Intelsat III F-2
Mission typeCommunications
OperatorCOMSAT for Intelsat
COSPAR ID1968-116A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.03623
Mission duration5 years (planned)
1+1⁄2 years (achieved)
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeIntelsat III
BusIntelsat
ManufacturerTRW
Launch mass293 kg
Dry mass151 kg
Power183 watts
Start of mission
Launch date19 December 1968,
00:32:00 GMT[1]
RocketDelta M
Launch siteCape Canaveral, LC-17A
ContractorNASA
End of mission
DeactivatedMid-1971
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric orbit
RegimeGeostationary orbit
(Now supersynchronous)
Longitude24.0° West
Transponders
Capacity2 transponders
Coverage areaGlobal
 

Intelsat III F-2 was a communications satellite operated by Intelsat. Launched in 1968 it was operated in geostationary orbit at a longitude of 24 degrees west for around eighteen months.[2]

Spacecraft

The second of eight Intelsat III satellites to be launched, Intelsat III F-2 was built by TRW. It was a 293 kg (646 lb) spacecraft, with its mass reducing to 151 kg (333 lb) by entry into service as it burned propellant to reach its final orbit. The satellite carried an SVM-2 apogee motor for propulsion and was equipped with two transponders powered by body-mounted solar cells generating 183 watts of power.[2] It was designed for a five-year service life.[3]

Launch

The launch of Intelsat III F-2 made use of a Delta M rocket flying from Launch Complex 17A at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The launch took place at 00:32 GMT on 19 December 1968, with the spacecraft entering a geosynchronous transfer orbit.[1] Intelsat III F-2 subsequently fired its apogee motor to achieve geostationary orbit. It was operated at a longitude of 24° west, over Brazil; however it ceased operations after only a year and a half in orbit, in mid-1971.[4]

Orbit

Intelsat III F-2 remains in a graveyard orbit as an orbital debris. As of 7 February 2014, it was in an orbit with a perigee of 38,438 km (23,884 mi), an apogee of 39,317 km (24,430 mi), inclination of 13.73° and an orbital period of 26.60 hours.[5]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 9 February 2014.
  2. ^ a b Wade, Mark. "Intelsat 3". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 23 February 2002. Retrieved 9 February 2014.
  3. ^ Krebs, Gunter. "Intelsat-3". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 9 February 2014.
  4. ^ "Intelsat 3 Quicklook". Mission and Spacecraft Library. NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 9 February 2014. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  5. ^ "INTELSAT 3-F2 Satellite details 1968-116A NORAD 3623". N2YO. 7 February 2014. Retrieved 9 February 2014.


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