YahSat-1B (Y1B)

Spacecraft n°:

UAE spacecraft n°: 6

Launch data: Designation  38245 / 12016A Launch date  23 April 2012 - 22:18 Launch site  Baikonur, LC-200/39 Launch vehicle  Proton-M / Briz-M (#376) Mission  Mil/Comm: Communication Geostationary orbit on May 03.82: Perigee / Apogee  35785 x 35804 km Eccentricity  1,30E-04 Inclination  0.01 deg Period  1436.52 min

Description:

• Operated by Al Yah Satellite Communications Company, or Yahsat, of Abu Dhabi, the Y1B spacecraft will bring the new YahClick service to life, offering customers with uninterrupted broadband Internet. Built in collaboration between Thales Alenia Space and Astrium Space with a launch weight of nearly 13,000 pounds (5,897 kg), the Y1B is outfitted with a Ka-band communications package to generate 61 narrow spot beams over its coverage area. The craft is equipped with conventional chemical engines and four electrical propulsion plasma thrusters to maneuver into a circular geostationary orbit at 47.6 East longitude. It joins the Y1A bird launched last April to provide such telecommunications services as high-definition television relay.

Mission details:

• The second Astrium Eurostar E3000 satellite was launched on Apr 23, 2012 aboard a Proton-M from Baikonur. The satellite has a launch mass of around 6050 kg including propellant. On Apr 25 the satellite was in a 3905 x 35740 km x 23.7 deg transfer orbit; by May 3 the satellite was in a 35785 x 35804 km x 0.0 deg geosynchronous orbit drifting past 47 deg E.