Engineering:Intelsat II F-4

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Intelsat II F-4
Mission typeCommunications
OperatorIntelsat
COSPAR ID1967-094A[1]
SATCAT no.2969[1]
Mission duration3 years planned
3 12 years achieved
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeIntelsat II
BusHS-303A
ManufacturerHughes
Launch mass162 kilograms (357 lb)
BOL mass86 kilograms (190 lb)
Power85 watts
Start of mission
Launch dateSeptember 28, 1967, 00:45:00 (1967-09-28UTC00:45Z) UTC[2]
RocketDelta E1
Launch siteCape Canaveral Air Force Station LC-17B
ContractorNASA
End of mission
Deactivatedc. 1971 (1972)
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeGeosynchronous
Longitude176° east (1967-70)
166° west (1971)
Perigee altitude35,742 kilometers (22,209 mi)
Apogee altitude35,886 kilometers (22,299 mi)
Inclination6.00 degrees
Period23.95 hours
EpochFebruary 8, 2014, 07:56:55 UTC[3]
Intelsat III F-1 (Intelsat III) →
 

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.[4]

The fourth and last Intelsat II satellite to be launched, Intelsat II F-4 was built by Hughes Aircraft around the HS-303A satellite bus. It carried two transponders, which were powered by body-mounted solar cells generating 85 watts of power.[5] The spacecraft had a mass of 162 kilograms (357 lb) at launch, decreasing through expenditure of propellant to 86 kilograms (190 lb) by the beginning of its operational life.

Intelsat II F-4 was launched atop a Delta E1 rocket flying from Launch Complex 17B at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station . The launch took place at 00:45:00 UTC on September 28, 1967, with the spacecraft entering a geosynchronous transfer orbit.[2] It fired an SVM-1 apogee motor to place itself into its operational geostationary orbit. The spacecraft was operated at a longitude of 176° east until 1970, before being moved to 166° west. In total the satellite remained in service for around three and a half years.[4]

As of February 8, 2014 the derelict Intelsat II F-4 was in an orbit with a perigee of 35,742 kilometers (22,209 mi), an apogee of 35,886 kilometers (22,299 mi), inclination of 6.00 degrees and an orbital period of 23.95 hours.[3]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 "INTELSAT 2 F-4". National Space Science Data Center. https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=1967-094A. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. http://planet4589.org/space/log/launchlog.txt. 
  3. 3.0 3.1 "INTELSAT 2-F4 Satellite details 1967-094A NORAD 2969". N2YO. February 8, 2014. http://www.n2yo.com/satellite/?s=2969. 
  4. 4.0 4.1 Wade, Mark. "Intelsat 2". Encyclopedia Astronautica. http://www.astronautix.com/craft/intlsat2.htm. Retrieved February 8, 2014. 
  5. Krebs, Gunter. "Intelsat-2". Gunter's Space Page. http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/intelsat-2.htm.