Eutelsat I F-1

Eutelsat I F-1, also known as European Communications Satellite 1 (ECS-1) was a communications satellite operated by the European Telecommunications Satellite Organisation. Launched in 1983, it was operated in geostationary orbit at a longitude of 13° East, before moving to several other locations later in its operational life, before it was finally decommissioned in 1996. It was the first of five satellites launched to form the first-generation Eutelsat constellation.

Eutelsat I F-1
Mission typeCommunications
OperatorEutelsat / ESA
COSPAR ID1983-058A
SATCAT no.14128
Mission duration7 years planned
13 years achieved
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeEutelsat I
ManufacturerBritish Aerospace
Launch mass1,050 kilograms (2,310 lb)[1]
Start of mission
Launch date16 June 1983, 11:59:03 (1983-06-16UTC11:59:03Z) UTC[2]
RocketAriane 1
Launch siteKourou ELA-1
ContractorArianespace
Entered service12 October 1983
End of mission
DisposalDecommissioned
Deactivated16 December 1996 (1996-12-17)
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeGeosynchronous
Longitude10° East (1983)
13° East (1983-88)
16° East (1988-91)
17.5° East (1991-92)
25.5° East (1992-93)
48° East (1993-96)
36° East (1996)[3]
Semi-major axis42,561.59 kilometres (26,446.55 mi)
Eccentricity0.0015842
Perigee altitude36,123 kilometres (22,446 mi)
Apogee altitude36,258 kilometres (22,530 mi)
Inclination15.15 degrees
Period24.27 hours
Epoch5 June 2014, 10:14:27 UTC[4]
Transponders
Band12 Ku band
10 used
 

A Eutelsat I spacecraft, F-1 had a mass at launch of 1,050 kilograms (2,310 lb).[1] Constructed by British Aerospace, it was designed to be operated for seven years and carried 12 Ku band transponders, two of which were set aside as spares. The satellite contained a Mage-2 solid rocket motor to perform orbit circularisation at apogee.[5]

ECS-1 was launched by Arianespace, using an Ariane 1 carrier rocket, flight number L06. The launch took place at 11:59:03 UTC on 16 June 1983, from ELA-1 at Kourou.[2] Successfully deployed into geosynchronous transfer orbit, ECS-1 raised itself into an operational geostationary orbit using its apogee motor. Following commissioning operations conducted by the European Space Agency at a longitude of 10° East, the satellite was moved to its operational slot at 13° East, entering service on 12 October.[3]

After five years in service, Eutelsat I F-1 was replaced by the newly launched Eutelsat I F-4. For the next three years it covered a new slot at 16° East until the launch of Eutelsat II F-3. After brief operations at 17.5 and 25.5 degrees between 1991 and 1993, the satellite was moved to 48 degrees East for most of its last three years of service. Between February and March 1996 the spacecraft was moved to 36 degrees West, where it remained until November.[3] The satellite was decommissioned in December 1996; leaving geosynchronous orbit on 11 December before deactivation on 16 December.[6] As of 5 June 2014 the now-derelict satellite was in a 36123 × 36258 km × 15.15° (22,446 × 22,530 mi) graveyard orbit.[4]

References
  1. "EUTELSAT 1". National Space Science Data Center. Retrieved 8 June 2014.
  2. McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 8 June 2014.
  3. "Eutelsat 1F1". The Satellite Encyclopedia. Tag Broadcasting Services. Retrieved 8 June 2014.
  4. "EUTELSAT 1-F1 (ECS 1) Satellite details 1983-058A NORAD 14128". N2YO. 5 June 2014. Retrieved 8 June 2014.
  5. Krebs, Gunter. "ECS 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (Eutelsat-1 F1, 2, 4, 5)". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 8 June 2014.
  6. McDowell, Jonathan. "Geostationary Orbit Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Archived from the original on 9 September 2016. Retrieved 8 June 2014.
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