Galaxy 10R

Galaxy 10R

Mission type	Communication
Operator	PanAmSat Intelsat
COSPAR ID	2000-002A
Mission duration	Planned: 15 years Achieved: 8 years
Spacecraft properties
Bus	HS-601HP
Manufacturer	Hughes
Launch mass	3,475 kilograms (7,661 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date	25 January 2000 (2000-01-25)
Rocket	Ariane 42L-3
Launch site	Kourou ELA-2
Contractor	Arianespace
End of mission
Disposal	Decommissioned
Deactivated	June 2008 (2008-07)
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric
Regime	Geostationary
Longitude	123° West

Galaxy 10R was an American communications satellite which was operated by PanAmSat, and later Intelsat. It was constructed by Hughes and is based on the HS-601HP satellite bus. Launch occurred on 25 January 2000, at 01:04. The launch was contracted by Arianespace, and used an Ariane 4 42L-3 carrier rocket flying from ELA-2 at the Guiana Space Centre.

Galaxy 10R was built to replace the Galaxy 10 satellite, which had been lost in a launch failure on the maiden flight of the Delta III in 1998. It was launched just fourteen months after the contract to build the satellite had been signed, due to Hughes' advance production of components to allow quick production of replacement satellites.

Following its launch and on-orbit testing, it was placed in geostationary orbit at 123° West, from where it provided communications services to North America. It was expected to remain in service for fifteen years, however following a malfunction of its Xenon Ion Propulsion System in August 2004, this was reduced. It was retired to a graveyard orbit in June 2008.