Galaxy 10R
Encyclopedia
Galaxy 10R was an American
communications satellite
which was operated by PanAmSat
, and later Intelsat
. It was constructed by Hughes
and is based on the HS-601HP satellite bus
. Launch occurred on 25 January 2000, at 01:04. The launch was contracted by Arianespace
, and used an Ariane 4
42L-3 carrier rocket flying from ELA-2
at the Guiana Space Centre.
Galaxy 10R was built to replace the Galaxy 10 satellite, which had been lost in a launch failure on the maiden flight of the Delta III in 1998. It was launched just fourteen months after the contract to build the satellite had been signed, due to Hughes' advance production of components to allow quick production of replacement satellites.
Following its launch and on-orbit testing, it was placed in geostationary orbit
at 123° West, from where it provided communications services to North America
. It was expected to remain in service for fifteen years, however following a malfunction of its Xenon Ion Propulsion System in August 2004, this was reduced. It was retired to a graveyard orbit
in June 2008.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
communications satellite
Communications satellite
A communications satellite is an artificial satellite stationed in space for the purpose of telecommunications...
which was operated by PanAmSat
PanAmSat
The former PanAmSat Corporation founded in 1984 by Reynold Anselmo, was a satellite service provider headquartered in Greenwich, Connecticut. It operated a fleet of communications satellites used by the entertainment industry, news agencies, internet service providers, government agencies, and...
, and later Intelsat
Intelsat
Intelsat, Ltd. is a communications satellite services provider.Originally formed as International Telecommunications Satellite Organization , it was—from 1964 to 2001—an intergovernmental consortium owning and managing a constellation of communications satellites providing international broadcast...
. It was constructed by Hughes
Hughes
Hughes may refer to:*Hughes *Hughes Medal*David E. Hughes inventorPlaces:* Hughes Range In Australia:* Division of Hughes, electoral district* Hughes, Australian Capital Territory, suburb of Canberra...
and is based on the HS-601HP satellite bus
Satellite bus
A satellite bus or spacecraft bus is the general model on which multiple-production satellite spacecraft are often based. The bus is the infrastructure of a spacecraft, usually providing locations for the payload .They are most commonly used for geosynchronous satellites, particularly...
. Launch occurred on 25 January 2000, at 01:04. The launch was contracted by Arianespace
Arianespace
Arianespace SA is a French company founded in 1980 as the world's first commercial space transportation company. It undertakes the production, operation, and marketing of the Ariane 5 rocket launcher as part of the Ariane programme....
, and used an Ariane 4
Ariane 4
Ariane 4 was an expendable launch system, designed by the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales and manufactured and marketed by its subsidiary Arianespace. Ariane 4 was justly known as the ‘workhorse’ of the Ariane family. Since its first flight on 15 June 1988 until the last, on 15 February 2003, it...
42L-3 carrier rocket flying from ELA-2
ELA-2
ELA-2, short for Ensemble de Lancement Ariane 2 , was a launch pad at the Centre Spatial Guyanais in French Guiana. It was used by Arianespace for all 116 Ariane 4 launches between 1988 and 2003. Following the retirement of the Ariane 4 in favour of the Ariane 5, ELA-2 was deactivated...
at the Guiana Space Centre.
Galaxy 10R was built to replace the Galaxy 10 satellite, which had been lost in a launch failure on the maiden flight of the Delta III in 1998. It was launched just fourteen months after the contract to build the satellite had been signed, due to Hughes' advance production of components to allow quick production of replacement satellites.
Following its launch and on-orbit testing, it was placed in geostationary orbit
Geostationary orbit
A geostationary orbit is a geosynchronous orbit directly above the Earth's equator , with a period equal to the Earth's rotational period and an orbital eccentricity of approximately zero. An object in a geostationary orbit appears motionless, at a fixed position in the sky, to ground observers...
at 123° West, from where it provided communications services to North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. It was expected to remain in service for fifteen years, however following a malfunction of its Xenon Ion Propulsion System in August 2004, this was reduced. It was retired to a graveyard orbit
Graveyard orbit
A graveyard orbit, also called a supersynchronous orbit, junk orbit or disposal orbit, is an orbit significantly above synchronous orbit, where spacecraft are intentionally placed at the end of their operational life...
in June 2008.