AMC-11 (GE 11)

Launch data: Designation  28252 / 04017A Launch date  19 May 2004 - 22:22 UT Launch site  CC, SLC36B Launch vehicle  Atlas-2AS (AC-166 #146) Mission  Commercial: Communications Geostationary orbit on 30 May: Perigee / Apogee  35772 x 35786 km Eccentricity  2.73E-04 Inclination  0.02° Period  1435.70 min

The AMC-11 satellite during pre-launch preparations. Photo: ILS

Mission details:

• After waiting through a half-hour pause in the countdown while engineers in Denver reviewed test data on a different rocket, the final minutes ticked away for launch at 6:22 p.m. EDT (2222 GMT) from pad 36B at Cape Canaveral, Florida.
• AMC-11 was released from the rocket in a temporary orbit with a high point of 22,325 statute miles, low point of 116 miles and inclination of 12.4 degrees to the equator. In the coming days, the satellite will use its engine to circularize the orbit to 22,300 miles and lower the inclination to the equator.
• Controllers will maneuver the satellite to 146 degrees West longitude along the equator for testing. Then AMC-11 will wait until after the seasonal eclipse period before drifting to its operational position at 131 degrees West.

C-band: