Subscribe with SteadyInmarsat-3 F1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Inmarsat-3 (I-3) [Lockheed Martin]
Launched in 1996-8, the Inmarsat-3s were built by Lockheed Martin Astro Space (now Lockheed Martin Missiles & Space) of the USA, responsible for the basic spacecraft, and the European Matra Marconi Space (now Astrium), which developed the communications payload.
The Inmarsat I-3 communications payload can generate a global beam and a maximum of seven spotbeams. The spotbeams are directed as required to make extra communications capacity available in areas where demand from users is high.
Inmarsat I-3 F1 was launched in 1996 to cover the Indian Ocean Region. Over the next two years F2 entered service over Atlantic Ocean Region-East, followed by F3 (Pacific Ocean Region), F4 (Atlantic Ocean Region-West) and F5 (limited services on a single spot beam, back-up and leased capacity).
Inmarsat I-3 F2 was launched without apogee kick motor, as the Proton-K Blok-DM1 launch vehicle was capable of direct GSO injection.
Inmarsat-3 F4 was retired in 2016 and was moved into a graveyard orbit above the geostationary belt.
| Nation: | International |
|---|---|
| Type / Application: | Communication |
| Operator: | Inmarsat |
| Contractors: | Lockheed Martin Astro |
| Equipment: | 22 (+11) L-band transponders (22W Power amplifiers), C-band uplink |
| Configuration: | AS-4000 |
| Propulsion: | Star-37FM ? (except #2) |
| Power: | 2 deployable solar arrays, batteries |
| Lifetime: | 13 years |
| Mass: | 2068 kg (#1, 3, 4, 5); |
| Orbit: | GEO |
| Satellite | COSPAR | Date | LS | Launch Vehicle | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inmarsat-3 F1 (Inmarsat I-3 F1) | 1996-020A | 03.04.1996 | CC LC-36A | Atlas-2A | ||
| Inmarsat-3 F2 (Inmarsat I-3 F2) | 1996-053A | 06.09.1996 | Ba LC-81/23 | Proton-K Blok-DM1 | ||
| Inmarsat-3 F3 (Inmarsat I-3 F3) | 1996-070A | 18.12.1996 | CC LC-36B | Atlas-2A | ||
| Inmarsat-3 F4 (Inmarsat I-3 F4) | 1997-027A | 03.06.1997 | Ko ELA-2 | Ariane-44L H10-3 | with Insat 2D | |
| Inmarsat-3 F5 (Inmarsat I-3 F5) | 1998-006B | 04.02.1998 | Ko ELA-2 | Ariane-44LP H10-3 | with Brasilsat B3 |
Launch Sites:
- Ba = Baikonur (Tyuratam, NIIP-5, GIK-5), Tyuratam, Kazakhstan
- CC = Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Eastern Test Range, Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA
- Ko = Centre Spatial Guyanais (CSG), Kourou, French Guiana, France
References:
- Inmarsat Website
EuropaSat[Spacebus-4000C3]- Inmarsat-2 F1, 2, 3, 4 (Eurostar-1000)
- Inmarsat-3 F1, 2, 3, 4, 5 [AS-4000]
- Inmarsat-4 F1, 2, 3 [Eurostar-3000]
- Inmarsat-4A F4 [Alphabus]
- Inmarsat-5 F1, 2, 3, 4 (GX 1, 2, 3, 4) [BSS-702MP]
- Inmarsat-5 F5 (GX 5) [Spacebus-4000B2]
- Inmarsat-6 F1, 2 (GX 6A, 6B) [Eurostar-3000EOR]
- Inmarsat-7 F1, 2, 3 (GX 7, 8, 9) [OneSat]
- Inmarsat-8 F1, 2, 3, 4 [HummingSat]
- Inmarsat-S-EAN (EuropaSat) [Spacebus-4000C4]
- MARECS A, B, B2 [ECS-Bus]
- Marisat 1, 2, 3 [HS-356]
