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GTE

Program · USA

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

Through a series of purchases and mergers, General Telephone and Electronics (GTE) ended up with a consolidated constellation of geosynchronous communications satellites originally launched by itself and two other entities. Gstar was GTE's original planned fleet.

The Spacenet satellites were built by Southern Pacific Communications (SPC), which was bought by GTE before the first Spacenet ever launched. The ASC satellites were initiated by American Satellite Corp. (Amersat). This company was bought by Continental Telecommunications Inc. (Contel) before the first one was launched, and became Contel ASC. In March 1991, General Telephone and Electronics (GTE) in turn merged with Contel and acquired its satellites.

Related

Country
USA
Spacecraft
AS 3000, ASC
Projects
GTE, Telecom
Launch Sites
Cape Canaveral, Kourou

Chronology

10 events

1984 May 23

01:33 GMT - . Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Complex: Kourou ELA1. LV Family: Ariane. Launch Vehicle: Ariane 1.
  • Spacenet F1 - . Mass: 705 kg (1,554 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: GTE. Manufacturer: Lockheed. Program: GTE. Class: Communications. Type: Civilian communications satellite. Spacecraft: AS 3000. USAF Sat Cat: 14985 . COSPAR: 1984-049A. Apogee: 35,897 km (22,305 mi). Perigee: 35,840 km (22,260 mi). Inclination: 4.90 deg. Period: 1,440.30 min.

    Stationed at 120 deg W. C, Ku band communications satellite. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 120 deg W in 1984-1993; 115 deg E in 1993-on. As of 2 September 2001 located at 165.12 deg E drifting at 0.985 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 10 located at 109.23W drifting at 1.077W degrees per day.

1984 November 10

01:14 GMT - . Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Complex: Kourou ELA1. LV Family: Ariane. Launch Vehicle: Ariane 3.
  • Spacenet F2 - . Mass: 705 kg (1,554 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: GTE. Manufacturer: Lockheed. Program: GTE. Class: Communications. Type: Civilian communications satellite. Spacecraft: AS 3000. Completed Operations Date: 1998-06-02 . USAF Sat Cat: 15385 . COSPAR: 1984-114A. Apogee: 35,962 km (22,345 mi). Perigee: 35,904 km (22,309 mi). Inclination: 4.20 deg. Period: 1,443.60 min.

    Stationed at 68 deg W. C, Ku band communications satellite. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 69 deg W in 1984-1997; 115 deg E in 1997-1998 As of 5 September 2001 located at 65.20 deg E drifting at 1.887 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 9 located at 64.76W drifting at 1.866W degrees per day.

1985 May 8

01:15 GMT - . Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Complex: Kourou ELA1. LV Family: Ariane. Launch Vehicle: Ariane 3.
  • GStar 1 - . Mass: 705 kg (1,554 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: GTE. Manufacturer: Lockheed. Program: GTE. Class: Communications. Type: Civilian communications satellite. Spacecraft: AS 3000. Completed Operations Date: 1997-01-01 . USAF Sat Cat: 15677 . COSPAR: 1985-035A. Apogee: 35,791 km (22,239 mi). Perigee: 35,783 km (22,234 mi). Inclination: 0.10 deg. Period: 1,436.10 min.

    Stationed at 103 deg W. Ku band communications satellite. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 103 deg W in 1985-1996; 105 deg W in 1997-1999 As of 5 September 2001 located at 105.33 deg W drifting at 0.011 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 9 located at 105.07W drifting at 0.006W degrees per day.

1985 August 27

10:58 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC39A. Launch Platform: MLP1. LV Family: Shuttle. Launch Vehicle: Space Shuttle.
  • ASC-1 - . Mass: 1,271 kg (2,802 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: new. Program: GTE. Class: Communications. Type: Civilian communications satellite. Spacecraft Bus: AS 3000. Spacecraft: ASC. Completed Operations Date: 1994-08-01 . USAF Sat Cat: 15994 . COSPAR: 1985-076C. Apogee: 35,796 km (22,242 mi). Perigee: 35,778 km (22,231 mi). Inclination: 0.00 deg. Period: 1,436.10 min.

    Released by STS 51I 8/27/85; stationed at 81 deg E. C, Ku band communications satellite. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 128 deg W in 1985-1994 As of 5 September 2001 located at 99.97 deg W drifting at 0.156 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 10 located at 119.21W drifting at 0.126W degrees per day.

1985 September 12

23:26 GMT - . Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Complex: Kourou ELA1. LV Family: Ariane. Launch Vehicle: Ariane 3. FAILURE: Geosynchronous orbit injection failure. Third stage igniter cartridge failure was determined to be the most likely cause..

1986 March 28

23:30 GMT - . Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Complex: Kourou ELA2. LV Family: Ariane. Launch Vehicle: Ariane 3.
  • GStar 2 - . Payload: SBTS-2. Mass: 1,140 kg (2,510 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: GTE. Manufacturer: Lockheed. Program: GTE. Class: Communications. Type: Civilian communications satellite. Spacecraft: AS 3000. Completed Operations Date: 1997-08-20 . USAF Sat Cat: 16649 . COSPAR: 1986-026A. Apogee: 35,943 km (22,333 mi). Perigee: 35,902 km (22,308 mi). Inclination: 5.60 deg. Period: 1,443.10 min.

