Previous Spaceflight Launches
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Ariane 5 G | MaqSat 3 & ARD
ArianeGroup | FranceGuiana Space Centre, French Guiana
Oct. 21, 1998, 4:37 p.m.
Atlas IIA | UHF F/O F9
Lockheed Martin | United States of AmericaCape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
Oct. 20, 1998, 7:19 a.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:
The U.S. Navy began replacing and upgrading its ultra-high frequency (UHF) satellite communications network during the 1990s with a constellation of customized satellites built by Hughes Space and Communications Company. Known as the UFO (Ultra High Frequency Follow On) series, these HS-601 model satellites support the Navy's global communications network, serving ships at sea and a variety of other U.S. military fixed and mobile terminals.
Geostationary OrbitAtlas IIA | Hot Bird 5
Lockheed Martin | United States of AmericaCape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
Oct. 9, 1998, 10:50 p.m.
Ariane 44L | Eutelsat W2 & Sirius 3
Aérospatiale | FranceGuiana Space Centre, French Guiana
Oct. 5, 1998, 10:51 p.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:
The W satellites are designed to provide telecommunications services primarily over Europe (Eutelsat W2, W3 and W5) and communication services over Russia and Africa (W4). W2, W3 and W5 are designed to offer 24 transponders at saturation and W4 is designed to provide 31 transponders at saturation. The W satellites have a minimum operational lifetime of 12 years. The spacecraft are based on the Spacebus-3000B2 platform. Sirius 3 provides direct-to-home television services to the Scandinavian region. Hughes upgraded NSAB's satellite control center at Esrange, Kiruna, and provided training to the satellite controllers. Sirius 3 was successfully launched on an Ariane-44L H10-3 on October 5, 1998. The satellite was built at the Integrated Satellite Factory of in El Segundo, Calif.
Geostationary OrbitMinotaur | NROL-8
Orbital ATK | United States of AmericaVandenberg SFB, CA, USA
Oct. 3, 1998, 10:04 a.m.
Molniya-M | Molniya-1T 91
Russian Space Forces | RussiaPlesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation
Sept. 28, 1998, 11:41 p.m.
Pegasus XL HAPS | Orbcomm-C1 - C8
Orbital Sciences Corporation | United States of AmericaAir launch to orbit
Sept. 23, 1998, 5:06 a.m.
Ariane 44LP | PAS 7
Aérospatiale | FranceGuiana Space Centre, French Guiana
Sept. 16, 1998, 6:31 a.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:
Three of the most powerful broadcast satellites ever launched that are capable of direct-to-home (DTH) service are providing DTH programming to millions of consumers of PanAmSat. They were designed and built by Space Systems/Loral (SS/L).
Geostationary OrbitZenit-2 11K77.05 | Globalstar 5, 7, 9 to 13, 16 to 18, 20, 21
Yuzhnoye Design Bureau | UkraineBaikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan
Sept. 9, 1998, 8:29 p.m.
Status: Launch Failure
Mission:
The Globalstar global mobile communications network offers global, digital real time voice, data and fax via a constellation of 48 minisatellites. The constellation operates in a 1410 km orbit inclined at 52 degrees, and will also have 8 spares. The satellites were built by Space Systems Loral and Alenia Aerospazio in Rome, Italy.
Low Earth Orbit
Delta II | Iridium 77, 79 to 82
United Launch Alliance | United States of AmericaVandenberg SFB, CA, USA
Sept. 8, 1998, 9:13 p.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:
Iridium provides global mobile telecommunications services using a constellation of 66 low earth orbit satellites in a 86.4° inclined orbit. Although 77 satellites were originally envisioned for the system and spawned the name based on the 77th element in the periodic table, the system has been scaled back. Motorola's Satellite Communications Group designed and manufactured the Iridium satellites with Lockheed Martin providing the LM-700A spacecraft buses.
Low Earth Orbit
