Launch Success
Liftoff Time (GMT)
22:46:00
Thursday August 30, 1990
Flight V38.
In 1990 Eutelsat began the deployment of the second generation Eutelsat spacecraft procured directly from Aerospatiale and based on the Spacebus-2000 design. Each Eutelsat 2 spacecraft supports 16 transponders (with eight spares) operating at 14/11 GHz and 50 W output power. In orbit, the spacecraft spans 22.4 m across the two rectangular solar arrays which generate up to 3.5 kW. Eutelsat 2 employs two 1.6 m diameter multifeed reflectors, one on each side of the spacecraft bus.
Geostationary Transfer Orbit
1 Payload
1,878 kilograms
Skynet is a family of military communications satellites, now operated by Astrium Services on behalf of the UK Ministry of Defence, which provide strategic communication services to the three branches of the British Armed Forces and to NATO forces engaged in coalition tasks. The satellites were operated by Paradigm Secure Communications until October 2012 when the organisation was rebranded to Astrium Services.
Geostationary Transfer Orbit
1 Payload
1,250 kilograms
Manufacturer
ESARocket
Diameter: 3.8m
Height: 58.72m
Payload to Orbit
GTO: 4,220 kg
Liftoff Thrust
5,800 Kilonewtons
Stages
3
Strap-ons
4
10th
Mission
4th
Mission of 1990
29th
Mission
4th
Mission of 1990
83rd
Orbital launch attempt