 0.012W degrees per day.
- 1992 June 10 - Intelsat K. Spacecraft: AS 5000. Mass: 2,928 kg (6,455 lb). Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Atlas IIA.
Stationed at 21.5 deg W. Intelsat K is a single spacecraft purchased to meet critical requirements for Ku-band capacity over the Atlantic region, driven primarily by international broadcasters. The satellite was purchased from GE Americom while under construction (as Satcom K4) and required extensive payload modifications. Spacecraft: Based on GE 5000 series bus.3-axis stabilised using magnetotorquers. Hydrazine propulsion system. Two large solar panels with 1-axis articulation provide 4800 W BOL.4 50 Ahr NiH batteries. Payload: 16 Ku-band transponders which can be configured into 32 high quality television channels. Permits access from ground antennas 1.2 meters dia. and smaller. Launch vehicle put payload into geosynchronous transfer orbit with GCS trajectory option. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 21 deg W in 1992-1999 As of 6 September 2001 located at 21.54 deg W drifting at 0.011 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 10 located at 160.51W drifting at 11.137W degrees per day.
- 1993 October 22 - Intelsat 701. Spacecraft: FS-1300. Mass: 3,650 kg (8,040 lb). Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Vehicle: Ariane 44LP.
International communications. The Intelsat 7 and 7A series were nearly identical except for an increase in the number of Ku-band transponders in the 7A series. Spacecraft: 3-axis stabilised. Hydrazine propulsion system. Two large solar panels with 1-axis articulation provide 3900W BOL. Payload: 7: 26 C-Band and 10 Ku-Band transponders.18,000 telephone calls and 3 colour TV broadcasts simultaneously. Or up to 90,000 telephone circuits using digital circuit multiplication equipment (DCME).7A: 26 C-Band and 14 Ku-Band transponders.22,500 telephone calls and 3 colour TV broadcasts simultaneously. Or up to 112,500 telephone circuits using DCME. Three independently steerable, high-powered, Ku-band spot beams. Independently steerable C-band spot beam coverage. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 121 deg E in 1993; 174 deg E in 1994-1997; 180 deg W in 1997-1999 As of 6 September 2001 located at 179.91 deg W drifting at 0.004 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 9 located at 179.97W drifting at 0.001E degrees per day.
- 1994 October 6 - Intelsat 703. Spacecraft: FS-1300. Mass: 3,656 kg (8,060 lb). Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Atlas IIAS.
38 C-band and 20 Ku-band transponders. Initially positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 177 deg E in 1994-1996. Then reassigned to Intelsat subsidiary New Skies, redesignated NSS 703, and moved to 57 deg E after 1996. At the crossroads of three continents, NSS-703 provided cross-connectivity for Europe, Africa and Asia. NSS-703 was used for video contribution from Europe to India and Africa, and was capable of bringing signals from London to India and Australia in one hop. NSS-703's coverage included a global beam, and two C-band hemispheric beams, which covered Africa and the triangle from Eastern Iran to Japan and Australia, including all of India and China. Three steerable Ku-band spot beams targeted Europe and Iran, Central Asia and Afghanistan-Pakistan-North India. Expected end of life March 2009. As of 2007 Mar 9 located at 56.96E drifting at 0.001E degrees per day.
- 1996 February 14 - Intelsat 708. Spacecraft: FS-1300. Launch Site: Xichang. Launch Vehicle: CZ-3B.
First attempted launch of a new version in the Long March family. Began to experience an anomaly in attitude about 2 seconds after launch, pitching down and yawing to the right. It augured in nose down at T+22 seconds and exploded violently, utterly destroying the launcher and its payload. The Chief-Designer of the launch vehicle organised an analysis team on the same day of the accident. Interpretation and analysis of the telemetered data indicated that the crash was caused by a change in the inertial reference. The explosion killed six and injured 57. Two of the killed were senior engineers with CASC.
- 1997 March 1 - Intelsat 801. Spacecraft: AS 7000. Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Vehicle: Ariane 44P.
Geosynchronous. Stationed over 64.2E. The Intelsat 8 and 8A vehicles are the latest in the Intelsat satellite series. Spacecraft: 3-axis stabilised. Two large solar panels with 1-axis articulation. Payload: 38 C-Band and 6 Ku-Band transponders.22,000 telephone calls and 3 colour TV broadcasts simultaneously. Or up to 112,500 telephone circuits using digital circuit multiplication equipment (DCME). Two independently steerable Ku-band spot beams. Interconnected operation between C- and Ku-bands. Financial/Operational: Lockheed/General Electric contract October 16 1992 $ 165 million for 2 units- potential 5 units. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 47 deg E in 1997; 62 deg E in 1997; 64 deg E in 1997-1998; 31 deg W in 1998-1999 As of 5 September 2001 located at 31.47 deg W drifting at 0.013 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 5 located at 31.46W drifting at 0.006W degrees per day.
