Engineering:Marisat 2

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Short description: Communications satellite
Marisat 2
Mission typeCommunications
OperatorCOMSAT[1]Inmarsat
COSPAR ID1976-053A
SATCAT no.08882
Mission duration20 years
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeHS-356
ManufacturerHughes
Launch mass665.0 kg (1,466.1 lb)
BOL mass362 kg (798 lb)
Start of mission
Launch dateJune 10, 1976, 00:09 (1976-06-10UTC00:09Z) UTC[2]
RocketDelta 2914
Launch siteCape Canaveral Air Force Station LC-17A
End of mission
DeactivatedSeptember 1996 (1996-10)
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeGeostationary
Longitude73° E
Eccentricity0.00022[3]
Perigee altitude35,788 kilometres (22,238 mi)[3]
Apogee altitude35,807 kilometres (22,249 mi)[3]
Inclination2.5°[3]
Period1,436.1 minutes[3]
EpochFebruary 19, 1976[3]
Transponders
Band1 L band, 1 C band and 3 UHF
 

Marisat 2 (or Marisat F2) is a communications satellite operated by COMSAT. Marisat 2 was the second of a series of COMSAT maritime communications satellites.

Satellite

The spacecraft was capable of transmitting voice, data, facsimile and telex messages to and from ships at sea through special shore stations at Southbury, Connecticut and Saint Paul, CA, which were interconnected with existing domestic terrestrial networks. The system was initially utilized primarily by the U.S. Navy, with a limited amount of satellite capacity provided in different frequency bands (L band), through separate satellite transponders, for maritime communications services to commercial entities and other interested users. At such time as the Navy's requirements terminate (late 1970s) substantial satellite capacity will become available for commercial maritime purposes. Following launch, satellite operation was nominal. It was placed in geosynchronous orbit at 176.5 degrees west and using propulsion FW-5.

Launch

Marisat 2 was launched by a Delta rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station , Florida, at 22:32 UTC on June 10, 1976.[3]

See also

  • 1976 in spaceflight

References

  1. Krebs, Gunter. "Marisat 1, 2, 3". Gunter's Space Page. http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/marisat-1.htm. Retrieved May 23, 2017. 
  2. McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. http://planet4589.org/space/log/launchlog.txt. Retrieved May 23, 2017. 
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 "Marisat 2". NSSDC Master Catalog. https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=1976-053A. Retrieved May 23, 2017.  This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.