Intelsat I: Difference between revisions
Eerlichson (talk | contribs) m Changed orbital period from 1.437 minutes to 1437 minutes. Any geosynchronous satellite has an orbital period of approximately 23 hours, 56 minutes. The original was most likely a typo. |
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{{Infobox spaceflight |
{{Infobox spaceflight |
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| name = Intelsat I F1 |
| name = Intelsat I F1 |
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| image = INTELSAT I (Early Bird).jpg |
| image = INTELSAT I (Early Bird).jpg |
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| image_caption = INTELSAT I ''Early Bird'' |
| image_caption = INTELSAT I ''Early Bird'' |
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| mission_type = Communications |
| mission_type = Communications |
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| operator = [[Communications Satellite Corporation]] ([[COMSAT]]) |
| operator = [[Communications Satellite Corporation]] ([[COMSAT]]) |
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| website = |
| website = |
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| COSPAR_ID = 1965-028A |
| COSPAR_ID = 1965-028A |
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| SATCAT = 01317 |
| SATCAT = 01317 |
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| mission_duration = 18 months (planned)<br/>4 years and 4 months |
| mission_duration = 18 months (planned)<br/>4 years and 4 months |
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| entered_service = June 28, 1965 |
| entered_service = June 28, 1965 |
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| spacecraft_bus = HS301 |
| spacecraft_bus = HS301 |
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| manufacturer = [[Hughes Aircraft Company|Hughes Aircraft]] |
| manufacturer = [[Hughes Aircraft Company|Hughes Aircraft]] |
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| dry_mass = {{convert| | | |abbr=on}} |
| dry_mass = <!-- {{convert| | | |abbr=on}} --> |
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| launch_mass = 149 kg |
| launch_mass = 149 kg |
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| power = 40 watts |
| power = 40 watts |
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| launch_date = April 6, 1965, 23:47:50 UTC |
| launch_date = April 6, 1965, 23:47:50 UTC |
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| launch_rocket = [[Delta D]] |
| launch_rocket = [[Delta D]] |
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| launch_site = [[Cape Canaveral Air Force Station|Cape Canaveral]], [[Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Space Launch Complex 17|LC-17A]] |
| launch_site = [[Cape Canaveral Air Force Station|Cape Canaveral]], [[Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Space Launch Complex 17|LC-17A]] |
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| launch_contractor = [[Douglas Aircraft Company]] |
| launch_contractor = [[Douglas Aircraft Company]] |
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| disposal_type = |
| disposal_type = |
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| deactivated = August 1969 |
| deactivated = August 1969 |
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| orbit_epoch = |
| orbit_epoch = |
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| orbit_reference = [[Geocentric orbit|Geocentric]] |
| orbit_reference = [[Geocentric orbit|Geocentric]] |
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| orbit_regime = [[Geosynchronous orbit|GSO]] |
| orbit_regime = [[Geosynchronous orbit|GSO]] |
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| orbit_periapsis = {{convert|35767.8|km}} |
| orbit_periapsis = {{convert|35767.8|km}} |
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| orbit_apoapsis = {{convert|35855.1|km}} |
| orbit_apoapsis = {{convert|35855.1|km}} |
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| orbit_inclination = 3.1270° |
| orbit_inclination = 3.1270° |
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| orbit_period = 1437 minutes |
| orbit_period = 1437 minutes |
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| orbit_rev_number = 8068 |
| orbit_rev_number = 8068 |
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| apsis = gee |
| apsis = gee |
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| trans_band = |
| trans_band = |
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| trans_frequency = |
| trans_frequency = |
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| trans_bandwidth = |
| trans_bandwidth = |
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| trans_capacity = |
| trans_capacity = |
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| trans_coverage = |
| trans_coverage = |
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| trans_TWTA = |
| trans_TWTA = |
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| trans_EIRP = |
| trans_EIRP = |
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| trans_HPBW = |
| trans_HPBW = |
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| programme = [[Intelsat]] |
| programme = [[Intelsat]] |
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| previous_mission = |
| previous_mission = |
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| next_mission = [[Intelsat II F-1]] |
| next_mission = [[Intelsat II F-1]] |
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}} |
}} |
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Revision as of 20:24, 29 April 2021
.jpg) INTELSAT I Early Bird | |
| Mission type | Communications |
|---|---|
| Operator | Communications Satellite Corporation (COMSAT) |
| COSPAR ID | 1965-028A |
| SATCAT no. | 01317 |
| Mission duration | 18 months (planned) 4 years and 4 months |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Bus | HS301 |
| Manufacturer | Hughes Aircraft |
| Launch mass | 149 kg |
| Power | 40 watts |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | April 6, 1965, 23:47:50 UTC |
| Rocket | Delta D |
| Launch site | Cape Canaveral, LC-17A |
| Contractor | Douglas Aircraft Company |
| Entered service | June 28, 1965 |
| End of mission | |
| Deactivated | August 1969 |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | GSO |
| Perigee altitude | 35,767.8 kilometres (22,225.1 mi) |
| Apogee altitude | 35,855.1 kilometres (22,279.3 mi) |
| Inclination | 3.1270° |
| Period | 1437 minutes |
| Revolution no. | 8068 |
Intelsat I (nicknamed Early Bird for the proverb "The early bird catches the worm") was the first commercial communications satellite to be placed in geosynchronous orbit, on April 6, 1965.[1][2] It was built by the Space and Communications Group of Hughes Aircraft Company (later Hughes Space and Communications Company, and now Boeing Satellite Systems) for COMSAT, which activated it on June 28, 1965. It was based on the Syncom series of satellites that Hughes had previously built for NASA to demonstrate that communications via synchronous-orbit satellite were feasible. Its booster was a Thrust Augmented Delta (Delta D). After a series of maneuvers, it reached its geosynchronous orbital position over the Atlantic Ocean at 28° West longitude, where it was put into service.[3]
It helped provide the first live TV coverage of a spacecraft splashdown, that of Gemini 6 in December 1965. Originally slated to operate for 18 months, Early Bird was in active service for 4 years and 4 months, being deactivated in January 1969, although it was briefly activated in June of that year to serve the Apollo 11 flight when the Atlantic Intelsat satellite failed. It was deactivated again in August 1969 and has been inactive since that time (except for a brief reactivation in 1990 to commemorate its 25th launch anniversary), although it remains in orbit.
The Early Bird satellite was the first to provide direct and nearly instantaneous contact between Europe and North America, handling television, telephone, and telefacsimile transmissions. It was fairly small, measuring nearly 76 × 61 cm (2.5 × 2.0 feet) and weighing 34.5 kg (76 pounds).
Early Bird was one of the satellites used in the then record-breaking broadcast of Our World.
Model
A full-scale model, or a flight test model, hangs in the main lobby of the Intelsat headquarters building, Washington, D.C.
See also
- List of communications satellite firsts
- Syncom, the first geosynchronous and geostationary satellites
References
- ^ "Encyclopedia Astronautica - Intesat I". Archived from the original on 16 January 2010. Retrieved 5 April 2010.
- ^ "Intelsat: History". Archived from the original on 13 December 2013. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
- ^ http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/intelsat-1.htm
External links
- "The Room-Size World (cover story)". Time magazine. May 14, 1965.
- History.nasa.gov