ABS 3A

Spacecraft nº:

Chinese spacecraft nº: 244

Launch data: Designation  40424 / 15010A Launch date  02 Mar 2015 - 03:50 UT Launch site  CC, SLC-40 Launch vehicle  Falcon-9 v1.1 Mission  Communication Geostationary orbit: Perigee / Apogee  358 x 63319 km Eccentricity   Inclination  24.8 ° Period   min

Spacecraft data:

Description:

• ABS 3A is a geostationary satellite located at 3 degrees west longitude, blanketing the Americas, Europe, Africa and the Middle East with television programming, Internet services, cellular backhaul, and maritime communications capacity. The ABS payload hosts 24 C-band and 24 Ku-band transponders, replacing and extending communications coverage currently provided by the ABS 3 satellite, which launched in 1997 and is nearing the end of its life.
• The new satellite will allow the extension of C- and Ku-band services into the Atlantic Ocean region for ABS's existing customers, and will allow them to diversify our market base for our future growth.

Mission details:

• SpaceX launched the 16th Falcon 9 on Mar 2, 2015 carrying a dual communications satellite payload to supersynchronous transfer orbit.
• Falcon 9 reached a 174 x 953 km parking orbit 9 min after launch, and then made a second burn over the equator to reach about 391 x 63452 km x 24.8 deg. This orbit appears to be about 500 km lower in apogee (corresponding to only 10 meters per second shortfall in velocity) than planned.
• The two payloads were 2000 kg Boeing BSS-702SP models with XIPS-25 ion thrusters as their main propulsion system. ABS-3A, for Asia Broadcast Satellite of Hong Kong, was launched directly attached to the lower satellite, Eutelsat 115 West B, until it separated from the stack following stage 2 second cutoff.

External links:

• Satellite tracking: Real time satellite tracking