Brasilsat B3 & Inmarsat-3 F5

Launch Success

Liftoff Time (GMT)

23:29:00

Wednesday February 4, 1998

Mission Details

Launch Notes

Flight V105.

Brasilsat B3

Wiki

Brasilsat B3 is a Brazilian communications satellite. It was launched on 4 February 1998 by an Ariane 44LP carrier rocket, as part of a dual-payload launch with Inmarsat-3 F5. It was built by Hughes Aircraft, based on the HS-376 satellite bus. It operates by Star One, a subsidiary of Embratel. The Brasilsat B3 was launched to meet the great demand of the Brazilian market and to bring satellite communication to some cities in the Amazon Region, which still did not have access to satellite services, these locations were for the first time connected to Brazil, and the world. In addition, the B3 unveiled the Brasilsat B2, which has now been used in open or pay-TV broadcasts, telephone services, and data transmission.

Geostationary Transfer Orbit

1 Payload

1,757 kilograms

Inmarsat-3 F5

Wiki

The Inmarsat-3s were built by Lockheed Martin Astro Space (now Lockheed Martin Missiles & Space) of the USA, who were responsible for the basic spacecraft, and the European Matra Marconi Space (now Astrium), which developed the communications payload. The Inmarsat I-3 communications payload can generate a global beam and a maximum of seven spotbeams. The spotbeams are directed as required to make extra communications capacity available in areas where demand from users is high.

Geostationary Transfer Orbit

1 Payload

2,068 kilograms

Rocket

Retired
Ariane 44LP

Active 1988 to 2001

European Space Agency logo

Manufacturer

ESA

Rocket

Diameter: 3.8m

Height: 58.72m

Payload to Orbit

GTO: 4,220 kg

Liftoff Thrust

5,800 Kilonewtons

Stages

3

Strap-ons

4

Launch Site

ELA-2

Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana, France

Fastest Turnaround

16 days

Stats

Ariane 4


75th

Mission

1st

Mission of 1998

European Space Agency


94th

Mission

1st

Mission of 1998

1998


7th

Orbital launch attempt