Hélios 2B

Spacecraft nº:

France spacecraft nº: 60

Launch data: Designation  36124 / 09073A Launch date  18 Dec 2009 - 16:26 UT Launch site  Ko, ELA-3 Launch vehicle  Ariane-5GS (s/nº: L532) Mission  Military: Reconnaissance / Imaging LEO Sun-Synchronous Earth orbit: Perigee / Apogee  679 x 682 km Eccentricity  2.13E-04 Inclination  98.1 deg Period  98.37 min

Spacecraft data:

Préparation d′un satellite Helios 2 dans les locaux d′Airbus Defence and Space - Photo Airbus Defence and Space

Mission details:

• Optical reconnaissance, independent military intelligence capability for the EU (France has financed 90% of the B series).
• France's Helios IIB spy satellite was launched on Dec 18. The 4200 kg craft is based on the SPOT remote sensing satellites and is probably in a 680 km sun-synchronous orbit. In a new policy, the US has stopped releasing the orbital elements of French military satellites.
• The launch vehicle was production no. L532, an old Ariane 5GS model with an EPS upper stage. Only two of the last 23 launches have used the 5GS model rather than the enhanced 5ECA with the cryogenic ESC-A upper stage. Based on public information and comparison with other polar Ariane missions, the EPC core stage which separated 400 km above -53W 20N at 1635 UTC, probably entered an orbit of approximately -2690 x 800 km x 90.9 deg, reaching apogee over Newfoundland at 1644 UTC and reentering over the North Pole at 1657 UTC.
• The EPS stage burned from 1635 to 1652 UTC and entered an estimated 665 x 665 km x 98.3 deg orbit over Baffin Island, coasting half an orbit until Helios IIB separated from it at 1725 UTC over the Indian Ocean north of the ground station at Perth.