Eutelsat I F-5
{{Use British English|date=April 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2021}}
{{Infobox spaceflight
| name = Eutelsat I F-5
| names_list = ECS-5
European Communications Satellite-5
Eutelsat 5
| image =
| image_caption =
| image_size = 300px
| mission_type = Communications
| COSPAR_ID = 1988-063B
| SATCAT = 19331
| website = https://www.eutelsat.com/en/home.html
| mission_duration = 7 years (planned)
12 years (achieved)
| spacecraft = ECS-5
| spacecraft_type = ECS
| spacecraft_bus = ECS-Bus
| manufacturer = British Aerospace
| launch_mass = {{cvt|1185|kg}}
| dry_mass = {{cvt|500|kg}}
| dimensions = 1.9 m x 1.4 m x 2.3 m
Span on orbit: 13.8 m
| power = 1 kW
| launch_date = 21 July 1988, 23:12:00 UTC
| launch_rocket = Ariane 3 (V24)
| launch_site = Centre Spatial Guyanais, ELA-1
| launch_contractor = Arianespace
| entered_service = September 1988
| disposal_type = Graveyard orbit
| deactivated = August 2000
| last_contact =
| orbit_reference = Geocentric orbit{{cite web|url=http://www.n2yo.com/satellite/?s=19331|title=EUTELSAT 1-F5 (ECS 5)|publisher=N2YO.com|access-date=20 April 2021}}
| orbit_regime = Geostationary orbit
| orbit_longitude = 10° East (1988–1991)
21.5° East (1991–1998)
12.5° West (1999)
14.8° West (1999–2000)
4° East (2000)
| apsis = gee
| trans_band = 12 Ku-band
| trans_frequency =
| trans_bandwidth = 72 MHz
| trans_capacity =
| trans_coverage = Europe, the Middle East and Africa
| programme = Eutelsat constellation
| previous_mission = Eutelsat I F-4
| next_mission = Eutelsat II F-1
}}
Eutelsat I F-5, also known as European Communications Satellite-5 (ECS-5) is a decommissioned communications satellite operated by the European Telecommunications Satellite Organisation (Eutelsat). Launched in 1988, it was operated in geostationary orbit at a longitude of 10° East, before moving to several other locations later in its operational life, before it was finally decommissioned in 2000. It was the fifth of five satellites launched to form the first-generation Eutelsat constellation. First Eutelsat satellite to provide transatlantic connectivity.
History
The European Telecommunications Satellite Organization (Eutelsat) has been servicing the European Economic Community (CEE) since 1977, being formally established by a multi-lateral agreement in 1985. In 1979, European Space Agency (ESA) agreed to design, build, and launch five ECS (European Communications Satellite) spacecraft to be assumed by Eutelsat after on-orbit testing.
The Eutelsat I series of satellites was developed by the European Space Agency (ESA) as part of the European Communications Satellite (ECS) programme. Once launched and checked out in a geostationary orbit over Europe, each satellite was handed to Eutelsat for commercial operations. Four Eutelsat I satellites were successfully launched between 1983 and 1988 (1983, 1984, 1987, and 1988). They served both public and private traffic, including telephone services, fax, data, land mobile service, and television and radio programming. Each had a design life of 7 years and a bandwidth of 72 MHz.{{cite web|url=https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=1988-063B|title=Display: EUTELSAT 5 1988-063B|publisher=NASA|date=13 April 2021|access-date=20 April 2021}} {{PD-notice}} ECS-3 was lost in an Ariane 3 launch accident in 1985.
Satellite description
The ECS-5 spacecraft, had a mass at launch of {{cvt|1185|kg}}. Constructed by British Aerospace, it was designed to be operated for seven years and carried 12 Ku-band transponders, two of which were set aside as spares.{{cite web|url=http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/ecs-1.htm|title=ECS 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (Eutelsat-1 F1, 2, 4, 5)|first=Gunter|last=Krebs|publisher=Gunter's Space Page|date=21 July 2019|access-date=20 April 2021}} It also only had partial eclipse protection, requiring some channels to be turned off during eclipse periods around the spring and autumn equinoxes.{{cite encyclopedia|url=http://www.tbs-satellite.com/tse/online/sat_eutelsat_1f5.html|title=Eutelsat I F5|publisher=Tag Broadcasting Services|encyclopedia=The Satellite Encyclopedia|date=28 February 2021|access-date=20 April 2021}} The satellite contained a Mage-2 solid rocket motor to perform orbit circularisation at apogee.
Launch
ECS-5 was launched by Arianespace, using an Ariane 3 launch vehicle, flight number V24. The launch took place at 23:12:00 UTC on 21 July 1988, from ELA-1 at Centre Spatial Guyanais, at Kourou, French Guiana.{{cite web|url=http://planet4589.org/space/log/launchlog.txt|title=Launch Log|publisher=Jonathan's Space Report|date=14 March 2021|access-date=20 April 2021}} Successfully deployed into geostationary transfer orbit (GTO), ECS-4 raised itself into an operational geostationary orbit using its apogee motor.
Mission
Following commissioning operations conducted by the European Space Agency (ESA), the Eutelsat I F-5 satellite was moved to its operational orbital position at 10° East, entering service in November 1987. The satellite was decommissioned in August 2000.{{cite web|url=http://planet4589.org/space/log/geo.log|title=Geostationary Orbit Catalog|first=Jonathan|last=McDowell|publisher=Jonathan's Space Report|access-date=8 June 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160909151249/http://planet4589.org/space/log/geo.log|archive-date=9 September 2016}} It is in a graveyard orbit.
References
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{{Orbital launches in 1984}}