NEXT SPACEFLIGHT

Status

Success

JCSAT-12 & Optus D3

Launch Time
Fri Aug 21, 2009 22:09 UTC

Flight V190.

Rocket

Ariane 5 ECA
Image Credit: Arianespace
Arianespace
Status: Retired
Price: $200.0 million
Liftoff Thrust: 15,120 kN
Payload to LEO: 21,000 kg
Payload to GTO: 10,500 kg
Stages: 2
Strap-ons: 2
Rocket Height: 53.0 m
Fairing Diameter: 5.4 m
Fairing Height: 17.0 m

Mission Details

JCSAT-12

JCSAT-RA, previously known as JCSAT-12, is a Japanese geostationary communications satellite, which is operated by SKY Perfect JSAT Group.

It was ordered to replace the JCSAT-11 satellite which was lost in a launch failure on a Proton-M/Briz-M rocket in 2007, and is currently used as an on-orbit spare satellite; a role in which it replaced the older JCSAT-R spacecraft, providing a reserve for if one of the company's other satellites fails. It is a 4,000-kilogram (8,800 lb) satellite, which was constructed by Lockheed Martin based on the A2100AX satellite bus, with the same configuration as JCSAT-10 and JCSAT-11. The contract to build JCSAT-12 was awarded on 6 September 2007, the day after JCSAT-11 failed to reach orbit.

Payloads: 1
Total Mass: 4,000.0 kg
Geostationary Transfer Orbit

Optus D3

Optus D3 is an Australian geostationary communications satellite, which is operated by Optus and provides communications services to Australasia. D3 was the third Optus-D satellite to be launched. It is a 2,401-kilogram (5,293 lb) satellite, which was constructed by Orbital Sciences Corporation based on the Star-2.4 satellite bus, with the same configuration as the earlier Optus D2 satellite.

Payloads: 1
Total Mass: 2,401.0 kg
Geostationary Transfer Orbit

Location

ELA-3, Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana, France

Stats

2009

46th orbital launch attempt

Arianespace

178th mission
4th mission of 2009
171st successful mission
34th consecutive successful mission

Ariane 5

46th mission
4th mission of 2009
42nd successful mission
32nd consecutive successful mission