TurkmenÂlem 52E/MonacoSat

Spacecraft nº:

Turkmenistan spacecraft nº: 2

Launch data: Designation  40617 / 15023A Launch date  27 Apr 2015 - 23:03 UT Launch site  CC, SLC-40 Launch vehicle  Falcon-9 v1.1 Mission  Communication Geostationary orbit: Perigee / Apogee  35784 x 35788 km Eccentricity   Inclination   0.1° Period   min

Description:

• The decision to move forward with the national satellite project follows the creation in early 2011 of a Turkmen space agency, whose mandate includes satellite communications and the operation of the spacecraft from Turkmen territory.
• The Turkmen Ministry of Communications signed an agreement with Space Systems International-Monaco S.A.M. under which the Turkmen satellite will be stationed at the Monaco-registered 52° east position (also known as Monacosat 1) for its 15-year service life. SES has the rights to commercialise the entire MonacoSat payload of 12 Ku-band transponders on the TürkmenÂlem 52E satellite.
• Originally scheduled for a launch on a Chinese CZ-3B/G2 booster, it was moved in June 2013 to a SpaceX Falcon-9 v1.1 launch in 2014. Due changes made to ITAR, the move was required, as some US made parts could no longer be exported to China for launch.

Mission details:

• A SpaceX Falcon 9 placed a communications satellite in geostationary transfer orbit on Apr 27, 2015. The satellite has the baroque name of TurkmenAlem52E/MonacoSat, which requires some unpacking. The satellite was built by Thales Alenia Space in Cannes and is a Spacebus 4000C2 model with a 4700 kg launch mass. It is owned by the Turkmenistan National Space Agency and the Turkmen Ministry of Communications, which will operate 26 Ku-band transponders, and will be stationed at the 52E position.
  The GEO orbital slot is assigned to Monaco and its GEO telecom operator Space Systems International; Monaco has a further 12 Ku-band transponders on the satellite for the MonacoSat portion of the payload, which will be operated by the SES company on its behalf.