Intelsat 605

Intelsat 605

Mission type	Communication
Operator	Intelsat
COSPAR ID	1991-055A[1]
SATCAT no.	21653[1]
Mission duration	13 years (planned) 17+1⁄2 years (achieved)
Spacecraft properties
Bus	HS-389
Manufacturer	Hughes[2]
Launch mass	4,296 kilograms (9,471 lb)[2]
Start of mission
Launch date	14 August 1991, 23:15:13 (1991-08-14UTC23:15:13Z) UTC
Rocket	Ariane 44L V45[3]
Launch site	Kourou ELA-2[3]
Contractor	Arianespace
End of mission
Disposal	Decommissioned
Deactivated	January 2009 (2009-02)
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric
Regime	Geostationary
Perigee altitude	35,756 kilometres (22,218 mi)[4]
Apogee altitude	35,818 kilometres (22,256 mi)[4]
Inclination	0 degrees[4]
Period	1436.11 minutes[4]
Epoch	13 September 1991[4]
Intelsat VI

Intelsat 605, previously named Intelsat VI F-5, was a communications satellite operated by Intelsat. Launched in 1991, it was the fourth of five Intelsat VI satellites to be launched. The Intelsat VI series was constructed by Hughes Aircraft, based on the HS-389 satellite bus.^[2]

Intelsat 605 was launched at 23:15:13 UTC on 14 August 1991, atop an Ariane 4 44L carrier rocket, flight number V45.^[3] The launch took place from ELA-2 at Kourou,^[5] and placed Intelsat 605 into a geosynchronous transfer orbit. The satellite raised itself into its final geostationary orbit using two liquid-fuelled R-4D-12 engines,^[2] with the satellite arriving in geostationary orbit on 20 August 1991.^[6]

Intelsat 605 initially operated in a geostationary orbit with a perigee of 35,756 kilometres (22,218 mi), an apogee of 35,818 kilometres (22,256 mi), and 0 degrees of inclination.^[4] The satellite carried 38 IEEE C band and ten IEEE K_u band transponders, and had a design life of 13 years and a mass of 4,296 kilograms (9,471 lb).^[2]

During late 1991, Intelsat 605 was operated at a longitude of 21.5 degrees west. In July 1992, it was placed at 24.5 degrees west, where it operated until November 1997. It subsequently operated at 27.5 degrees west from December 1997 to March 2003; 32.9 degrees east from April 2003 to October 2004; 77 degrees west from December 2004 to January 2005, and 174 degrees east from April 2005 to January 2009. It was placed into a graveyard orbit and decommissioned in January 2009.^[7]

References

1. "INTELSAT 6 F-5". US National Space Science Data Center. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
2. Krebs, Gunter. "Intelsat-6 (601, 602, 603, 604, 605)". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
3. McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
4. McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
5. McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch List". Launch Vehicle Database. Jonathan's Space Page. Archived from the original on 15 August 2020. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
6. McDowell, Jonathan. "Index". Geostationary Orbit Catalog. Jonathan's Space Page. Archived from the original on 6 April 2010. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
7. "Intelsat 605". The Satellite Encyclopedia. tbs Internet. 3 July 2012. Retrieved 13 July 2012.