ChinaSat 12

ChinaSat 12

Illustration of ZX 15A
Mission type	Communication
Operator	China Satellite Communications
COSPAR ID	2012-067A
SATCAT no.	39017
Website	english.csat.spacechina.com/n931903/c932043/content.html
Mission duration	15 years
Spacecraft properties
Bus	Spacebus-4000C2[1]
Manufacturer	Thales Alenia Space
Launch mass	5,054 kilograms (11,142 lb)
Power	2 deployable solar arrays, batteries
Start of mission
Launch date	27 November 2012 (2012-11-27)[2]
Rocket	Long March 3B/E[3]
Launch site	Xichang LA-2
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric
Regime	Geostationary
Longitude	87.5° East
Transponders
Band	28 C-band 28 Ku-band
Coverage area	China Sri Lanka East Asia South Asia Middle East Africa Australia China sea area the Indian Ocean region.

The ChinaSat 12 (Chinese: 中星12号; pinyin: Zhōngxīng 12)^[4][5][3][6] communications satellite is wholly owned by China Satellite Communications, with part of its communications payload leased or rented by SupremeSAT, a Sri Lankan company, to be marketed to potential users as SupremeSAT-I.^[7] Once operational, it will provide communications services for the China, Sri Lanka, East Asia, South Asia, Middle East, Africa, Australia, and China sea area, the Indian Ocean region.^[8]

ChinaSat 12 was also known as Apstar 7B (as a backup of Apstar 7), but acquired by China Satellite Communications from its subsidiary APT Satellite Holdings in 2010.^[9] However, APT Satellite Holdings was contracted by its parent company as the operator of ChinaSat 12.^[9]

Orbit

Following launch on 27 November 2012,^[10] the satellite was placed into geosynchronous orbit and located at 51.5° East while being tested. On April 19, 2013, it started to move towards its operational location at 87.5° East.^{[citation needed]}

The satellite was built by Thales Alenia Space and has a designed life of 15 years.

Gallery

• 
  Diagram of the Long March 3B, showing its outboard liquid rocket boosters.
• 
  The launch of a Long March 3B (similar to CZ-3B/E (Chang Zheng-3B/E))

References

1. http://space.skyrocket.de
2. "Chinasat 12 launch on November 22". Archived from the original on 2018-10-06. Retrieved 2012-11-21.
3. http://www.satbeams.com
4. "中星12号" (in Chinese). China Satellite Communications. 2 December 2014. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
5. "ChinaSat 12" (in Chinese). China Satellite Communications. 27 May 2015. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
6. "Chinasat-12 ex-Apstar 7b footprints". Archived from the original on 2012-11-27. Retrieved 2012-11-21.
7. Supreme Group pioneers Sri Lanka’s space industry
8. Krebs, Gunter. "ZX 12 (ChinaSat 12, SupremeSat 1)". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
9. "關連交易" (PDF) (Press release) (in Chinese). APT Satellite Holdings. 25 September 2012. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
10. 2012 - Launches to Orbit and Beyond