Intelsat II

Last updated
Intelsat II
Manufacturer Hughes
Country of origin United States
Operator Intelsat
ApplicationsCommunications
Specifications
Bus HS-303A
Launch mass162 kilograms (357 lb)
Power85 watts
Equipment2 transponders
Regime Geostationary
Design life3 years
Dimensions
Production
StatusRetired
Built4
Launched4
Retired4
Maiden launch Intelsat II F-1
26 October 1966 [1]
Last launch Intelsat II F-4
28 September 1967 [1]
Related spacecraft
Derived from Intelsat I
←  Intelsat I Intelsat III →

Intelsat II was a series of four communications satellites operated by Intelsat which were launched in 1966 and 1967. Built by the Hughes Aircraft Company, the Intelsat II series was a follow-up to the Intelsat I series, of which only one satellite was launched.

Contents

Intelsat II spacecraft were based on the HS-303A satellite bus, which was cylindrical in shape and spin-stabilised. The satellites had a diameter of 1.42 metres (4 ft 8 in), and were 0.67 metres (2 ft 2 in) long. [2] They were equipped with an SVM-1 apogee motor to circularise their orbits following launch atop Delta E1 carrier rockets. All four satellites were launched from Launch Complex 17B at the Cape Kennedy Air Station. Each satellite had a mass at launch of 162 kilograms (357 lb), which decreased to around 86 kilograms (190 lb) once the satellite had fired its apogee motor and manoeuvred into its orbital position. [3]

Intelsat II spacecraft were designed to be operated in geostationary orbit; however the first satellite's apogee motor malfunctioned leaving it in a lower than planned orbit. [4] It was able to perform a limited communications mission, however the other three spacecraft successfully achieved geostationary orbit. Each satellite carried two transponders, powered by solar cells mounted on the body of the spacecraft, which generated 85 watts of power.

Operations

Intelsat II F-1 provided a transpacific communications link for 240 telephone channels or two television channels. Provision was made for 180 hours of telecasting per year (an average of 30 minutes per day) via the satellite. [5]

A 50-minute programme was relayed between Tokyo and Washington, D.C. via Intelsat II F-1 on 27 January 1967. It was the first newscast and the first colour programme to be telecast across the Pacific. Japan's Fuji Television used the satellite to present direct telecasts of the world featherweight boxing title match between Vicente Saldivar and Mitsunori Seki from Mexico City on 29 January. [5] It was the first live transmission of a sport event across the Pacific. Stars and Stripes reported that the pictures were clear. [6]

Satellites

SpacecraftNickname [3] COSPAR ID [7] SATCAT [7] Launch date [1] LongitudesDecommissionedRemarks
Intelsat II F-1 Blue Bird1966-096A251426 October 1966 UTCn/aApogee motor failure, limited operations from transfer orbit [3]
Intelsat II F-2 Lani Bird1967-001A263911 January 1967 UTC174° East (1967-1969)
Intelsat II F-3 Canary Bird1967-026A271723 March 1967 UTC15° West (1967-1971)
35° West (1972)
15° West (1973)
Intelsat II F-4 Pacific-21967-094A296928 September 1967 UTC176° East (1967-1970)
166° West (1971)

Related Research Articles

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Intelsat 603 Geostationary communications satellite

Intelsat 603 or IS-603, previously named Intelsat VI F-3, is a communications satellite operated by Intelsat. Launched in 1990, it was the second of five Intelsat VI satellites to be launched. The Intelsat VI series was constructed by Hughes Aircraft, based on the HS-389 satellite bus.

INSAT-2E is an Indian geostationary communications and weather satellite which is operated by the Indian National Satellite System. It is positioned in geostationary orbit at a longitude of 83° East, from where it is used to provide communications services to Asia and Australia. It also carries two meteorological instruments; the Very High Resolution Radiometer, and a CCD camera capable of returning images with a resolution of one kilometre.

Orion 3 was an American spacecraft which was intended for use by Orion Network Systems, as a geostationary communications satellite. It was to have been positioned in geostationary orbit at a longitude of 139° East, from where it was to have provided communications services to Asia and Oceania. Due to a malfunction during launch, it was instead delivered to a useless low Earth orbit.

Galaxy 11 is an American geostationary communications satellite which is operated by Intelsat. It is located in geostationary orbit at a longitude of 32.8 degrees east, where it serves as a backup to the Intelsat 802 spacecraft. It was originally operated at 99° West and later spent most of its operational life at 91° West, from where it was used to provide communications services to Brazil and North America.

Intelsat 601, previously named Intelsat VI F-1, was a communications satellite operated by Intelsat, and later Europe*Star. Launched in 1991, it was the last of five Intelsat VI satellites to be launched. The Intelsat VI series was constructed by Hughes Aircraft, based on the HS-389 satellite bus.

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Intelsat II F-1 Communications satellite

Intelsat II F-1, also known as Blue Bird was a communications satellite operated by Intelsat. Launched in 1966 it was intended for operations in geostationary orbit over the Pacific Ocean to provide a communications link between Australia and the United States, however a malfunction prevented the satellite from reaching its planned orbit.

Intelsat II F-2, also known as Lani Bird, was a communications satellite operated by Intelsat. Launched in 1967, it was operated in geostationary orbit at a longitude of 174 degrees east until 1969.

Intelsat II F-3, also known as Canary Bird was a communications satellite operated by Intelsat. Launched in 1967 it was operated in geostationary orbit, spending most of its operational life at a longitude of 15 degrees west.

Intelsat II F-4 was a communications satellite operated by Intelsat. Launched in 1967 it was operated in geostationary orbit at a longitude of 176 degrees east and later 166 degrees west.

Intelsat III F-1 was a communications satellite intended to be operated by Intelsat. Launched towards geostationary orbit in 1968 it failed to achieve orbit.

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.

Intelsat III F-3 was a geostationary communications satellite operated by Intelsat. Launched in 1969 it was intended for operations over the Pacific Ocean; however, it spent most of its service life over the Indian Ocean at a longitude of 63 degrees east.

Intelsat III F-5 was a communications satellite intended to be operated by Intelsat. Launched towards geostationary orbit in 1969 it failed to achieve orbit.

Intelsat III F-8 was a communications satellite owned by Intelsat. The satellite had an estimated useful life of 5 years.

Intelsat 802 was a communications satellite operated by Intelsat. Launched in 1997 it was operated in geostationary orbit at a longitude of 174 degrees west for around fourteen years.

NSS-5 is a communications satellite operated by Intelsat and after by SES World Skies. Launched in 1997 it was operated in geostationary orbit at a longitude of 50.5 degrees east for around 14 years.

Intelsat 804 was a communications satellite operated by Intelsat. Launched in 1997 it was operated in geostationary orbit at a longitude of 44 degrees east for around 8 years.

References

  1. 1 2 3 McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
  2. ↑ "Intelsat II". Boeing. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
  3. 1 2 3 Krebs, Gunter. "Intelsat-2". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
  4. ↑ Harland, David M; Lorenz, Ralph D. (2005). Space Systems Failures (2006 ed.). Chichester: Springer-Praxis. p. 20. ISBN   0-387-21519-0.
  5. 1 2 "U.S.-Japan Television Link Opens With 50-Minute Show". Stars and Stripes . January 28, 1967. p. 7.
  6. ↑ "Lanibird Filled the (TV) Bill". Stars and Stripes. February 1, 1967. pp. 18–19.
  7. 1 2 McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
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