Satellite Atlantic Bird 3
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Mission type | Communications |
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Operator | Eutelsat |
COSPAR ID | 2002-035A |
SATCAT no. | 27460 |
Website | www |
Mission duration | 17 years (anticipated) |
Spacecraft properties | |
Bus | Spacebus 3000 |
Manufacturer | Thales Alenia Space |
Launch mass | 4,050 kilograms (8,930 lb) |
Start of mission | |
Launch date | 5 July 2002, 23:21 | UTC
Rocket | Ariane 5 G |
Launch site | Guyana Space Centre |
Orbital parameters | |
Reference system | Geocentric |
Regime | Geostationary |
Longitude | 5° west |
Perigee | 35,770.8 kilometres (22,226.9 mi) |
Apogee | 35,816.3 kilometres (22,255.2 mi) |
Inclination | 0.0 degrees |
Period | 1,436.1 minutes |
Transponders | |
Band | C and Ku |
Coverage area | Americas, Africa, Europe |
Coordinates: 0°N 5°W / 0°N 5°W
Eutelsat 5 West A, formerly Atlantic Bird 3 (or AB 3) is a communications satellite belonging to the operator Eutelsat. Situated at 5° west, it broadcasts satellite television, radio and other digital data. Developed for France Telecom it transferred soon after its launch to the operator Eutelsat. It entered operational service in early September 2002. Its current anticipated working life is 17 years.
Stellat 5, as it was originally known, was built by Alcatel Space on behalf of Stellat, a joint-venture between France Telecom (70%) and Europe*Star (30%), a subsidiary of Alcatel Space and Loral Space and Communications. It was launched 5 July 2002 at 23:21 UTC by an Ariane 5 G rocket from Guyana Space Centre along with the Japanese satellite N-STAR c. It had a launch weight of 4,050 kilograms (8,930 lb). Victim of financial difficulties, France Télecom withdrew from space operations. In this move it sold Stellat to Eutelsat in July 2002. Early 20 June, the satellite entered operational service. On the 25, Eutelsat completed the acquisition for a sum of €183,900,000 and renamed the satellite Atlantic Bird 3.