Previous Spaceflight Launches
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Soyuz U | Progress M-34
Russian Federal Space Agency (ROSCOSMOS) | RussiaBaikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan
April 6, 1997, 4:04 p.m.
Space Shuttle Columbia / OV-102 | STS-83
National Aeronautics and Space Administration | United States of AmericaKennedy Space Center, FL, USA
April 4, 1997, 7:20 p.m.
Titan II SLV | DMSP-5D2 F14
Lockheed Martin | United States of AmericaVandenberg SFB, CA, USA
April 4, 1997, 4:47 p.m.
Atlas IIA | Tempo 2
Lockheed Martin | United States of AmericaCape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
March 8, 1997, 6:01 a.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:
The Tempo 1 and 2 satellites can transmit more than 200 channels of high-fidelity broadcast programming to cable companies and home dishes. Tempo has twice the power and capacity of comparable satellites. It features 32 high-powered Ku-band transponders at 115 Watts, switchable to 16 transpondersders at 220 Watts. Total on-board transmitter power totals 3500 Watts.
Geostationary OrbitStart-1.2 | Zeya
Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology | RussiaSvobodny Cosmodrome, Russian Federation
March 4, 1997, 2 a.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:
The Mozhayets 2 (Zeya, RS 16) satellite was a Russian Military experimental communications satellite launched on 4 March 1997. Zeya was named after the Zeya River, which is very close to its launch site, Cosmodrome Svobodniy. A Start-1.2 rocket transported it into orbit. This was the first satellite launched from this new Russian launch site in far eastern Russia.
Low Earth Orbit
Ariane 44P | INTELSAT 801
Aérospatiale | FranceGuiana Space Centre, French Guiana
March 1, 1997, 1:07 a.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:
The Intelsat VIII-VIII/A series has been designed to meet the needs of Intelsat users throughout the system for improved C-band coverage and service. These spacecraft will incorporate six-fold C-band frequency reuse, two-fold frequency reuse of expanded C-band capacity, and the highest C-band power level ever for an Intelsat satellite. Consequently, Intelsat VIII will provide significantly more C-band capacity for public switched telephony and Intelsat Business Service, better quality for video services, and encourage new international VSAT applications.
Geostationary OrbitTitan 402B IUS | DSP 18
Lockheed Martin | United States of AmericaCape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
Feb. 23, 1997, 8:20 p.m.
Atlas IIAS | JCSAT R
Lockheed Martin | United States of AmericaCape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
Feb. 17, 1997, 1:42 a.m.
Tsiklon-3 | Strela-3 116 to 118 & Gonets 4 to 6
Yuzhnoye Design Bureau | UkrainePlesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation
Feb. 14, 1997, 3:47 a.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:
Gonets- satellite were the civilian derivate of the military Strela-3 satellite system. The Gonets system was offered to support international health organizations to meet their global communications needs for the transfer of medical data and records to remote sites. Strela-3 was second generation of strategic store-dump military communications satellite. Development of this generation to replace the first generation Strela-1M and Strela-2M satellites began in 1973.
Low Earth OrbitM-V | Haruka
IHI Corporation | JapanUchinoura Space Center, Japan
Feb. 12, 1997, 4:50 a.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:
HALCA (Highly Advanced Laboratory for Communication and Astronomy), a.k.a. VSOP (Very Large Baseline Interferometry Space Observatory Programme) or Muses-B, is the first astronomical satellite dedicated to Very-Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI). It was launched on its maiden flight by ISAS's M-5 [KM-V1] launch vehicle from Kagoshima Space Center on 12 February 1997.
Elliptical Orbit
