Amazonas satellite reaches geostationary orbit
The Amazonas spacecraft, designed and built by EADS Astrium for HISPASAT and launched by Proton on 5th of August 2004, successfully performed early operations and is now in geostationary orbit.
Amsterdam, Toulouse, Friedrichshafen, Stevenage, 11 August 2004
After its launch from Baikonur on 5th of August at 4:32 (0:32 CET time) by a Proton Breeze M launch vehicle, the Amazonas satellite’s perigee altitude was raised in several burns of its own engine until it reached geostationary orbit. Its solar arrays were successfully deployed as were the antenna reflectors and the satellite is now accurately pointing to Earth. All systems are behaving nominally. As planned the satellite is drifting to its final orbital position where it will be thoroughly tested before the payload can be brought into full operational service.
“This is a major event for EADS Astrium as Amazonas is the third Eurostar E3000 model launched this year. Amazonas is the largest satellite as well as the most powerful satellite ever ordered by Hispasat. All over Europe our teams and our expertise were mobilised to make this event a success.” said Antoine Bouvier, CEO of EADS Astrium.
With 51 transponders, Amazonas satellite will provide a full range of telecommunications and business services to Brazil, North and South America, and a transatlantic link for Europe.
The Amazonas Latin American satellite will operate in geostationary orbit, at the 61°W orbital position over the Amazon basin, and will provide both fixed and broadcast communications services through 32 simultaneous operational transponders in Ku-band and 19 simultaneous operational transponders in C-band. The services offered will include TV and radio broadcasting and distribution, voice and data corporate networks, public networks, telephony, broadband services and Internet access, etc.
The spacecraft has a launch mass of 4,545 kg, a solar array span of 35 metres once deployed in orbit, and a spacecraft power of 9.5 kW at end of life. The satellite will be able to be operated for a 17.5-year duration.
38 EUROSTAR spacecraft have been ordered to date, of which 26 have already been launched and have proven highly reliable in operational service. Amazonas is the third in the E3000 series, of which eight others are currently in production.
The E3000 platform features a high degree of modularity, which, due to its wide range of configurations, enables it to match mission requirements precisely and to offer operators a comprehensive range of power options.
EADS Astrium is Europe’s leading satellite system specialist. Its activities cover complete civil and military telecommunications and Earth observation systems, science and navigation programmes, and all spacecraft avionics and equipment.
EADS Astrium is a wholly owned subsidiary of EADS SPACE, which is dedicated to providing civil and defence space systems. In 2003 EADS SPACE had a turnover of €2.4 billion and 12,000 employees in France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Spain.
EADS is a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services. In 2003, EADS generated revenues of € 30.1 billion and employed a workforce of more than 100,000.
AMAZONAS technical characteristics
| Spacecraft: | E3000 |
| Main body dimensions: | |
| Height: | 5.8 m |
| Length: | 2.4 m |
| Width: | 2.9 m |
| Solar Array Span deployed: | 35 m |
| Launch mass: | 4500 kg |
| DC Power / End of life: | 9500W |
| Design lifetime: | 15 years |
| Orbital position: | 61° West |
| Payload | |
| Frequency bands: | C and Ku bands |
| Number of transponders: | 19 transponders in C- band 32 transponders in Ku- band |
| Coverage: | - Brazil - North America, from North of USA to Panama, including Mexico and the Caribbean Islands - Central and South America, from Venezuela and Colombia to the South of Argentina and Chile - South West Europe (Ku-band only) |
| Channel switchability | High level of flexibility for channel allocation between North and South America, Brazil and Europe. |
Press contact:
Rémi ROLAND
EADS SPACE (FR)
Tel.: +33 (0) 1 34 88 35 78
Dr. Christian ERLES
EADS SPACE (FR)
Tel.: +33 (0) 1 39 06 32 53
Alistair SCOTT
EADS SPACE (UK)
Tel.: +44 (0) 1438 77 3698
Mathias PIKELJ
EADS SPACE (GER)
Tel.: +49 (0) 7545 8 91 23
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