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Syracuse 3A, 3B, 3C
Syracuse 3A [Alcatel]
The Syracuse-3 (Systeme de Radio Communications Utilisant un Satellite) series spacecraft are the third-generation military communications satellites for the Délégation Générale pour l'Armement (France's Ministry of Defense's procurement agency).
Syracuse 3 consists of a Spacebus-4000B3 platform, hardened to resist nuclear attack in compliance with NATO specifications.
A powerful communications payload, operating in two frequency bands is fitted on the spacecraft:
- SHF (super high frequency): 4 spotbeams, 1 global beam,1 metropolitan France beam; nine 40 MHz channels.
- EHF (extremely high frequency): 2 spotbeams, 1 global beam; six 40 MHz channels.
In 2007 a third spacecraft was to be ordered, but this was cancelled in favour of including the Syracuse-3C payload in the italian SICRAL 2 satellite.
| Nation: | France |
|---|---|
| Type / Application: | Military communication |
| Operator: | DGA |
| Contractors: | Alcatel Alenia Space (formerly Alcatel Space) |
| Equipment: | SHF and EHF transponders |
| Configuration: | Spacebus-4000B3 |
| Propulsion: | S400 |
| Power: | 2 deployable solar arrays, batteries |
| Lifetime: | |
| Mass: | 3725 kg |
| Orbit: | GEO |
| Satellite | COSPAR | Date | LS | Launch Vehicle | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Syracuse 3A | 2005-041B | 13.10.2005 | Ko ELA-3 | Ariane-5GS | with Galaxy 15 | |
| Syracuse 3B | 2006-033B | 11.08.2006 | Ko ELA-3 | Ariane-5ECA | with JCSat 10 | |
| Syracuse 3C | - | Ko ELA-3 | Ariane-5ECA | replaced by SICRAL 2 |
Further Syracuse missions:
- Syracuse 1A, 1B, 1C [ECS-Bus]
- Syracuse 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D [Eurostar-2000]
- Syracuse 3A, 3B [Spacebus-4000B3]
- Syracuse 3C [Spacebus-4000B2]
- Syracuse 4A (Comsat-NG 1) [Spacebus-Neo]
- Syracuse 4B (Comsat-NG 2) [Eurostar-3000EOR]
