Star One B4
Encyclopedia
Star One B4, originally deignated Brasilsat B4 is a Brazil
lian communications satellite
which is operated by Star One
. It was constructed by the Hughes Space and Communications Company, and is based on the HS-376W satellite bus
. It was the penultimate HS-376, and final HS-376W to be launched. Its launch was contracted by Arianespace
, using an Ariane 4
44LP-3 carrier rocket. The launch occurred at 23:16 GMT on 17 August 2000, from the ELA-2
launch pad at the Guiana Space Centre. The Nilesat 102
satellite was launched on the same rocket.
It was originally built and launched as Brasilsat B4 for Embratel
, and was later transferred to Embratel's subsidiary Star One and renamed. Following its launch it raised itself into geostationary orbit
by means of its onboard R-4D apogee motor, and was positioned at 75° West for on-orbit testing. This was completed in September 2000, and it was moved to 92° West, arriving in October. It remained at that position until January 2007 when it was relocated to 70° West. It arrived on station in February, and subsequently departed in June 2008. In July 2008 it arrived at 84° West, where it is currently stationed. It carries twenty eight transponders, and has an expected on-orbit lifespan of 12 years. It initially replaced the Brasilsat A2 satellite.
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
lian communications satellite
Communications satellite
A communications satellite is an artificial satellite stationed in space for the purpose of telecommunications...
which is operated by Star One
Star One (satellite operator)
Star One is a Brazilian communication satellite company. It is a subsidiary of Embratel.-Satellite fleet:Star One own a small fleet of satellites. The Star One C1 was launched atop an Ariane 5-ECA rocket at 22:06 GMT on November 14, 2007...
. It was constructed by the Hughes Space and Communications Company, and is based on the HS-376W 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...
. It was the penultimate HS-376, and final HS-376W to be launched. Its 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....
, using 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...
44LP-3 carrier rocket. The launch occurred at 23:16 GMT on 17 August 2000, from the 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...
launch pad at the Guiana Space Centre. The Nilesat 102
Nilesat 102
Nilesat 102 is an Egyptian owned geosynchronous communications satellite that was launched by an Ariane 44LP rocket from Kourou, French Guiana on August 17, 2000 at 23:16 UTC by the European Space Agency. It was manufactured by the European company Matra Marconi Space , and started official...
satellite was launched on the same rocket.
It was originally built and launched as Brasilsat B4 for Embratel
Embratel
Embratel - Empresa Brasileira de Telecomunicações S.A. is a second major Brazilian telecommunications company headquartered in Rio de Janeiro. The company was the long distance arm of Telebras until it was bought by the U.S. company MCI Communications for 2.65 billion reais during the 1998...
, and was later transferred to Embratel's subsidiary Star One and renamed. Following its launch it raised itself into 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...
by means of its onboard R-4D apogee motor, and was positioned at 75° West for on-orbit testing. This was completed in September 2000, and it was moved to 92° West, arriving in October. It remained at that position until January 2007 when it was relocated to 70° West. It arrived on station in February, and subsequently departed in June 2008. In July 2008 it arrived at 84° West, where it is currently stationed. It carries twenty eight transponders, and has an expected on-orbit lifespan of 12 years. It initially replaced the Brasilsat A2 satellite.