Inmarsat-3 F2 (I-3 F2) at 55° West (Retired)
| Position: | 55° West (Retired) |
| Manufacturer: | Airbus Defense & Space |
| Operator: | Inmarsat |
| Launch operator: | ILS |
| Launch vehicle: | Proton M/Breeze |
| Launch date: | 09/18/1996 |
| Expected lifetime: | 15 Years |
Launched in 1996 thru 1998, the Inmarsat-3 series satellites were built by Lockheed Martin Astro Space (Lockheed Martin Space Systems) of the USA, responsible for the basic spacecraft, and the European Matra Marconi Space (EADS Astrium – Airbus Defense & Space), which developed the communications payload.
The Inmarsat-3 communications payload can generate a global beam and a maximum of 7 spotbeams. The spotbeams are directed as required to make extra communications capacity available in areas where demand from users is high.
Inmarsat-3 F1 was launched in 1996 to cover the Indian Ocean Region. Over the next two years F2 entered service over Atlantic Ocean Region-East, followed by F3 (Pacific Ocean Region), F4 (Atlantic Ocean Region-West) and F5 (limited services on a single spot beam, back-up and leased capacity).
Inmarsat-3 F2 was launched without apogee kick motor, as the Proton-K Blok-DM1 launch vehicle, operated by launch operator ILS, was capable of direct GSO injection. The satellite is retired but kept active for existing and evolved services only.
Inmarsat-3 F4 was retired in 2016 and was moved into a graveyard orbit above the geostationary belt, but kept active for existing and evolved services only.
Intelsat-3 F2 was successfully launched on September 18th, 1996, on a Proton M rocket booster, operated by launch operator ILS, from the Baikonour Cosmodrome in Kazachstan.
Inmarsat-3 F2 (I-3 F2) at 55° West (Retired)
Inmarsat-3 F2 (I-3 F2) at 55° West (Retired)
Inmarsat 3F4 Satellite FootprintInmarsat-3 F2 (I-3 F2) at 55° West (Retired)
