Gorizont 17

Spacecraft n°:

Russian spacecraft n°:

Launch data:

Decay:

Description:

• Gorizont 17 was a Soviet geosynchronous communications satellite. It was launched to provide telephone, telegraph and fax communications services, in addition to relaying TV and radio broadcasts. It was stationed at 53 deg E.
• The Gorizont spacecraft possessed an initial mass in excess of 2.1 metric tons and have demonstrated a lifetime of nearly 10 years, although a 5-year service life was more common. The 3-axis stabilized satellite was approximately 2 m in diameter and 5 m long with two large solar arrays capable of generating 1.3 kW of electrical power for the first 3 years. Seven separate transmission antennas allowed a variety of reception patterns for both broad and localized terrestrial regions.
• A typical Gorizont communications payload included six general purpose (TV, audio, facsimile) 6/4 GHz transponders (five 12.5 W and one 60 W), one Luch 14/11 GHz transponder (15 W), and one Volna 1.6/1.5 GHz transponder (20 W). The Volna transponders were INMARSAT-compatible and were extensively used by the Russian merchant marine fleet via the primary GEO television rebroadcasting system, supporting all five Federation time zones: Zone 1 from 140 deg E, Zone 2 from 90 deg E, Zone 3 from 80 deg E, Zone 4 from 53 deg E, and Zone 5 from 14 deg W. These transmissions were handled by Orbita (12-m receiving antenna) and Moskva (2.5-m receiving antenna) ground stations in the 6/4 GHz band. The Moskva Globalnaya system was inaugurated in 1989 using 4-m receiving antennas and serviced by Gorizonts at 96.5 deg E and 11 deg W.

Mission details:

• Gorizont ('Horizon'), launched Jan 26, Soviet Ministry of Communications television and communications satellite.