Arabsat-6A
Mission type | Communications satellite |
---|---|
Operator | King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology |
COSPAR ID | 2019-021A |
SATCAT no. | 44186 |
Mission duration | 5 years and 15 days (elapsed) |
Spacecraft properties | |
Spacecraft type | Telecomm |
Bus | A2100 |
Manufacturer | Lockheed Martin |
Launch mass | 6,465 kg [1] |
Start of mission | |
Launch date | April 11, 2019, 22:35 LC-39A |
Contractor | SpaceX |
Orbital parameters | |
Reference system | Geocentric[1] |
Regime | Geostationary |
Longitude | 30.5° E[2] |
Arabsat-6G program |
Arabsat-6A is a
History
Arabsat-6A and SaudiGeoSat-1/HellasSat-4 are the two satellites of the Arabsat-6G program, ordered by the Arab League to supply the communications needs of member states.[8]
Contracts to build the two satellites were awarded to
Spacecraft
Arabsat 6A is based on an updated version of the A2100 bus and is considered among the most advanced communications satellites built.[11] The spacecraft utilizes fixed and steerable Ku-band and Ka-band transponders to provide TV and radio services to the Middle East and North Africa from its station at 30.5°E.[12]
Launch
Arabsat-6A was launched aboard the first operational Falcon Heavy on 11 April 2019 at 22:35 UTC from Kennedy Space Center LC-39A.[6] Following a successful launch, the twin side boosters separated from the center core and returned to land at Landing Zones 1 and 2, while the center core completed its mission and landed on Of Course I Still Love You. En route to port after a successful landing, the center core tipped over in the rough seas, and was destroyed. Approximately 34 minutes after launch, the Arabsat-6A was released from the second stage and began a 17-day process to reach its operational orbit.[12]
On June 15, 2021, the 4-tonne second stage re-entered the Earth's atmosphere, its orbit having gradually decayed due to
References
- ^ a b Arabsat-6A. Gunter Dirk Krebs, Gunter's Space Page. Accessed: 17 October 2018.
- ^ Arabsat and KACST sign contracts with Lockheed Martin & Arianespace. Arabsat. News Release 1 January 2015.
- ^ Lockheed Martin Completes Assembly on Arabsat's Newest Communications Satellite. Lockheed Martin. 20 February 2018.
- ^ "Upcoming Satellites". Retrieved 6 February 2018.
- ^ "SpaceX Delays Falcon Heavy's First Commercial Launch of ArabSat-6A to 10 April". The First Post. April 9, 2019. Retrieved April 28, 2019.
- ^ a b Skoneki, Marco Santana, Mark. "SpaceX launches Falcon Heavy into space". OrlandoSentinel.com. Retrieved 2019-04-11.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Arabsat-6A Mission". YouTube.com. Retrieved 2019-04-11.
- ^ "HOME - Arabsat". www.arabsat.com. Retrieved 2020-06-05.
- ^ "Arabsat 6A". space.skyrocket.de. Retrieved 2020-06-06.
- ^ Caleb, Henry (11 April 2019). "Arabsat CEO: Falcon Heavy gives our satellite extra life – SpaceNews". Retrieved 2021-05-09.
- ^ Arabsat-6A Satellite Moves Closer to Launch. Kendall Russell, Satellite Today. 22 February 2018.
- ^ a b Clark, Stephen. "SpaceX's Falcon Heavy successful in commercial debut – Spaceflight Now". Retrieved 2020-06-06.
- ^ McDowell, Jonathan. "Jonathan McDowelll on Twitter". Twitter. Twitter Ltd. Retrieved 15 June 2021.