DSCS home
topic index
Program: DSCS. Objective: Communications. Type: Military. Overview: Defense Satellite Communications System.
Major Events:

  • 1971 November 3 - DSCS II-01.  Spacecraft: DSCS II. Mass: 520 kg (1,140 lb). Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Titan.

    Defense Satellite Communications System. Space craft engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A). Positioned in geosynchronous orbit over the Americas at 106 deg W in 1972-?; over the Americas at 81 deg W in 1977-1979; over the Americas at 100-110 deg W in drift 1979-1998 As of 1 September 2001 located at 103.05 deg W drifting at 0.044 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 9 located at 110.10W drifting at 0.035W degrees per day.

  • 1971 November 3 - DSCS II-02.  Spacecraft: DSCS II. Mass: 520 kg (1,140 lb). Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Titan.

    Defense Satellite Communications System. Space craft engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A). Positioned in geosynchronous orbit over the Americas at 112 deg W in 1972. As of 30 August 2001 located at 146.34 deg E drifting at 0.101 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 5 located at 36.33W drifting at 0.201E degrees per day.

  • 1973 December 13 - DSCS II-03.  Spacecraft: DSCS II. Mass: 566 kg (1,247 lb). Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Titan.

    Defense Satellite Communications System; 13 deg W. Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C). Positioned in geosynchronous orbit over the Atlantic Ocean at 13 deg W in 1974-1977; over the Atlantic Ocean 57-66 deg W in 1977-1979 As of 3 September 2001 located at 104.01 deg E drifting at 9.429 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 9 located at 148.24W drifting at 9.427W degrees per day.

  • 1973 December 13 - DSCS II-04.  Spacecraft: DSCS II. Mass: 566 kg (1,247 lb). Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Titan.

    Defense Satellite Communications System; 175 deg E. Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C). Positioned in geosynchronous orbit over the Pacific Ocean at 175 deg E in 1974-1977; over the Indian Ocean 65 deg E in 1977-1980; over the Indian Ocean 60-61 deg E in 1980-1984; over the Indian Ocean 66 deg E in 1984-1987; over the Americas at 56-62 deg W in 1989-1993 As of 5 September 2001 located at 138.02 deg W drifting at 9.919 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 3 located at 146.85E drifting at 9.914W degrees per day.

  • 1975 May 20 - DSCS II-06.  Spacecraft: DSCS II. Mass: 566 kg (1,247 lb). Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Titan.

    Unusable orbit. Space craft engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A).

  • 1975 May 20 - DSCS II-05.  Spacecraft: DSCS II. Mass: 566 kg (1,247 lb). Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Titan.

    Unusable orbit. Space craft engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A).

  • 1977 May 12 - DSCS II-08.  Spacecraft: DSCS II. Mass: 565 kg (1,245 lb). Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Titan.

    Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C). Positioned in geosynchronous orbit over the Pacific Ocean at 175 deg E in 1977-1979 over the Atlantic Ocean 12 deg W in 1979-80 over the Pacific Ocean 175 deg E in 1980-1983 over the Pacific Ocean180 deg E in 1983-1986 over the Atlantic Ocean 1 deg W in 1986-1989 As of 3 September 2001 located at 143.55 deg W drifting at 17.451 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 9 located at 13.13E drifting at 17.445W degrees per day.

  • 1977 May 12 - DSCS II-07.  Spacecraft: DSCS II. Mass: 565 kg (1,245 lb). Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Titan.

    Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C). Positioned in geosynchronous orbit over the Atlantic Ocean at 12 deg W in 1977-1979; over the Atlantic Ocean 5 deg W in 1979; over the Pacific Ocean 140 deg E in 1980-1981 As of 28 August 2001 located at 152.07 deg W drifting at 12.959 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 10 located at 47.37W drifting at 12.959W degrees per day.

  • 1978 March 25 - DSCS II-09.  Spacecraft: DSCS II. Mass: 550 kg (1,210 lb). Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Titan.

    Launched with DSCS F10.

  • 1978 December 14 - DSCS II-11.  Spacecraft: DSCS II. Mass: 550 kg (1,210 lb). Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Titan.

    Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C). Positioned in geosynchronous orbit over the Pacific Ocean at 135 deg W in 1979-1983 over the Pacific Ocean 129 deg W in 1983-1989 As of 5 September 2001 located at 62.62 deg W drifting at 22.467 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 10 located at 96.59E drifting at 22.469W degrees per day.

  • 1978 December 14 - DSCS II-12.  Spacecraft: DSCS II. Mass: 550 kg (1,210 lb). Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Titan.

    Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C). Positioned in geosynchronous orbit over the Pacific Ocean at 175 deg E in 1979-1981 over the Indian Ocean 66 deg E in 1981-1983 over the Indian Ocean 60 deg E in 1983-1987 over the Pacific Ocean177 deg E in 1988-1989 over the Indian Ocean 71 deg E in 1990-1992 As of 1 September 2001 located at 93.28 deg E drifting at 6.600 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 8 located at 143.60E drifting at 6.589W degrees per day.

  • 1979 November 21 - DSCS II-13.  Spacecraft: DSCS II. Mass: 611 kg (1,347 lb). Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Titan.

    Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C). Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 12 deg W in 1980-1981; 131 deg W in 1981-1983; 179 deg W in 1983; 175 deg E in 1983-1989;179 deg W in 1989-1993 As of 3 September 2001 located at 21.08 deg E drifting at 16.828 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 10 located at 37.50W drifting at 16.828W degrees per day.

  • 1979 November 21 - DSCS II-14.  Spacecraft: DSCS II. Mass: 611 kg (1,347 lb). Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Titan.

    Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C). Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 66 deg E in 1980-1981; 12 deg W in 1981-1986; 179 deg W in 1986-1990; 174 deg E in 1990; 65 deg E in 1991-1994 As of 31 August 2001 located at 27.01 deg W drifting at 6.916 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 11 located at 50.79E drifting at 6.926W degrees per day.

  • 1982 October 30 - DSCS II-15.  Spacecraft: DSCS II. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Titan.

    Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 15 deg W in 1983-1987; 66 deg E in 1987; 60 deg E in 1987-1994; 65 deg E in 1994-1997 As of 5 September 2001 located at 114.00 deg W drifting at 18.661 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 9 located at 172.94E drifting at 18.658W degrees per day. Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C).

  • 1982 October 30 - DSCS III-01.  Spacecraft: DSCS III. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Titan.

    Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 105 deg W in 1982-1983; 135 deg W in 1983-1989; 130 deg W in 1989-1999. As of 2006 Sep 9 located at 94.39E drifting at 5.469W degrees per day.

  • 1985 October 3 - USA 11.  Spacecraft: DSCS III. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Shuttle.

    Released from STS 51J 10/4/85. Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C). Positioned in geosynchronous orbit; at 12 deg W in 1986; 42 deg W in 1995.

  • 1985 October 3 - USA 12.  Spacecraft: DSCS III. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Shuttle.

    Released from STS 51J 4 October 1985; boosted into orbit with DSCS 3 F3 on single IUS booster. Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C). Positioned in geosynchronous orbit; at 180 deg E in 1994.

  • 1989 September 4 - USA 44.  Spacecraft: DSCS III. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Titan.

    Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C). Positioned in geosynchronous orbit; at 60 deg E in 1995.

  • 1989 September 4 - USA 43.  Spacecraft: DSCS III. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Titan.

    Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C). Positioned in geosynchronous orbit; at 57 deg E in 1995.

  • 1992 February 11 - USA 78.  Spacecraft: DSCS III. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Atlas.

    Spacecraft engaged in research and exploration of the upper atmosphere or outer space (US Cat B). Launch vehicle put payload into geosynchronous transfer orbit with GCS trajectory option. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit; at 135 deg W in 1995.

  • 1992 July 2 - USA 82.  Spacecraft: DSCS III. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Atlas.

    Launch vehicle put payload into geosynchronous transfer orbit with GCS trajectory option. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 12 deg W in 1995-1996. Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C).

  • 1993 July 19 - USA 93.  Spacecraft: DSCS III. Mass: 2,615 kg (5,765 lb). Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Atlas.

    Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C). Launch vehicle put payload into geosynchronous transfer orbit with GCS trajectory option. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 175 deg E in 1995-1997.

  • 1993 November 28 - USA 97.  Spacecraft: DSCS III. Mass: 2,615 kg (5,765 lb). Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Atlas.

    Launch vehicle put payload into geosynchronous transfer orbit with GCS trajectory option. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 52 deg W in 1995; 60 deg E in 1997. Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C).

  • 1995 July 31 - USA 113.  Spacecraft: DSCS III. Mass: 2,610 kg (5,750 lb). Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Atlas.

    Positioned in geosynchronous orbit; located at 53 deg W in 1997.

  • 1997 October 25 - USA 135.  Spacecraft: DSCS III. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Atlas.

    Geosynchronous. Launch vehicle put payload into geosynchronous transfer orbit with GCS trajectory option.

  • 2000 January 21 - USA 148.  Spacecraft: DSCS III. Mass: 1,232 kg (2,716 lb). Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Atlas.

    Part of the US Air Force Defense Satellite Communications System. To be stationed in geosynchronous orbit over the Pacific Ocean.

  • 2000 October 20 - USA 153.  Spacecraft: DSCS III. Mass: 1,235 kg (2,722 lb). Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Atlas.

    Military Communications satellite. Launch delayed from October 12 by spacecraft problem. The US Air Force Defense Satellite Communications System satellite was placed by the Centaur upper stage into a 148 km x 898 km x 29.3 deg parking orbit. A second burn put it into a 218 km x 35,232 km x 26.0 deg transfer orbit. The DSCS III B-11 IABS-8 apogee stage, with two Primex R4D liquid apogee engines, circularised the orbit at geostationary altitude on October 21 and then separated from the DSCS.

  • 2003 March 11 - USA 167.  Spacecraft: DSCS III. Mass: 1,235 kg (2,722 lb). Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Delta IV.

    First flight of a fully cryogenic orbital launch vehicle. Delayed from December 2001, February 2, 6, 8, 11, 12 and March 8 2003. Satellite mas 2,733 kg with kick stage.


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