ACTS

Advanced Communications Technology Satellite

---

General

Designation	22796 / 93058B
Launch date	12 Sep 1993
Country of origin	United States
Operator	NASA
Mission	Telecommunications
Geostationary orbit	see below
Launch vehicle	STS 51

Experimental satellite intended to develop Ka-band services to VSAT's, High Data Rate Terminals, and mobile terminals for broadband personal, institutional, and transportable terminals.

In May 2001, the satellite payload operations were tranferred to the Ohio Consortium for Advanced Communications Technology (OCACT) for educational and research purposes and well as sustaining a Ka-band testbed until commercial Ka-band service is available in the US.

---

Location

Begin	End	Position
L: 12 Sep 1993	Jun 2000	100°W
Aug 2000		105°W, inclined

---

External resources

http://acts.grc.nasa.gov/

http://www.csm.ohiou.edu/ocact/
http://sulu.lerc.nasa.gov/dglover/acts.html
sat-index articles

Technical data

---

---

Specifications

Prime contractor	GE Astro Space
Platform	GE-4000 modified
Mass at launch	2545 kg
Mass in orbit	1555 kg
Dimensions	2.03 x 2.13 x 1.92 m
Stabilization	3-axis
DC power	BOL: 1770 W (batteries: 2 NiCd of 19 AH each) EOL: 1418 W (no payload operation during eclipse)
Design lifetime	4 years
Telemetry & Command	Ka-band with backup in C-band

Orbit control: Blowdown Hydrazine System with redundant thrusters and 4 tanks
Stationkeeping: +/- 0.05°

---

Ka-band

Main transponders	4
Backup transponders
Power	40 W (TWTA)
Bandwidth	900 MHz
Coverage	A beam-forming network of 45 horns gives a coverage of about 20% of CONUS providing 3 x 0.3° fixed beams There is a single 1.0° mechanically steered beam
EIRP max	spot beam: 60 dBW contiguous sectors: 59 dBW steerable: 53 dBW
Polarization	linear H/V

---