- 1997 September 23 - Intelsat 803. Spacecraft: AS 7000. Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Vehicle: Ariane 42L.
Geosynchronous, 52 C-band and 12 Ku-band transponders. Stationed over 21 deg W in 1997-2001. Later assigned to Intelsat subsidiary New Skies, redesignated NSS 5, and moved to 183 deg E to connect North America with all major destinations in the Pacific Rim. As of 2007 Mar 7 located at 177.05W drifting at 0.001E degrees per day.
- 1998 February 28 - Intelsat 806. Spacecraft: AS 7000. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Atlas IIAS.
Initially positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 40 deg W in 1998-2001. 36 C-band and 6 Ku-band transponders. Later assigned to Intelsat spin-off New Skies, redesignated NSS-806, and moved to 319.5º East, giving it an optimum view of Latin American markets while also reaching the Iberian peninsula, the Canary Islands, Western Europe and much of Eastern Europe. Its tailored, high-powered hemispheric beam provided simultaneous coverage of both Europe and the Americas, with virtually complete coverage of North, Central and South America, therefore ensuring the maximum reach throughout Spanish and Portuguese speaking markets. Expected end of life July 2016. As of 2007 Mar 10 located at 40.47W drifting at 0.007W degrees per day.
- 1998 June 18 - Intelsat 805. Spacecraft: AS 7000. Mass: 3,520 kg (7,760 lb). Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Atlas IIAS.
Satellite had 28 C-band and 3 Ku-band transponders, and initially served the Atlantic Ocean region for INTELSAT. Launch vehicle put payload into geosynchronous transfer orbit with GCS trajectory option. Geostationary at 55.5 degrees W. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 55 deg W in 1998-1999 As of 5 September 2001 located at 55.52 deg W drifting at 0.009 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 11 located at 55.54W drifting at 0.012W degrees per day.
- 2001 June 9 - Intelsat 901. Spacecraft: FS-1300. Mass: 4,725 kg (10,416 lb). Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Vehicle: Ariane 44L.
Launch delayed from June 8. The first of the Intelsat 9 series provided telecommunications (Internet, video and telephone) services from a geosynchronous position at 18 deg W over the Atlantic Ocean. Intelsat 901 was an FS-1300HL, an improved version of the long-standing Space Systems/Loral (originally Aeronutronic Ford) FS-1300 platform. The satellite was to provide voice and video services to Europe and the Americas through 44 C-band and 12 Ku-band transponders. The satellite had C-band beams for the Atlantic region and a Ku-band spot beam for Europe, and an R-4D liquid apogee engine. Dry mass was 1972 kg and launch mass of 4723 kg. The International Telecommunications Satellite Organization (ITSO), beginning with its first satellite, Early Bird (1965-028A), had as of this date successfully launched 54 satellites, 19 of which were operational. As of 27 August 2001 located at 54.26 deg W drifting at 1.105 deg E per day. As of 2007 Mar 8 located at 18.01W drifting at 0.008W degrees per day.
- 2001 August 30 - Intelsat 902. Spacecraft: FS-1300. Mass: 4,725 kg (10,416 lb). Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Vehicle: Ariane 44L.
Launch delayed from August 24. The Intelsat 902 geosynchronous communications satellite was stationed initially over the Indian Ocean, providing coverage to Europe, Africa, Asia and Australasia through its 44 C- and 12 Ku-band transponders. The Loral FS-1300 satellite had a dry mass of 1978 kg and carried a further 2745 kg of propellant at launch. As of 4 September 2001 located at 56.46 deg E drifting at 0.118 deg E per day. As of 2007 Mar 9 located at 61.96E drifting at 0.002E degrees per day.
- 2002 March 30 - Intelsat 903. Spacecraft: FS-1300. Mass: 4,726 kg (10,419 lb). Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Vehicle: Proton 8K82K / 11S861-01.
Communications satellite. Moved from Proton M to Proton K booster. Launch delayed from November 26, 2001, and March 4, 2002. The three stage Proton booster put the DM3 upper stage and payload on a suborbital trajectory. The first DM3 burn reached a circular 160 km orbit at 1742 UTC. The second burn at 1838 UTC raised apogee to about 35800 km, and a third burn near apogee at 2339 UTC raised perigee to about 3500 km and lowered inclination to 25 deg. Blok DM3 separated from the Intelsat 903 payload at 0008 UTC on March 31. By April 5, Intelsat 903 was in a 31653 x 35817 km x 0.7 deg near-synchronous orbit. Intelsat 903 had a launch mass of 4726 kg and a dry mass around 2350 kg, and carried C and Ku band antennas. It was built by SS/Loral using a derivative of the FS-1300 platform. As of 2007 Mar 5 located at 34.50W drifting at 0.011W degrees per day.
