Westar home
topic index
Program: Westar. Objective: Communications. Overview: The satellites, act as space repeaters capable of receiving transmissions from earth stations and retransmitting them to other earth stations in Canada. The antenna coverage of the satellite provides the capability of serving virtually all of Canada.
Major Events:

  • 1974 April 13 - Westar 1.  Spacecraft: HS 333. Mass: 500 kg (1,100 lb). Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Delta.

    Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C). Positioned in geosynchronous orbit over the Americas at 99 deg W in 1974-1982; over the Americas at 100 deg W in 1982; over the Americas at 97 deg W in 1982; over the Americas at 79 deg W in 1982-1983 As of 5 September 2001 located at 85.83 deg W drifting at 1.372 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 10 located at 89.54E drifting at 1.381W degrees per day.

  • 1974 October 10 - Westar 2.  Spacecraft: HS 333. Mass: 500 kg (1,100 lb). Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Delta.

    Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C). Positioned in geosynchronous orbit over the Americas at 123 deg W in 1974-1982; over the Americas at 79 deg W in 1982-1986 As of 2 September 2001 located at 144.45 deg E drifting at 1.482 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 8 located at 6.53W drifting at 1.482W degrees per day.

  • 1979 August 10 - Westar 3.  Spacecraft: HS 333. Mass: 572 kg (1,261 lb). Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Delta.

    Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C). Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 91 deg W in 1979-1990 As of 2 September 2001 located at 7.26 deg W drifting at 1.139 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 9 located at 158.25E drifting at 1.129W degrees per day.

  • 1982 February 26 - Westar 4.  Spacecraft: HS 376. Mass: 1,072 kg (2,363 lb). Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Delta.

    TV, telephone. Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C). Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 99 deg W in 1982-1991 As of 2 September 2001 located at 83.31 deg W drifting at 1.825 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 8 located at 112.98W drifting at 1.830W degrees per day.

  • 1982 June 9 - Westar 5.  Spacecraft: HS 376. Mass: 1,072 kg (2,363 lb). Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Delta.

    Voice, TV coverage for Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands. Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C). Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 123 deg W in 1982-1992 As of 5 September 2001 located at 132.07 deg W drifting at 3.816 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 10 located at 135.75E drifting at 3.802W degrees per day.

  • 1984 February 3 - Westar 6.  Spacecraft: HS 376. Mass: 1,200 kg (2,600 lb). Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Shuttle.

    Deployed from STS 41B 4 February 1984; failed to reach proper orbit; recovered by STS-51A. The Westar series of geostationary spacecraft provide commercial communications services for Western Union. Westar 6 failed to achieve geosynchronous orbit after being deployed from the Space Shuttle. It was later retrieved by another Shuttle mission (November 14, 1984) and returned for refurbishment and relaunch. All Westars have been launched by NASA on a reimbursable basis. Spacecraft: Westar uses the Hughes HS-376 spacecraft design. Spin stabilised with a despun antenna section. Body mounted solar cells. Once on orbit, an outer cylinder deploys downward in 'dixie-cup' fashion to increase the solar panel area. Payload: Westar spacecraft typically carried 12 to 24 transponders in the 4-6 GHz range. A single antenna reflector (72 inch diameter) is used with an array of offset feed horns. The reflector uses two polarisation-selective surfaces for horizontal and vertical polarised signals.

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