Mission type | Communication |
---|---|
Operator |
Nordic Satellite AB Swedish Space Corporation |
COSPAR ID | 1989-027A |
Website | Tele-X at SSC |
Mission duration | 9 years |
Spacecraft properties | |
Manufacturer |
Aérospatiale Saab Ericsson Space |
Dry mass | 1,050 kilograms (2,310 lb) |
Power | 3,000 watts |
Start of mission | |
Launch date | April 2, 1989 |
Rocket | Ariane 2 |
Launch site | Kourou ELA-1 |
Contractor | Ariancespace |
End of mission | |
Deactivated | January 16, 1998 |
Orbital parameters | |
Reference system | Geocentric |
Regime | Geostationary |
Perigee | 35,765 kilometres (22,223 mi) |
Apogee | 35,807 kilometres (22,249 mi) |
Period | 1,451 minutes |
Tele-X was the first communications satellite serving the Nordic countries. It was launched with an Ariane 2 rocket from Kourou, French Guyana, on April 2, 1989. On January 16, 1998, its fuel was exhausted and it was moved into graveyard orbit. The project was managed and operated by the Swedish Space Corporation, but it was built by Aérospatiale and Saab Ericsson Space, based on the Spacebus 300 series.
Some of the TV channels it broadcast was TV4 Sweden, Kanal 5 Sweden, NRK and Filmnet. In addition, it broadcast radio for TT, The Voice Danmark, Radio Sweden, Rix FM, Mix Megapol and NRJ. It was also used for Internet communication for universities in Eastern Europe.