- 2002 April 16 - NSS 7. Spacecraft: AS 2100. Mass: 4,692 kg (10,344 lb). Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Vehicle: Ariane 44L.
Ariane mission V150 placed Lockheed Martin A2100-class satellite NSS 7 satellite into orbit. The satellite was owned by New Skies, an Intelsat spinoff, and carried a C/Ku band telecoms payload. The spacecraft was in a 24200 x 35706 km x 0.7 deg orbit by April 24, on its way to geosynchrnous orbit. As of 2007 Mar 9 located at 22.01W drifting at 0.010W degrees per day.
- 2002 June 5 - Intelsat 905. Spacecraft: FS-1300. Mass: 4,723 kg (10,412 lb). Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Vehicle: Ariane 44L.
Intelsat 905 was launched into a geostationary transfer orbit. The satellite had a mass of 1984 kg with 2739 kg of propellant and was built by Loral for the privatized Intelsat company. It was to be stationed over the Atlantic. The Intelsat 905 satellite used a new version of the venerable General Dynamics R-4D bipropellant engine, the R-4D-15 HiPAT (High Performance Apogee Thruster) with a thrust of 445N. The first two HiPATs were built by Marquardt/Van Nuys, but new ones were built at GD's Redmond site. By June 15, I-905 was in a 35642 x 35793 km x 0.1 deg geostationary drift orbit at 26 deg W. As of 2007 Mar 8 located at 24.48W drifting at 0.007W degrees per day.
- 2002 September 6 - Intelsat 906. Spacecraft: FS-1300. Mass: 4,723 kg (10,412 lb). Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Vehicle: Ariane 44L.
Intelsat 906 was a geostationary communications spacecraft of the international Intelsat consortium (privatised as Intelsat Ltd.). It was to provide Internet, telephony, and television broadcasts to Europe, Asia, and Australia through its 72 C- and 22 Ku-band transponders after being parked over 64° E longitude. It replaced Intelsat 804 which was to then be moved to 176° E to handle the increased cross-Atlantic demand. As of 2007 Mar 10 located at 64.19E drifting at 0.001W degrees per day.
- 2002 December 17 - NSS 6. Spacecraft: AS 2100. Mass: 4,575 kg (10,086 lb). Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Vehicle: Ariane 44L.
Launch delayed from late November, then December 12. The Dutch New Skies Satellites' NSS-6 telecommunications spacecraft was developed by Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems. It was to be positioned at 95 deg E to provide broadcasting and business services coverage of the Pacific Rim, Australia, India, the Middle East and southern Africa. As of 2007 Mar 11 located at 95.01E drifting at 0.008W degrees per day.
- 2003 February 15 - Intelsat 907. Spacecraft: FS-1300. Mass: 4,685 kg (10,328 lb). Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Vehicle: Ariane 44L.
Final Ariane 4 launch. Intelsat 907 was scheduled to be in service March 2003 and provide enhanced C-band coverage for the Americas, Africa and Europe and high-power Ku-band spot beam coverage for Europe and Africa. The satellite replaced Intelsat 605 at 332.5 deg E. With more than twice the Ku-band power, Intelsat 907 would support corporate broadcast distribution and broadband applications including high speed Internet access, multicasting and streaming. Users of the new satellite would require 1.0 m Ku-band antennae to access the satellite. Flexible transponder activation allowed use of Ku-Band for 14 out of 16 channels. With a total of up to 76 C-Band 36 MHz equivalent unit transponders, Intelsat 907 provided 19% more capacity than the satellite it replaced. C-band footprints included full coverage of South and Central America, broad coverage over Europe, Africa and the Middle East, and connectivity to North America. As of 2007 Mar 11 located at 27.53W drifting at 0.006W degrees per day.
- 2007 January 30 - NSS 8. Spacecraft: HS 702. Mass: 6,100 kg (13,400 lb). Launch Site: Kiritimati. Launch Vehicle: Zenit-3SL.
The platform was designed to survive such an explosion, but the flame deflector was blown off and the blast doors unhinged. The launch platform was towed back to Long Beach for repairs. The time required to repair the platform and the investigation to determine and fix the cause would certainly impact the 2007 Zenit-3SL and Zenit-2 launch schedules, probably forcing customers to be diverted to other boosters. NSS-8 was to have been placed at a 57º East orbital position to satisfy demand in the Indian Ocean region with 56 C-band and 36 Ku-band transponders. NSS-703, with an expected end-of-life in 2009, would have to continue in service until a replacement was built and launched.
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© Mark Wade, 1997 - 2007 except where otherwise noted.
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