Boeing 376
ManufacturerBoeing Satellite Development Center
Country of originUnited States
ApplicationsCommunications satellite
Specifications
Spacecraft typeSpin-stabilized
Power800 to 2,000 Watts
Production
StatusRetired
On order58
Built58
Launched58
Maiden launchAnik C1 April 12, 1985
Last launcheBird 1 September 27, 2003
Related spacecraft
Derived fromHS-333
DerivativesHS-393
← HS-333 Boeing 601 →

The Boeing 376 (sometimes referred to as the BSS-376, and previously as the HS-376) is a communications satellite bus introduced in 1978 by Hughes Space and Communications Company. It was a spin-stabilized bus that the manufacturer falsely claims was the first standardized platform.[1][2] The Lockheed "Standard Agena" had been in use for more than two decades when the first HS-376 was launched.


Design

The satellite bus was designed and manufactured by Hughes. This spin-stabilized platform had two main sections. The spinning section was kept rotating at 50 rpm to maintain attitude, and a despun section was used by the payload to maintain radio coverage.[3][4]

The spinning section included the apogee kick motor, most of the attitude control, the power subsystem and the command and telemetry subsystems. The despun section contained the communications payload, including the antennas and transponders.[3][4]

The stock version had a launch mass of 1,100 to 1,450 kg (2,430 to 3,200 lb), a mass of 540 to 790 kg (1,190 to 1,740 lb) after reaching geostationary orbit and an 8 to 10-year design life. When stowed for launch, its dimensions were 2.8 to 3.15 m (9 ft 2 in to 10 ft 4 in) in height and 2.16 m (7 ft 1 in) in diameter. With its solar panels fully extended its height was 6.6 to 8 m (22 to 26 ft).[5][6][4]

Its power system generated approximately 1,100 to 1,200 watts of power at beginning of life, thanks to two cylindrical solar panels. The bottom panel was retracted around the body and top panel for launch, and extended downwards for operation. It also had two NiCd batteries for solar eclipses.[5][6][4]

Versions

There were four variations of this platform:

Satellites

The HS-376 was a very successful satellite platform with 58 satellites ordered, built and launched. It was also the first satellite to launch from the Space Shuttle.[2]

