Brasilsat home
topic index
Program: Brasilsat. Objective: Communications. Overview: Brazilian communications.
Major Events:

  • 1985 February 8 - Brasilsat A1.  Spacecraft: HS 376. Mass: 671 kg (1,479 lb). Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Vehicle: Ariane.

    Stationed at 65 deg W. Brazilsat 1 & 2 provide telecommunications services to Brazil. Canada's Spar Aerospace was awarded a $125 million contract to build, under license, two satellites based on Hughes' HS-376 design (similar to Anik D). Brazilsat 1 & 2 were the first two elements of Brazil's national Sistema Barasilero de Telecommunicacoes por Satelite (SBTS) network. Spacecraft: Based on Hughes HS-376, single antenna on despun platform, spin stabilised, hydrazine thrusters, body mounted solar cells provide 982 W BOL. Payload: 24 C-band transponders with 6 spares, 10 W TWTA, EIRP >34 dBW over most of Brazilian territory
    Financial/Operational:
    Contract issued in 1990 for 2 units HS-376W. B1-B2 have dedicated transponders for government use. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 65 deg W in 1985-1994; 63 deg W in 1994-1996; 79 deg W in 1996-1998; 144 deg W in 1998-1999 As of 5 September 2001 located at 143.96 deg W drifting at 0.005 deg E per day. As of 2007 Mar 9 located at 145.69E drifting at 2.591W degrees per day.

  • 1986 March 28 - Brasilsat A2.  Spacecraft: HS 376. Mass: 1,243 kg (2,740 lb). Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Vehicle: Ariane.

    Stationed at 105 deg W. Brazilsat 1 & 2 provide telecommunications services to Brazil. Canada's Spar Aerospace was awarded a $125 million contract to build, under license, two satellites based on Hughes' HS-376 design (similar to Anik D). Brazilsat 1 & 2 were the first two elements of Brazil's national Sistema Barasilero de Telecommunicacoes por Satelite (SBTS) network. Spacecraft: Based on Hughes HS-376, single antenna on despun platform, spin stabilised, hydrazine thrusters, body mounted solar cells provide 982 W BOL. Payload: 24 C-band transponders with 6 spares, 10 W TWTA, EIRP >34 dBW over most of Brazilian territory
    Financial/Operational:
    Contract issued in 1990 for 2 units HS-376W. B1-B2 have dedicated transponders for government use. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 70 deg W in 1986-1995; 92 deg W in 1995-1999 As of 4 September 2001 located at 62.91 deg W drifting at 0.007 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 7 located at 32.58W drifting at 2.263W degrees per day.

  • 1994 August 10 - Brasilsat B1.  Spacecraft: HS 376W. Mass: 1,765 kg (3,891 lb). Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Vehicle: Ariane.

    28 C-band transponders, 1 X-band transponder (military). Stationed at 70.05 deg W. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 70 deg W in 1994-1999 As of 3 September 2001 located at 70.00 deg W drifting at 0.003 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 11 located at 71.44W drifting at 0.304W degrees per day.

  • 1995 March 28 - Brasilsat B2.  Spacecraft: HS 376W. Mass: 1,780 kg (3,920 lb). Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Vehicle: Ariane.

    Stationed at 65.1 deg W. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 65 deg W in 1995-1999 As of 5 September 2001 located at 65.06 deg W drifting at 0.022 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 11 located at 65.05W drifting at 0.012W degrees per day.

  • 1998 February 4 - Brasilsat B3.  Spacecraft: HS 376W. Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Vehicle: Ariane.

    Geostationary at 84.0 degrees W. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 84 deg W in 1998-1999 As of 3 September 2001 located at 84.03 deg W drifting at 0.009 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 9 located at 84.07W drifting at 0.013W degrees per day.

  • 2000 August 17 - Brasilsat B-4.  Spacecraft: HS 376W. Mass: 1,757 kg (3,873 lb). Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Vehicle: Ariane.

    Brasilsat B4 was a C-band geosynchronous communications satellite, replacing the 15-year-old Brasilsat A2 for the Brazilian communications company Embratel. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 75 deg W in 2000. As of 2 September 2001 located at 92.03 deg W drifting at 0.011 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 9 located at 70.08W drifting at 0.020W degrees per day.

  • 2007 November 14 - Star One C1.  Spacecraft: Spacebus 3000. Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Vehicle: Ariane 5.

    Formerly named Brasilsat C1, the satellite was launched as part of a joint venture between several South American countries with Brazil's Embratel taking a lead role.


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