Aussat

This page no longer updated from 31 October 2001. Latest version can be found at www.astronautix.com

Aussat

Program: Aussat. Objective: Communications. Overview: Australian communications. Major Events: .

27 August 1985 Aussat A1 Spacecraft: HS 376. Mass: 1,260 kg. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral . Launch Vehicle: Shuttle. More details
Released by STS 51I 8/27/85. Aussat A1 was decommissioned in early 1993 at the ned of its nominal life. It is currently in a non-synchronous graveyard orbit.. It spent its active life at 160 deg. E.
27 November 1985 Aussat A2 Spacecraft: HS 376. Mass: 1,259 kg. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral . Launch Vehicle: Shuttle. More details
Released by STS 61B 11/28/85; 156 deg E.
16 September 1987 Aussat A3 Spacecraft: HS 376. Mass: 1,195 kg. Launch Site: Kourou . Launch Vehicle: Ariane 2/3. More details
Australian domestic communications; 164 deg E. Communication satellite. Launching states: Australia and France. Longitude 164 deg E +/- 0.5. (orbit given is geocentric 42164 km, which corresponds to altitude 35787 km). The satellite mass was 655 kg at beginning of life for an Ariane mission only on-station after the apogee motor had fired and station acquisition fuel was expended.
14 August 1992 Optus B1 Spacecraft: HS 601. Mass: 2,760 kg. Launch Site: Xichang . Launch Vehicle: CZ-2E. More details
Stationed at 160 deg E. Commercial communications. Longitude 160 +/- 0.05 deg E. Launched fromn China.
21 December 1992 Aussat B2 / Optus B2 Spacecraft: HS 601. Mass: 2,760 kg. Launch Site: Xichang . Launch Vehicle: CZ-2E. More details
Despite collapse of the nose fairing and near-desctruction of the payload, the launch vehicle continued on to place the wreckage of Optus-B2, and the Star-63F Kick-Motor into low earth orbit.
27 August 1994 Optus B3 Spacecraft: HS 601. Mass: 2,760 kg. Launch Site: Xichang . Launch Vehicle: CZ-2E. More details
Telephone; TV; mobile communications; air traffic control. Stationed at 156 deg deg E.

Last update 12 March 2001.
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© Mark Wade, 2001 .