TerreStar-1
| Mission type | Communication |
|---|---|
| Operator | TerreStar Corporation |
| COSPAR ID | 2009-035A |
| SATCAT № | 35496 |
| Mission duration | 15 years |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Bus | LS-1300S |
| Manufacturer | Space Systems Loral |
| Launch mass | 6,910 kilograms (15,230 lb) |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 1 July 2009, 17:52 UTC |
| Rocket | Ariane 5ECA |
| Launch site | Kourou ELA-3 |
| Contractor | Arianespace |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Geostationary |
| Longitude | 111° West |
| Perigee | 35,778 kilometers (22,231 mi) |
| Apogee | 35,806 kilometers (22,249 mi) |
| Inclination | 4.00 degrees |
| Period | 23.93 hours |
| Epoch | 21 January 2014, 09:03:45 UTC[1] |
| Transponders | |
| Band | E/F-band |
| Coverage area | Canada United States |
TerreStar-1 is an American communications satellite which was operated by TerreStar Corporation. It was constructed by Space Systems/Loral, based on the LS-1300S bus, and carries E/F band (IEEE S band) transponders which will be used to provide mobile communications to North America. The signals are transmitted by an 18-metre (59 ft) reflector on the satellite.[2] It had a launch mass of 6,910 kilograms (15,230 lb),[3] making it the most massive single satellite launched into a geosynchronous transfer orbit, and the largest commercial communications satellite ever built at the time of its launch,[4] surpassing the previous two records, both set by ICO G-1 in 2008. Terrestar-1 has since been surpassed in size by the launch of SkyTerra in November 2010, formerly known as Mobile Satellite Ventures.
TerreStar was launched at 17:52 GMT on 2009-07-01,[5] during a two-hour launch window that opened at 16:13.[6] The launch occurred towards the end of the window due to bad weather in the first hour, followed by two aborted countdowns for launch attempts scheduled at 17:12 and 17:34. The launch was conducted by Arianespace, and used an Ariane 5ECA carrier rocket, flying from ELA-3 at the Guiana Space Centre. After launch, the satellite separated from the carrier rocket into a geosynchronous transfer orbit. It will subsequently raise itself into geostationary orbit by means of its onboard propulsion system. It will be positioned at 111° West longitude, and is expected to operate for 15 years.[3] A second satellite, TerreStar-2, is currently under construction and will be used as a ground spare per the Federal Communications Commission guidelines.[3]
Following TerreStar's file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy a movement had been formed by the NGO A Human Right to purchase TerreStar-1 and to use it to provide free basic Internet access to developing countries. The team was looking for $150,000 USD in donations to put the first phase of their plan into action.[5] However after successfully bidding $1.375 billion for the acquisition of the TerreStar-1 satellite in a bankruptcy-court auction[7] Dish Network on August 22, 2011 asked the Federal Communications Commission to let the company use the wireless spectrum of TerreStar to offer its own wireless broadband service.[8]
References
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