| Organisation | TerreStar Corporation |
|---|---|
| Major contractors | Space Systems Loral Arianespace (LSP) |
| Bus | LS-1300S |
| Mission type | Communications |
| Launch date | 2009-07-01 17:52 GMT |
| Carrier rocket | Ariane 5ECA |
| Launch site | Kourou ELA-3 |
| Mission duration | 15 years |
| Mass | 6,910 kilograms (15,200 lb) |
| Orbital elements | |
| Regime | Geostationary |
| Longitude | 111° West |
| Orbital period | 24 hours |
| Instruments | |
| Transponders | E/F-band |
| Coverage area | Canada United States |
TerreStar-1 is an American communications satellite which will be operated by TerreStar Corporation. It was constructed by Space Systems/Loral, based on the LS-1300S bus, and carries E/F band (IEEE S band) transponders which will be used to provide mobile communications to North America. The signals are transmitted by an 18-metre (59 ft) reflector on the satellite.[1] It had a launch mass of 6,910 kilograms (15,200 lb),[2] making it the most massive single satellite launched into a geosynchronous transfer orbit, and the largest commercial communications satellite ever built[3], surpassing the previous two records, both set by ICO G-1 in 2008.
TerreStar was launched at 17:52 GMT on 2009-07-01,[4] during a two hour launch window that opened at 16:13.[5] The launch occurred towards the end of the window due to bad weather in the first hour, followed by two aborted countdowns for launch attempts scheduled at 17:12 and 17:34. The launch was conducted by Arianespace, and used an Ariane 5ECA carrier rocket, flying from ELA-3 at the Guiana Space Centre. After launch, the satellite separated from the carrier rocket into a geosynchronous transfer orbit. It will subsequently raise itself into geostationary orbit by means of its onboard propulsion system. It will be positioned at 111° West longitude, and is expected to operate for 15 years.[2] A second satellite, TerreStar-2, is currently under construction and will be used as a ground spare per the Federal Communications Commission guidelines.[2]
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