Status
Success
Brasilsat B4 & Nilesat 102
Thu Aug 17, 2000 23:16 UTC
Flight V130.
Rocket
Mission Details
Brasilsat B4
Star One B4, originally designated Brasilsat B4, is a Brazilian communications satellite that is operated by Star One. It was constructed by the Hughes Space and Communications Company and is based on the HS-376W satellite bus. It was the penultimate HS-376, and final HS-376W to be launched. Its launch was contracted by Arianespace, using an Ariane 4 44LP-3 carrier rocket. The launch occurred at 23:16 GMT on 17 August 2000, from the ELA-2 launch pad at the Guiana Space Centre. The Nilesat 102 satellite was launched on the same rocket.
It was originally built and launched as Brasilsat B4 for Embratel and was later transferred to Embratel's subsidiary Star One and renamed. Following its launch, it raised itself into geostationary orbit by means of its onboard R-4D apogee motor and was positioned at 75° West for on-orbit testing. This was completed in September 2000, and it was moved to 92° West, arriving in October. It remained at that position until January 2007 when it was relocated to 70° West. It arrived on station in February and subsequently departed in June 2008. In July 2008 it arrived at 84° West, where it is currently stationed. It carries twenty-eight transponders and has an expected on-orbit lifespan of 12 years. It initially replaced the Brasilsat A2 satellite.
Nilesat 102
Nilesat 102 is an Egyptian-owned geosynchronous communications satellite that was launched by an Ariane 44LP rocket from Kourou, French Guiana on August 17, 2000, at 23:16 UTC by the European Space Agency. It was manufactured by the European company Matra Marconi Space (Astrium) and started official broadcasting on 12 September 2000 with an expected lifetime of 15 years. The spacecraft weighed 1,827 kg at launch.