Ariane 44LP | Astra 1B & Meteosat 5
Launch Successful
L - -- : -- : -- : --
Instantaneous launch window.
Launch Window
March 2, 1991, 11:36 p.m. - March 2, 1991, 11:36 p.m.
Instantaneous launch window.
March 2, 1991, 11:36 p.m. - March 2, 1991, 11:36 p.m.
Astra 1B was the second of the Astra communications satellites launched and operated by SES (Société Européenne des Satellites). It was believed to have been launched in a faulty condition, and suffered a thruster failure early in its life, causing minor drift, meaning that it became permanently difficult to obtain a steady lock on the satellite. This was most notable on analogue transmissions where the picture would move from clear to carrying sparklies and back again.
The Ariane 4 was an expendable space launch system, developed by the Centre national d'études spatiales (CNES), the French space agency, for the European Space Agency (ESA). It was manufactured by ArianeGroup and marketed by Arianespace. Since its first flight on 15 June 1988 until the final flight on 15 February 2003, it attained 113 successful launches out of 116 total launches.
Aérospatiale was a French state-owned aerospace manufacturer that built both civilian and military aircraft, rockets and satellites. It was originally known as Société nationale industrielle aérospatiale (SNIAS). Its head office was in the 16th arrondissement of Paris. The name was changed to Aérospatiale during 1970.
WIKINote: Name of payload is provisional. First launch of an ultimately 5 reconnaissance satellites for the South Korean Defense Acquisition Program A…
Progress resupply mission to the International Space Station.
A batch of 23 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.
Note: Payload identity and Cosmos series number uncertain. The Razdan satellite is reportedly a new electro-optical reconnaissance satellite desi…
Officially described as "Satellite-Internet Technology Demonstration Satellite(s)" built by Chinese Academy of Sciences. Probable 3 (?) test satellit…
A batch of 23 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.
Malligyong-1c (meaning "Telescope-1") is the third attempt by North Korea to launch a satellite officially declared to be for military reconnaissance…
A batch of 22 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.
Second test flight of the two-stage Starship launch vehicle. The booster is expected to separate 170 seconds into flight and return to land approxima…
A batch of 23 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.