Satellite Other names Operator Model Ordered Launch Launch vehicle Launch result Mass (kg) at... Remarks
Launch BOL
SBS 1 HS-376 1977 1980-11-15 Delta-3910/PAM-D Success 1117 540 [6][10]
SBS 2 HS-376 1977 1981-09-24 Delta-3910/PAM-D Success 1117 540 [6][10]
Westar 4 HS-376 1980 1982-02-26 Delta-3910/PAM-D Success 1100 582
Westar 5 HS-376 1982 1982-06-09 Delta-3910/PAM-D Success 1100 582
Anik D1 HS-376 1982-08-26 Delta-3920/PAM-D Success 1140 634
Anik C3 HS-376 1978 1982-11-11 Shuttle/PAM-D Success 1140 563
SBS 3 HS-376 1981 1982-11-11 Shuttle/PAM-D Success 1117 540 [6][10]
Anik C2 Nahuel I2 HS-376 1978 1983-06-18 Shuttle/PAM-D Success 1140 563
Palapa B1 Palapa Pacific 1 HS-376 1980 1983-06-18 Shuttle/PAM-D Success 1200 692 [4][11]
Galaxy 1 HS-376 1983-06-28 Delta-3920/PAM-D Success 1200 709
Telstar 301 Arabsat-1E HS-376 1980 1983-07-28 Delta-3920/PAM-D Success 1140 653
Galaxy 2 HS-376 1983-09-22 Delta-3920/PAM-D Success 1200 709
Palapa B2 HS-376 1980 1984-02-03 Shuttle/PAM-D PAM ignition failed, satellite recovered 1200 692 Launched along Westar 6. PAM-D failed to ignite, Shuttle recovered the satellite. Was relaunched as Palapa B2R.[4][11]
Westar 6 HS-376 1984-02-03 Shuttle/PAM-D PAM ignition failed, satellite recovered 1244 582 Launched along Palapa B2. PAM-D failed to ignite, Shuttle recovered the satellite. Was relaunched as AsiaSat 1.
SBS 4 HGS 5 HS-376 1983 1984-08-30 Shuttle/PAM-D Success 1117 540 [6][10]
Telstar 302 HS-376 1980 1984-08-30 Shuttle/PAM-D Success 1140 653
Galaxy 3 HS-376 1984-09-21 Delta-3920/PAM-D Success 1200 709
Anik D2 Satcom 4R
Arabsat 1D		 HS-376 1984-11-08 Shuttle/PAM-D Success 1140 634
Brasilsat-A1 SBTS 1 HS-376 1982 1985-02-08 Ariane 3 Success 1195 —
Anik C1 Nahuel I1
Brasil 1T		 HS-376 1978 1985-04-12 Shuttle/PAM-D Success 1140 563
Morelos 1 HS-376 1982 1985-06-17 Shuttle/PAM-D Success 1140 647
Telstar 303 HS-376 1980 1985-06-17 Shuttle/PAM-D Success 1140 653
Aussat A1 Optus A1 HS-376 1982 1985-08-27 Shuttle/PAM-D Success 1250 654
Aussat A2 Optus A2 HS-376 1982 1985-11-27 Shuttle/PAM-D Success 1250 654
Morelos 2 HS-376 1982 1985-11-27 Shuttle/PAM-D Success 1140 647
Brasilsat-A2 SBTS 2 HS-376 1982 1986-03-28 Ariane 3 Success 1195 —
Palapa B2P Palapa B3
Agila 1		 HS-376 1984 1987-03-20 Delta-3920/PAM-D Success 1200 692 [4][11]
Aussat A3 Optus A3 HS-376 1982 1987-09-16 Ariane 3 Success 1250 696
SBS 5 HS-376 1983 1988-09-08 Ariane 3 Success 1117 540 [6][10]
Marcopolo 1 Sirius 1
Sirius W		 HS-376 1987 1989-08-27 Delta-4925 Success 1250 660
AsiaSat 1 HS-376 1990-04-07 Long March 3 Success 1244 582 Was Westar 6, but the launch on Space Shuttle failed. It was recovered and launched again as AsiaSat 1.
Palapa B2R NewSat 1 HS-376 1990-04-13 Delta-6925-8 Success 1200 692 Was Palapa B2, but the launch on Space Shuttle failed. It was recovered and launched again as Palapa B2R.[4][11]
Marcopolo 2 Thor 1 HS-376 1987 1990-08-18 Delta-6925-8 Success 1250 662
Prowler HS-376 1990-11-15 Shuttle/PAM-D Success — —
Galaxy 5 HS-376 1989 1992-03-14 Atlas I Success 1390 788
Palapa B4 HS-376 1992-05-14 Delta-7925-8 Success 1200 692 [4]
Galaxy 1R HS-376 1989 1992-08-22 Atlas I Failure 1390 788 Launch failure
Galaxy 6 Westar 6S HS-376 1983 1992-10-12 Ariane-44L Success 1390 709
Thaicom 1 Thaicom 1A HS-376L 1991 1993-12-18 Ariane-44L Success 1080 629 [5]
Galaxy 1R2 HS-376 1992 1994-02-19 Delta-7925-8 Success 1390 788
APSTAR-1 ZX-5E HS-376 1992 1994-07-21 Long March 3 Success 1400 726
Brasilsat B1 HS-376W 1990 1994-08-10 Ariane-44LP Success 1757 1052 [8][9]
Thaicom 2 HS-376L 1991 1994-10-07 Ariane-44L Success 1080 629 [5]
Brasilsat B2 HS-376W 1990 1995-03-28 Ariane-44LP Success 1757 1052 [8][9]
MEASAT-1 AFRICASAT-1 HS-376 1994 1996-01-12 Ariane-44L Success 1450 886
Galaxy 9 HS-376 1995 1996-05-24 Delta-7925 Success 1390 788
APSTAR-1A ZX-5D HS-376 1995 1996-07-03 Long March 3 Success 1400 726
ZX 7 Chinasat-7
HGS 2		 HS-376 1995 1996-08-18 Long March 3 Failure 1384 734 Launch failure
MEASAT-2 AFRICASAT-2 HS-376 1994 1996-11-13 Ariane-44L Success 1450 886
BSAT-1a HS-376 1993 1997-04-16 Ariane-44LP Success 1236 723 [3]
Thor 2 HS-376HP 1995 1997-05-20 Delta-7925 Success 1467 853
Brasilsat B3 HS-376W 1995 1998-02-04 Ariane-44LP Success 1757 1052 [8][9]
BSAT-1b HS-376 1993 1998-04-28 Ariane-44P Success 1236 723 [3]
Thor 3 HS-376HP 1997 1998-06-10 Delta-7925 Success 1451 853
Sirius 3 HS-376HP 1997 1998-10-05 Ariane-44L Success 1465 815
Bonum 1 HS-376HP 1997 1998-11-22 Delta-7925 Success 1425 793
Brasilsat B4 HS-376W 1998 2000-08-17 Ariane-44LP Success 1757 1052 [8][9]
Astra 2D HS-376HP 1999 2000-12-20 Ariane 5G Success 1445 824
Astra 3A HS-376HP 2000 2002-03-29 Ariane-44L Success 1514 908
eBird 1 Eurobird 3
Eutelsat 33A
Eutelsat 31A		 HS-376HP 2000 2003-09-27 Ariane 5G Success 1530 895

See also

References

  1. ^ "Boeing 376". Boeing Satellite Development Center. Archived from the original on 2010-03-05. Retrieved 2016-08-16.((cite web)): CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  2. ^ a b c d e f Krebs, Gunter Dirk (2016-04-21). "Hughes / Boeing: HS-376 / BSS-376". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2016-08-16.
  3. ^ a b c d "BSAT-1". Boeing Satellite Development Center. Archived from the original on 2010-02-07. Retrieved 2016-08-18.((cite web)): CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Palapa-B". Boeing Satellite Development Center. Archived from the original on 2010-02-07. Retrieved 2016-08-18.((cite web)): CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  5. ^ a b c d e "THAICOM". Boeing Satellite Development Center. Archived from the original on 2010-02-07. Retrieved 2016-08-18.((cite web)): CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  6. ^ a b c d e f g "SBS". Boeing Satellite Development Center. Archived from the original on 2010-02-07. Retrieved 2016-08-18.((cite web)): CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  7. ^ Krebs, Gunter Dirk (2016-08-08). "Thaicom 1, 2". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2016-08-18.
  8. ^ a b c d e "Brasilsat B". Boeing Satellite Development Center. Archived from the original on 2010-02-07. Retrieved 2016-08-18.((cite web)): CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  9. ^ a b c d e Krebs, Gunter Dirk (2016-04-17). "Brasilsat B 1, 2, 3, 4". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2016-08-18.
  10. ^ a b c d e Krebs, Gunter Dirk (2016-04-17). "SBS 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 / HGS 5". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2016-08-18.
  11. ^ a b c d Krebs, Gunter Dirk (2016-04-17). "Palapa B1, B2, B2P, B2R, B4 / Palapa Pacific / Agila 1 / NewSat 1". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2016-08-18.
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