Luch 5A

Spacecraft nº:

Russian spacecraft nº:

Launch data: Designation  37951 / 11074B Launch date  11 Dec 2011 - 11:17 UT Launch site  Baikonur, LC-81/24 Launch vehicle  Proton-M/Briz-M Mission  Government: Communication, Data relay Geostationary orbit: Perigee / Apogee  35778 x 35793 km Eccentricity  1,78E-04 Inclination  4.85 deg Period  1436.8 min

Description:

• The Luch-5 will be the russian follow-on relay satellites, which replace the Luch and Luch-2 satellites.
• LUCH 5A, built by ISS Reshetnev and Thales Alenia Space, will be positioned at 16 deg. W. Long., where it will offer seven S-band and Ku-band channels. The 1,148-kg spacecraft will provide TV and data communications links between the International Space Station and the ground, as well as orbital control of spacecraft in low Earth orbit.

Mission details:

• A Khrunichev Proton placed the Amos-5 and Luch-5A satellites in geosynchronous orbit on Dec 11, 2011. Luch-5A is a Russian tracking and data relay satellite analogous to NASA's TDRS system. Earlier Luch satellites used the large 2-tonne KAUR-4 bus, but this one is only 1148 kg and uses Reshetnev's new Ekspress-1000 bus, also used for the Glonass-K satellites.