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ECS 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (Eutelsat-1 F1, 2, 4, 5)

ECS 1 (Eutelsat-1 F1) [ESA]

The European Telecommunications Satellite Organization (Eutelsat) has been servicing the European community since 1977, being formally established by a multi-lateral agreement in 1985.

In 1979 ESA agreed to design, build, and launch five ECS (European Communication Satellite) spacecraft to be assumed by Eutelsat after passing initial on-orbiting testing. At that time the name of each spacecraft was changed to Eutelsat 1-F1, Eutelsat1-F2, etc. Of the five ECS spacecraft, four were successfully launched (1983, 1984, 1987, and 1988) and transferred to Eutelsat. ECS 3 was lost in an Ariane-3 launch accident in 1985.

As noted previously, the ECS spacecraft was derived from the OTS vehicle but with an initial mass on station of approximately 700 kg. The payload included twelve (including two spares) 14/11 GHz transponders with 20 W output power for a capacity of 12,000 telephone circuits or 10 television channels. Two solar arrays with a span of 13.8 m provided 1 kW of electrical power to the 2.2 m by 2.4 m spacecraft bus. With an anticipated working life of up to seven years, at the end of 1994 three ECS/Eutelsat 1 spacecraft were still operational at 21.5 degrees E, 25.5 degrees E, and 48 degrees E, although Eutelsat 1-F1 offered limited service due to its inclination of more than 4.5 degrees. Eutelsat 1F2 (ECS 2) was retired in December, 1993.

Nation: International
Type / Application: Communication
Operator: ESA / Eutelsat
Contractors: British Aerospace BAe (prime)
Equipment: 10 (+2) Ku-band transponders (#1); 12 (+2) Ku-band transponders (# 2-5)
Configuration: ECS-Bus
Propulsion: Mage-2
Power: 2 deployable solar arrays, batteries
Lifetime: 7 years
Mass: 1158 kg
Orbit: GEO
Satellite COSPAR Date LS Launch Vehicle Remarks
ECS 1 → Eutelsat-1 F1 1983-058A 16.06.1983 Ko ELA-1 Ariane-1 with AMSAT P3B
ECS 2 → Eutelsat-1 F2 1984-081A 04.08.1984 Ko ELA-1 Ariane-3 with Télécom 1A
ECS 3 1985-F03 12.09.1985 Ko ELA-1 F Ariane-3 with Spacenet 3
ECS 4 → Eutelsat-1 F4 1987-078B 16.09.1987 Ko ELA-1 Ariane-3 with Aussat A3
ECS 5 → Eutelsat-1 F5 1988-063B 21.07.1988 Ko ELA-1 Ariane-3 with Insat 1C
Further ESA communications satellite missions:
Further Eutelsat missions:

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