Launch Success
Liftoff Time (GMT)
22:37:00
Monday June 5, 1989
Maiden flight of Ariane 44L. Flight V31.
Superbird-A, also identified as Superbird-1 before launch, was a geostationary communications satellite designed and manufactured by Ford Aerospace (now SSL MDA) on the SSL 1300 platform. It was originally ordered by Space Communications Corporation (SCC), which later merged into the SKY Perfect JSAT Group. It had a mixed Ku band, Ka band, and X band payload and operated on the 158°E longitude. It was ordered in 1985 along with Superbird-B, Superbird-A1, and Superbird-B1 on the very first order of the SSL 1300 platform. It was also the first satellite of SCC and the second commercial satellite of Japan after JCSAT-1. It was used for video distribution, news gathering, remote publishing, and high-definition TV service to the main islands of Japan and Okinawa.
Geostationary Transfer Orbit
1 Payload
2,489 kilograms
DFS-Kopernikus (meaning Deutscher Fernmeldesatellit Kopernikus) was the name of three geostationary satellites of Deutsche Bundespost and later Deutsche Telekom AG. They are no longer in use.
Geostationary Transfer Orbit
1 Payload
1,416 kilograms
Manufacturer
ESARocket
Diameter: 3.8m
Height: 58.72m
Payload to Orbit
GTO: 4,720 kg
Liftoff Thrust
6,000 Kilonewtons
Stages
3
Strap-ons
4
4th
Mission
2nd
Mission of 1989
22nd
Mission
4th
Mission of 1989
41st
Orbital launch attempt