EchoStar II

This article is about the 1990s communications satellite. For the 1960s communications satellite, see Echo 2 (satellite).

EchoStar II

Mission type	Communications
Operator	EchoStar
COSPAR ID	1996-055A
SATCAT no.	24313
Mission duration	12 years
Spacecraft properties
Bus	AS-7000
Manufacturer	Lockheed Martin
Launch mass	2,885 kg (6,360 lb)
Dry mass	2,000 kg (4,400 lb)
Power	7 kW
Start of mission
Launch date	September 11, 1996, 00:59 (1996-09-11UTC00:59Z) UTC
Rocket	Ariane-42P H10-3
Launch site	Kourou ELA-2
End of mission
Deactivated	July 14, 2008 (July 14, 2008)
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric
Regime	Geostationary
Longitude	80° West (current position)[1]
Semi-major axis	42,146.0 km (26,188.3 mi)[1]
Perigee altitude	35,764.4 km (22,223.0 mi)[1]
Apogee altitude	35,787.2 km (22,237.1 mi)[1]
Inclination	7.1 degrees[1]
Period	1,435.2 minutes[1]
Epoch	November 28, 2017[1]
Transponders
Band	16 Ku band
Frequency	Uplink: 17.3 - 17.8 GHz Downlink: 12.2 - 12.7 GHz
Bandwidth	24 MHz
Coverage area	Contiguous United States
EIRP	53 dBW

EchoStar II is a communications satellite operated by EchoStar. Launched in 1996 it was operated in geostationary orbit at a longitude of 148 degrees west for 12 or 15 years.

Satellite

The launch of EchoStar I made use of an Ariane 4 rocket flying from Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, French Guiana. The launch took place at 00:59 UTC on September 11, 1996,^[2] with the spacecraft entering a geosynchronous transfer orbit. The spacecraft carried 16 Ku band transponders to enable direct broadcast communications and television channels through 0.5 metres (1 ft 8 in) dishes on the ground in the Contiguous United States.^[3]

From September 1996 to November 2001, it was at position 118.8° W, while from December 2001 until July 2008, it was at position 148° W. The satellite ended its activities on July 14, 2008.

Specifications

• Launch mass: 2,885 kilograms (6,360 lb)
• Power source: 2 deployable solar arrays, batteries
• Stabilization: 3-axis
• Propulsion: 2 × LEROS-1B

See also

• 1996 in spaceflight

References

1. N2yo. "ECHOSTAR 2". Retrieved November 28, 2017.
2. NASA, Goddard Space Fight Center. "Echostar 2". Retrieved November 28, 2017.
3. The Satellite Encyclopedia. "EchoStar 2". Retrieved November 28, 2017.