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.

EchoStar II
Mission typeCommunications
OperatorEchoStar
COSPAR ID1996-055A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.24313
Mission duration12 years
Spacecraft properties
BusAS-7000
ManufacturerLockheed Martin
Launch mass2,885 kg (6,360 lb)
Dry mass2,000 kg (4,400 lb)
Power7 kW
Start of mission
Launch dateSeptember 11, 1996, 00:59 (1996-09-11UTC00:59Z) UTC
RocketAriane-42P H10-3
Launch siteKourou ELA-2
End of mission
DeactivatedJuly 14, 2008 (July 14, 2008)
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeGeostationary
Longitude80° West (current position)[1]
Semi-major axis42,146.0 km (26,188.3 mi)[1]
Perigee altitude35,764.4 km (22,223.0 mi)[1]
Apogee altitude35,787.2 km (22,237.1 mi)[1]
Inclination7.1 degrees[1]
Period1,435.2 minutes[1]
EpochNovember 28, 2017[1]
Transponders
Band16 Ku band
FrequencyUplink: 17.3 - 17.8 GHz
Downlink: 12.2 - 12.7 GHz
Bandwidth24 MHz
Coverage areaContiguous United States
EIRP53 dBW

Satellite

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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

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g N2yo. "ECHOSTAR 2". Retrieved November 28, 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ NASA, Goddard Space Fight Center. "Echostar 2". Retrieved November 28, 2017.
  3. ^ The Satellite Encyclopedia. "EchoStar 2". Retrieved November 28, 2017.