ICO
Program · USA
Original archive entry. The text, images and links below are kept as they were written.
Series of satellites launched by British New ICO (formerly ICO Global Communications) to provide mobile communications and data/Internet services.
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Chronology
2 events
2000 March 12
14:49 GMT - . Launch Site: Kiritimati. Launch Pad: 0.0 N x 154.0 W. Launch Platform: Odyssey. LV Family: Zenit. Launch Vehicle: Zenit-3SL. FAILURE: Second stage shut down prematurely due to a valve software command mistake. The satellite fell in the South Pacific, south of Pitcairn Island.. Failed Stage: 2.- ICO F-1 - . Mass: 2,750 kg (6,060 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: ICO. Manufacturer: Hughes. Class: Communications. Type: Civilian communications satellite. Spacecraft: HS 601. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi). First ICO Global Communications satellite. Lost due to launch vehicle failure; was to have entered a 10,300 km x 45 deg circular orbit. ICO's satellites would carry multiple spot beams for mobile communications..
2001 June 19
04:41 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC36B. Launch Pad: SLC36B. LV Family: Atlas. Launch Vehicle: Atlas IIAS.- ICO F-2 - .
Mass: 2,750 kg (6,060 lb). Nation: USA.
Agency: ICO.
Manufacturer: El Segundo.
Class: Communications.
Type: Civilian communications satellite. Spacecraft: HS 601.
USAF Sat Cat: 26857 . COSPAR: 2001-026A. Apogee: 10,389 km (6,455 mi). Perigee: 10,385 km (6,452 mi). Inclination: 45.00 deg. Period: 360.10 min.
Launch delayed from June 5. The ICO-2 satellite was launched by British New ICO (formerly ICO Global Communications) to provide mobile communications and data/Internet services at S-band, supporting 4500 simultaneous calls. The Boeing BSS-601M satellite was similar to the standard geostationary 601 model except that it omitted the R-4D apogee engine and associated fuel, and had a larger payload section. Launch mass was 2700 kg; dry mass was around 2200-2400 kg with the remainder being station-keeping fuel. The AC-156 launch vehicle's Centaur stage reached a 167 x 10099 km x 44.6 deg transfer orbit 10 minutes after launch. A second burn 1.5 hours later put ICO-2 into a circular 10,100 km orbit. The first ICO satellite was launched in March 2000 but failed to reach orbit. ICO-2 was used for testing of the ICO system before the remaining satellites would be launched. Unlike the Iridium and Globalstar constellations, ICO proposed to use a small number of large satellites. The ICO fleet, anticipated to consist of 10 satellites, was to enable relay in S- and C-bands of voice and internet communications from/to land and ocean based mobile telephones. With a total power of 5 kW, ICO F2 was to enable a simultaneous capacity in 4,500 channels.