GOES 3

USA

Spacecraft nº:

USA satellite nº:

GOES = Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite
Also called GOES-C

Launch data:

Designation:10953 / 78062A
Launch date 16 Jun 1978 - 10:49 UT
Launch siteCC, LC-17B
Launch vehicleDelta-2914 (#625/D142)
MissionCivil: Meteorology/Communications
Geostationary orbit:
Perigee / Apogee 35772 x 35800 km
Eccentricity 3.32E-04
Inclination 14.3 deg
Period 1436.08 min

The satellite was reactivated in 1995 to transmit educational programming in S-band (was desactivated in 1993). Used by the University of Hawaii to transmit educational programming throughout the Hawaiian Islands. In 1989 the satellite started being used by Peacesat (see Goes 7)

Spacecraft data:

Prime contractor  Hughes Aircraft
Platform  
Operator Ubiversity of Miami, Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science (RSMAS)
Mass at launch  627 kg
Dry Mass  kg
Basic shape  
Dimension (m) 
Solar array  
Stabilization  
DC power  
Design lifetime  7 yrs - no more active on Aug 2017

Location

Begin End Position
L: 16 Jun 1978 60°E
24 Oct 1993 176.2°W, inclination: 8°
~Jan 1995Jan 1996driftingEast
Feb 1996 103°W,inclination: 11°
2009 101.44° W

Built by Ford Aerospace
Downlink frequency: 136.38, 1691 and 2297.5925 MHz
Still supplying communications at South Pole; equipment scheduled to be removed in 2006.
End 2010, still supplying communications at South Pole; equipment scheduled to be removed in 2006.
Ref: #7, #15, #226 - update: 01.01.18