NEXT SPACEFLIGHT

Status

Success

Inmarsat 3 F4 & Insat 2D

Launch Time
Tue Jun 03, 1997 23:20 UTC

Flight V97.

Rocket

Ariane 44L
Image Credit: Arianespace
Arianespace
Status: Retired
Liftoff Thrust: 6,000 kN
Payload to GTO: 4,720 kg
Stages: 3
Strap-ons: 4
Rocket Height: 58.72 m

Mission Details

Inmarsat 3 F4

Inmarsat-3 F4 is a communications satellite operated by the British satellite operator Inmarsat. It was launched into a geosynchronous orbit on 4 June 1997. It was located at 54° West longitude whilst in service, providing coverage of the Americas as AOR-W. It was replaced by Inmarsat-3 F5 at 54° West in Feb 2016, and the now-retired Inmarsat-3 F4 was moved to parking at 144° West.

Inmarsat-3 F4 was constructed by Lockheed-Martin, using an AS-4000 bus. It has a mass of 2,068 kilograms and is expected to operate for 13 years.

In the United States, Inmarsat ground stations are licensed to operate at 1525-1559 MHz and 1626.5-1660.5 MHz via a mechanism called the ISAT List. The 1544-1545 MHz and 1645.5-1646.5 MHz bands are reserved for safety and distress communications.

Payloads: 1
Total Mass: 1,998.0 kg
Geostationary Transfer Orbit

Insat 2D

INSAT-2D, identical to INSAT-2C, was launched on June 4, 1997, but the satellite became in-operable since October 4, 1997, following a power bus anomaly and associated problems. Hence it was replaced by the in-orbit satellite ARABSAT-1C, designated as INSAT-2DT.

Payloads: 1
Total Mass: 2,079.0 kg
Geostationary Transfer Orbit

Location

ELA-2, Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana, France

Stats

1997

29th orbital launch attempt

Arianespace

86th mission
4th mission of 1997
81st successful mission
25th consecutive successful mission

Ariane 4

67th mission
4th mission of 1997
64th successful mission
25th consecutive successful mission