NEXT SPACEFLIGHT

Status

Failure

Superbird-B & BS-2X

Launch Time
Thu Feb 22, 1990 23:17 UTC

Exploded due to a blocked water line. Flight V36.

Rocket

Ariane 44L
Image Credit: Arianespace
Arianespace
Status: Retired
Liftoff Thrust: 6,000 kN
Payload to GTO: 4,720 kg
Stages: 3
Strap-ons: 4
Rocket Height: 58.72 m

Mission Details

Superbird-B

Superbird-B, also identified as Superbird-2 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 was lost at launch.

Payloads: 1
Total Mass: 2,492.0 kg
Geostationary Transfer Orbit

BS-2X

Yuri, also known as Broadcasting Satellite or BS, was a series of Japanese direct broadcast satellites.

The first satellite of this series, called BSE or Yuri 1, was launched in 1978. The last BS series satellite, BS-3b (Yuri 3b), was launched in 1991.

Payloads: 1
Total Mass: 1,250.0 kg
Geostationary Transfer Orbit

Location

ELA-2, Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana, France

Stats

1990

17th orbital launch attempt

Arianespace

27th mission
2nd mission of 1990
3rd failed mission

Ariane 4

8th mission
2nd mission of 1990
1st failed mission