Apstar home
topic index
Program: Apstar. Objective: Communications. Overview: Asia-Pacific communications.
Major Events:

  • 1994 July 21 - Apstar 1.  Spacecraft: HS 376. Mass: 1,383 kg (3,048 lb). Launch Site: Xichang. Launch Vehicle: CZ.

    Asia-Pacific communications. Operated in geosynchronous orbit at 138 deg E in 1994-1999. As of 5 September 2001 located at 138.04 deg E drifting at 0.004 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 11 located at 141.96E drifting at 0.002W degrees per day.

  • 1995 January 25 - Apstar 2.  Spacecraft: HS 601. Launch Site: Xichang. Launch Vehicle: CZ.

    Because the Apstar failure happened a few seconds later than Optus, the consequences were catastrophic. The vehicle was destroyed, and the falling wreckage landed on a village down-range of the launch site, killing at least 20 and perhaps as many as 120 people.

  • 1996 July 3 - Apstar 1A.  Spacecraft: HS 376. Mass: 2,800 kg (6,100 lb). Launch Site: Xichang. Launch Vehicle: CZ.

    24 C-band transponders; Operated in geosynchronous orbit at 134 deg E in 1996-1999. As of 6 September 2001 located at 134.02 deg E drifting at 0.013 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 10 located at 129.99E drifting at 0.007E degrees per day.

  • 1997 October 16 - Apstar 2R.  Spacecraft: FS-1300. Launch Site: Xichang. Launch Vehicle: CZ.

    Geosynchronous. Stationed over 76.5E Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 76 deg E in 1997-1999 As of 5 September 2001 located at 76.48 deg E drifting at 0.001 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 11 located at 76.46E drifting at 0.002W degrees per day.

  • 2004 June 29 - Apstar 5.  Spacecraft: FS-1300. Mass: 4,640 kg (10,220 lb). Launch Site: Kiritimati. Launch Vehicle: Zenit.

    Delayed from November 2003, April 28 2004. Partial failure (upper stage). As of 2007 Mar 11 located at 138.01E drifting at 0.009W degrees per day.

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