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| AS 4000 satellite - Credit: Lockheed-Martin. 10,912 bytes. 300 x 304 pixels. |
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Class: Communications. Nation: USA. Manufacturer: Lockheed Martin. 3-axis stabilisation with momentum wheels, magnetic torquers, Earth sensors and 16 blowdown monopropellant hydrazine thrusters. Solar arrays provide 2800 W, 3 x 50 Ahr NiH batteries. GEO insertion by Star 37XFP solid rocket motor. 16 Ku-band transponders (with six spares) .
SpecificationDesign Life: 12 years. Total Length: 2.1 m. Maximum Diameter: 1.7 m. Total Mass: 1,021 kg.
AS 4000 Chronology
27 November 1985
Satcom K2 Program: Satcom. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral . Launch Vehicle: Shuttle. Mass: 1,812 kg. Perigee: 35,786 km. Apogee: 35,790 km. Inclination: 0.0 deg. Released by STS 61B 11/28/85; 81 deg W.
12 January 1986
Satcom K1 Program: Satcom. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral . Launch Vehicle: Shuttle. Mass: 1,923 kg. Perigee: 35,783 km. Apogee: 35,792 km. Inclination: 0.0 deg. Stationed at 81 deg W.
11 December 1988
Astra 1A Program: Astra. Launch Site: Kourou . Launch Vehicle: Ariane 44LP. Mass: 1,780 kg. Perigee: 35,741 km. Apogee: 35,831 km. Inclination: 0.0 deg. European TV broadcast; 19.2 deg W. Astra 1A provides TV coverage to Western Europe. The satellite is owned and operated by Société Europíenne des Satellites (SES), a private company formed in 1985. Astra 1A is based in the GE 4000 series platform, and was the first in a network of four satellites. Spacecraft: GE 4000 platform.3-axis stabilisation with momentum wheels, magnetic torquers, Earth sensors and 16 blowdown monopropellant hydrazine thrusters. Solar arrays provide 2800 W BOL, 3 50 Ahr NiH batteries. GEO insertion by Star 37XFP solid rocket motor. Payload: 16 Ku-band transponders (with six spares) .
03 April 1996
Inmarsat 3 F1 Program: Inmarsat. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral . Launch Vehicle: Atlas IIA. Mass: 2,068 kg. Perigee: 35,765 km. Apogee: 35,805 km. Inclination: 2.2 deg. Geostationary at 64.1E. Launch vehicle put payload into geosynchronous transfer orbit with RAAN Cntl trajectory option.
06 September 1996
Inmarsat 3 F2 Program: Inmarsat. Launch Site: Baikonur . Launch Vehicle: Proton 8K82K / DM1. Mass: 1,021 kg. Perigee: 35,766 km. Apogee: 35,807 km. Inclination: 2.5 deg. Geostationary at 15.5W.
18 December 1996
Inmarsat 3 F3 Program: Inmarsat. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral . Launch Vehicle: Atlas IIA. Mass: 1,021 kg. Perigee: 35,698 km. Apogee: 35,877 km. Inclination: 2.6 deg. Geostationary at 157.6E. Launch vehicle put payload into geosynchronous transfer orbit with RAAN Cntl trajectory option.
03 June 1997
Inmarsat 3 F4 Program: Inmarsat. Launch Site: Kourou . Launch Vehicle: Ariane 44L . Mass: 1,021 kg. Perigee: 35,770 km. Apogee: 35,805 km. Inclination: 0.0 deg. Geosynchronous. Stationed over 54.0W
04 February 1998
Inmarsat 3 F5 Program: Inmarsat. Launch Site: Kourou . Launch Vehicle: Ariane 44LP . Mass: 1,021 kg. Perigee: 35,773 km. Apogee: 35,799 km. Inclination: 2.6 deg. Geostationary at 25.0 degrees E.
Bibliography:- 4 - McDowell, Jonathan, Jonathan's Space Report (Internet Newsletter), Harvard University, Weekly, 1989 to Present. HTML when accessed: ftp://sao-ftp.harvard.edu/pub/jcm/space/news
- 67 - Kaesmann, Ferdinand, et. al., Journal of the British Interplanetary Society, "Proton - Development of A Russian Launch Vehicle", 1998, Volume 51, page 3.
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Last update 12 March 2001.
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