Back to selection
GEO Satellite
succesfull
Launch date
4 June 1997
Position
54° East
Manufacturer
Operator
Launch operator
Launch vehicle
Expected lifetime
15 Years
Regions
Europe Region
Middle East Region
North & Central Africa Region
South Africa Region
South America Region
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.
Inmarsat-3 F4 was successfully launched on June 4th, 1997, on an Ariane 44L rocket, operated by launch operator Arianespace, from the Kourou Space Port in French Guyana.
GEO Satellite
succesfull
GEO Satellite
succesfull