Skynet 5D & Mexsat-3

Launch Success

Liftoff Time (GMT)

21:49:00

Wednesday December 19, 2012

Watch Replay

Official Livestream

Mission Details

Read Article

Launch Notes

Flight VA212.

Mexsat-3

Wiki

Mexsat-3, also known as Mexsat Bicentenario or simply Bicentenario, is the first of three Mexican satellites forming the MEXSAT telecommunications network and is named to commemorate the bicentennial of the Independence of Mexico. It was launched on 19 December 2012 to serve the other two satellites in the network, Mexsat-1 and Mexsat-2, as a fixed satellite service. It was manufactured by the company Orbital Sciences Corporation and was launched from Kourou in French Guiana, and currently occupies orbit at 114.9° West.

Geostationary Transfer Orbit

1 Payload

2,935 kilograms

Skynet 5D

Wiki

Skynet 5D is a military communications satellite operated by Airbus Defence and Space on behalf of the British Ministry of Defence. It was the last of four Skynet 5 satellites to be launched. The spacecraft was constructed by Astrium, based on the Eurostar 3000S satellite bus. It had a mass at launch of approximately 4,800 kilograms (10,600 lb) and is designed to operate for at least 15 years. Its 34-metre (112 ft) solar arrays will generate a minimum of 6 kilowatts to power its UHF and X-band communications systems. The satellite's payload includes jamming countermeasures.

Geostationary Transfer Orbit

1 Payload

4,800 kilograms

Rocket

Retired
Ariane 5 ECA

Active 2002 to 2023

European Space Agency logo

Manufacturer

ESA

Price

$200.00 million

Rocket

Diameter: 5.4m

Height: 53m

Payload to Orbit

LEO: 21,000 kg

GTO: 10,500 kg

Liftoff Thrust

15,120 Kilonewtons

Fairing

Diameter: 5.4m

Height: 17m

Stages

2

Strap-ons

2

Launch Site

ELA-3

Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana, France

Fastest Turnaround

24 days 3 hours

Stats

Ariane 5


67th

Mission

7th

Mission of 2012

European Space Agency


203rd

Mission

9th

Mission of 2012

2012


78th

Orbital launch attempt