    Ku band communications satellite. Stationed at 70 degrees W. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 105 deg W in 1986-1992; 125 deg W in 1992-1997 As of 5 September 2001 located at 148.11 deg W drifting at 1.728 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 10 located at 2.39W drifting at 1.699W degrees per day.

1988 March 11

23:28 GMT - . Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Complex: Kourou ELA1. LV Family: Ariane. Launch Vehicle: Ariane 3.
  • Spacenet F3R - . Payload: Spacenet 3R. Mass: 1,212 kg (2,672 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: France Telecom. Manufacturer: Lockheed. Program: GTE. Class: Communications. Type: Civilian communications satellite. Spacecraft: AS 3000. Completed Operations Date: 1999-12-01 . USAF Sat Cat: 18951 . COSPAR: 1988-018A. Apogee: 35,980 km (22,350 mi). Perigee: 35,935 km (22,328 mi). Inclination: 2.40 deg. Period: 1,444.90 min.

    US domestic communications; 87 deg W. C, Ku band communications satellite. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 87 deg W in 1988-1997; 83 deg W in 1997-1999 As of 2 September 2001 located at 107.85 deg W drifting at 2.220 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 9 located at 153.60E drifting at 2.179W degrees per day.

  • Telecom 1C - . Mass: 1,210 kg (2,660 lb). Nation: France. Agency: GTE. Manufacturer: Toulouse. Program: Telecom. Class: Communications. Type: Civilian communications satellite. Spacecraft: Eurostar 2000. Completed Operations Date: 1996-03-22 . USAF Sat Cat: 18952 . COSPAR: 1988-018B. Apogee: 36,860 km (22,900 mi). Perigee: 36,037 km (22,392 mi). Inclination: 5.50 deg. Period: 1,470.10 min.

    French domestic communications; 5 deg E. Communications satellite. Registration France 1984-2.B (Telecom 1A) 1985-2.B (Telecom 1B). 1988-1-C (Telecom 1C). Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 5 deg W in 1988-1992; 3 deg E in 1992-1996 As of 5 September 2001 located at 109.19 deg W drifting at 8.404 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 10 located at 34.65E drifting at 8.341W degrees per day.

1988 September 8

23:00 GMT - . Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Complex: Kourou ELA2. LV Family: Ariane. Launch Vehicle: Ariane 3.
  • GStar 3 - . Mass: 1,270 kg (2,790 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: GTE. Manufacturer: Lockheed. Program: GTE. Class: Communications. Type: Civilian communications satellite. Spacecraft: AS 3000. Completed Operations Date: 1998-01-01 . USAF Sat Cat: 19483 . COSPAR: 1988-081A. Apogee: 35,806 km (22,248 mi). Perigee: 35,769 km (22,225 mi). Inclination: 5.30 deg. Period: 1,436.20 min.

    AKM malfunctioned, but orbit achieved using on-board propulsion system. Ku band communications satellite. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 93 deg W in 1989-1996; 105 deg W in 1996-1999 As of 5 September 2001 located at 105.39 deg W drifting at 0.005 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 9 located at 105.31W drifting at 0.004W degrees per day.

1990 November 20

23:11 GMT - . Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Complex: Kourou ELA2. LV Family: Ariane. Launch Vehicle: Ariane 42P.
  • GStar 4 - . Mass: 1,295 kg (2,854 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: GTE. Manufacturer: Lockheed. Program: GTE. Class: Communications. Type: Civilian communications satellite. Spacecraft: AS 3000. USAF Sat Cat: 20946 . COSPAR: 1990-100B. Apogee: 35,790 km (22,230 mi). Perigee: 35,785 km (22,235 mi). Inclination: 0.00 deg. Period: 1,436.10 min.

    Stationed at 125 deg W. Ku band communications satellite. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 125 deg W in 1990-1992; 105 deg W in 1992-1999 As of 6 September 2001 located at 104.95 deg W drifting at 0.005 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 10 located at 74.47W drifting at 4.077W degrees per day.

1991 April 13

00:09 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC17B. LV Family: Thor. Launch Vehicle: Delta 7925.
  • ASC-2 / Spacenet F4 - . Mass: 1,350 kg (2,970 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: Contel. Program: GTE. Class: Communications. Type: Civilian communications satellite. Spacecraft Bus: AS 3000. Spacecraft: ASC. USAF Sat Cat: 21227 . COSPAR: 1991-028A. Apogee: 35,794 km (22,241 mi). Perigee: 35,780 km (22,230 mi). Inclination: 0.00 deg. Period: 1,436.20 min.

    Commercial business communications; stationed at 101 deg W. C, Ku band communications satellite. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 101 deg W in 1991-1999; 81 deg W in 2000. As of 6 September 2001 located at 172.04 deg E drifting at 0.007 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 9 located at 34.51E drifting at 2.539W degrees per day.