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Spacenet 1, 2, 3, 3R / ZX 5, 5R (ChinaSat 5, 5R)
Spacenet 1 [RCA]
Spacenet 1 to 3R were a series of hybrid C-/Ku-band satellites. The Spacenet satellites were built for Southern Pacific Communications (SPC), which was bought by GTE before the first Spacenet ever launched.
The spacecraft were based on RCA's 3-axis stabilized AS-3000 bus.
To help offset the loss of DFH-2A 4 and the delay in the DFH-3 program, China in late 1992 purchased the nearly 9-year-old Spacenet 1 from GTE. In 1993 the spacecraft, renamed Zhongxing 5 (ChinaSat 5), was moved to 115.5 degrees E. Following ChinaSat-7's launch failure, ChinaSat purchased a second in-orbit satellite (Spacenet-2) in 1997 and renamed it ChinaSat-5R.
| Nation: | USA |
|---|---|
| Type / Application: | Communication |
| Operator: | GTE |
| Contractors: | RCA Astro |
| Equipment: | 18 (+3) C-band, 6 (+1) Ku-band transponders |
| Configuration: | AS-3000 |
| Propulsion: | Star-30B (#1), Star-30BP (#2, 3), Star-30C (#3R) |
| Power: | 2 deployable solar arrays, batteries |
| Lifetime: | |
| Mass: | 1195 kg (692 kg BOL) |
| Orbit: | GEO |
| Satellite | COSPAR | Date | LS | Launch Vehicle | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spacenet 1 → ZX 5 (ChinaSat 5) | 1984-049A | 23.05.1984 | Ko ELA-1 | Ariane-1 | ||
| Spacenet 2 → ZX 5R (ChinaSat 5R) | 1984-114A | 10.11.1984 | Ko ELA-1 | Ariane-3 | with MARECS 2 | |
| Spacenet 3 | 1985-F03 | 12.09.1985 | Ko ELA-1 | F | Ariane-3 | with ECS 3 |
| Spacenet 3R | 1988-018A | 11.03.1988 | Ko ELA-1 | Ariane-3 | with Télécom 1C |
