Encyclopedia entry

Intelsat 5A

Spacecraft · USA

Part of Intelsat 5

Original archive entry. The text, images and links below are kept as they were written.

Intelsat 5A F-10
Credit: Manufacturer Image

American communications satellite. The Intelsat 5A series was derived from the Intelsat 5. Communication satellite built by Ford Aerospace for Intelsat / New Skies (NSS) / Columbia, International. Launched 1985 - 1989. Used Intelsat-5 bus.

Modifications included a larger communications payload with internal weight savings to accommodate the additional mass. The payload included 26 C-Band and 6 Ku-Band transponders, providing 15,000 voice circuits and two television channels.

The 5A series (F1-F6) was also known as Intelsat 5 (F10-F15). The spacecraft was 3-axis stabilized to 0.4 deg with momentum wheels and used a hydrazine propulsion system and passive thermal control. Dual solar arrays provided 1800 W (BOL) and charged nickel hydrogen batteries.

More at: Intelsat 5A.

Family: Communications, Geosynchronous orbit
Country: USA
Engines: Star 37XF
Launch Vehicles: Atlas, Ariane, Ariane 2/3, Ariane 2, Atlas G Centaur
Projects: Intelsat
Launch Sites: Cape Canaveral, Cape Canaveral LC36B, Kourou, Kourou ELA1
Agency: Aeronutronics
Bibliography: 2, 278, 5, 6, 12668

Chronology

6 events

1985 March 22

23:58 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC36B. LV Family: Atlas. Launch Vehicle: Atlas G Centaur.

Intelsat 5A F-10 - . Mass: 2,013 kg (4,437 lb). Nation: International. Agency: Intelsat. Program: Intelsat. Class: Communications. Type: Civilian communications satellite. Spacecraft Bus: Intelsat 5. Spacecraft: Intelsat 5A. USAF Sat Cat: 15629 . COSPAR: 1985-025A. Apogee: 36,468 km (22,660 mi). Perigee: 36,237 km (22,516 mi). Inclination: 7.20 deg. Period: 1,465.10 min.
Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 24 deg W in 1985-1990; 174 deg E in 1990-1994; 66 deg E in 1994-1995; 57 deg E in 1995-1996; 33 deg E in 1996-1999 As of 5 September 2001 located at 135.23 deg W drifting at 7.152 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 9 located at 107.21W drifting at 7.157W degrees per day.

1985 June 30

00:44 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC36B. LV Family: Atlas. Launch Vehicle: Atlas G Centaur.

Intelsat 5A F-11 - . Mass: 1,098 kg (2,420 lb). Nation: International. Agency: Intelsat. Program: Intelsat. Class: Communications. Type: Civilian communications satellite. Spacecraft Bus: Intelsat 5. Spacecraft: Intelsat 5A. USAF Sat Cat: 15873 . COSPAR: 1985-055A. Apogee: 35,799 km (22,244 mi). Perigee: 35,773 km (22,228 mi). Inclination: 0.70 deg. Period: 1,436.10 min.
Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 27 deg W in 1985-1990; 63 deg E in 1990-1992; 177 deg E in 1992-1994; 180 deg E in 1994-1997; 29 deg W in 1998-1999 As of 4 September 2001 located at 29.54 deg W drifting at 0.005 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 9 located at 113.07W drifting at 0.696W degrees per day.

1985 September 28

23:36 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC36B. LV Family: Atlas. Launch Vehicle: Atlas G Centaur.

Intelsat 5A F-12 - . Mass: 1,096 kg (2,416 lb). Nation: International. Agency: Intelsat. Program: Intelsat. Class: Communications. Type: Civilian communications satellite. Spacecraft Bus: Intelsat 5. Spacecraft: Intelsat 5A. Completed Operations Date: 1998-06-23 . USAF Sat Cat: 16101 . COSPAR: 1985-087A. Apogee: 36,140 km (22,450 mi). Perigee: 36,086 km (22,422 mi). Inclination: 6.20 deg. Period: 1,452.80 min.
Telephone communications; 31 deg E. Launch vehicle put payload into geosynchronous transfer orbit Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 60 deg E in 1985-1989; 1 deg W in 1989-1994; 21 deg W in 1994-1996; 56 deg W in 1996-1998 As of 28 August 2001 located at 145.57 deg E drifting at 4.159 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 10 located at 19.14E drifting at 4.163W degrees per day.

1986 May 31

00:53 GMT - . Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Complex: Kourou ELA1. LV Family: Ariane. Launch Vehicle: Ariane 2. FAILURE: Third stage ignition failure. Destroyed by range safety.. Failed Stage: U.

Intelsat-5A 14 - . Mass: 2,013 kg (4,437 lb). Nation: International. Agency: NOAA. Program: Intelsat. Class: Communications. Type: Civilian communications satellite. Spacecraft Bus: Intelsat 5. Spacecraft: Intelsat 5A. Decay Date: 1986-05-03 . Targeted for geosynch orbit..

1988 May 17

23:58 GMT - . Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Complex: Kourou ELA1. LV Family: Ariane. Launch Vehicle: Ariane 2.

Intelsat 5A F-13 - . Mass: 2,013 kg (4,437 lb). Nation: International. Agency: Intelsat. Program: Intelsat. Class: Communications. Type: Civilian communications satellite. Spacecraft Bus: Intelsat 5. Spacecraft: Intelsat 5A. USAF Sat Cat: 19121 . COSPAR: 1988-040A. Apogee: 35,800 km (22,200 mi). Perigee: 35,776 km (22,230 mi). Inclination: 0.10 deg. Period: 1,436.20 min.
Replaced Intelsat 5 F-3; 53 deg W. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 53 deg W in 1988-1995; 177 deg W in 1995-1999 As of 5 September 2001 located at 177.08 deg W drifting at 0.009 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 8 located at 44.56W drifting at 6.109W degrees per day.

1989 January 27

01:21 GMT - . Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Complex: Kourou ELA1. LV Family: Ariane. Launch Vehicle: Ariane 2.

Intelsat 5A F-15 - . Mass: 1,977 kg (4,358 lb). Nation: International. Agency: Intelsat. Program: Intelsat. Class: Communications. Type: Civilian communications satellite. Spacecraft Bus: Intelsat 5. Spacecraft: Intelsat 5A. USAF Sat Cat: 19772 . COSPAR: 1989-006A. Apogee: 35,801 km (22,245 mi). Perigee: 35,773 km (22,228 mi). Inclination: 0.00 deg. Period: 1,436.20 min.
International communications; 18 deg W. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 60 deg E in 1989-1992; 18 deg W in 1992-1996; 22 deg W in 1996-1997; 38 deg W in 1998-1999 As of 5 September 2001 located at 37.72 deg W drifting at 0.020 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 9 located at 153.76E drifting at 4.192W degrees per day.