Launch Success
Liftoff Time (GMT)
01:26:00
Friday January 18, 1980
Watch Replay
Official Livestream
FLTSATCOM-3 or (FSC-3) was the third vehicle in the Navy's FLTSATCOM communications satellite constellation, which was used by the United States Navy for communications between aircraft, ships, submarines, and ground stations. Fltsatcom 3 provided 28 5-kHz and 11 20-kHz communications channels simultaneously in the UHF band. The UHF up-link was in the 290 to 320 MHz range while the down-link was in the 240 to 320 MHz range. A number of channels were reserved for high-priority communications by the United States Air Force. These were ground-to-air communications between SAC aircraft, the E-3A airborne warning and control system, and elements of the presidential command structure. FSC-3's life officially ended in September 1995.
Geostationary Transfer Orbit
1 Payload
1,842 kilograms
52nd
Mission
1st
Mission of 1980
4th
Orbital launch attempt