Asiasat 3

Also called HGS 1 and PAS 22

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General

Designation	25126 / 97086A
Launch date	24 Dec 1997
Country of origin	China
Mission	Telecommunications
Geostationary orbit	should have gone to 105.5°E, see below
Launch vehicle	Proton #255

Was to be launched by Long March but this was cancelled after the Intelsat 708 crash.

Satellite cost approx $100 million. Was to go to 105.5°E.

The launcher failed to place the satellite in GEO; it was left in 365 x 35989 km x 51.6°. The satellite was believed to be lost and the insurances payed $250 million in compensation. The ownership of the spacecraft was transfered to HGS, Hughes Global Services Inc (the satellite was renamed HGS 1) to try a very special manoeuver. HGS will share profits of the satellite salvage with the consortium of 27 insurers.

A first manoeuver was carried out in May 1998 to reach the GEO orbit using the attraction of the moon. On this very special orbit the satellite flied-by the moon (in spin-stabilized mode with main antennas deployed). A second lunar flyby was then programmed to improve the orbit. This was the very first time a commercial satellite used this kind of manoeuver.

This operation consumed most of the 1700 kg of propellant. On June 19th, the satellite over 152 W with a 35963 km apogee and a 35681 km perigee at a 8.7 degree orbit.

HGS was formed as a subsidiary of Hughes Space and Communications. It provides domestic and international government and public-sector agencies at all levels with "one-stop shopping" access to commercially available satellite communications.

In Apr 1999 Hughes filled to request authorization to operate the satellite at 60°W in C-band (transp. 3B to 14A) and in Ku-band (5B to 8A). The satellite is then renamed PAS 22

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Location

Begin	End	Position
L: 24 Dec 1997		bad orbit
Jul 1998	Nov 1998	158°W, inclined
May 1999	Jul 2002	62°W, inclined

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End of life

Out of service	Jul 2002
Cause	moved to the junk orbit

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External resources

http://www.hughesglobal.com/

sat-index articles

Technical data

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EIRP coverage (dBW)

C-band
Ku-band North Asia
Ku-band South Asia

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G/T coverage (dBW)

C-band
Ku-band North Asia
Ku-band South Asia

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Specifications

Prime contractor	Hughes
Platform	HS-601HP
Mass at launch	3480 kg
Mass in orbit	2534 kg
Dry mass	1674 kg
Dimension	stowed: 3.1 x 3.4 x 4 m
Solar array	26.2 m span
Stabilization	3-axis
DC power	9900 W
Design lifetime	15 years

Has a Marquardt R-4D-11-300 liquid propulsion. Is reported to have battery problems.

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C-band

Main transponders	28
Backup transponders	6
Power	55 W (TWTA)
Bandwidth	36 MHz
Coverage	Asia, the Indian subcontinent, the Middle East and Australia
EIRP max	40 dBW
G/T max	-1 dB/K
SFD	-98 dBW/m² (at G/T = -1 dB/K)
Polarization	linear H/V

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C-band transponder frequency chart (GHz)

Horizontal uplink	Horizontal downlink	Transponder	Vertical downlink	Vertical uplink
	3.640	1B		5.865
5.885		1A	3.660
	3.680	2B		5.905
5.925		2A	3.700
	3.720	3B		5.945
5.965		3A	3.740
	3.760	4B		5.985
6.005		4A	3.780
	3.800	5B		6.025
6.045		5A	3.820
	3.840	6B		6.065
6.085		6A	3.860
	3.880	7B		6.105
6.125		7A	3.900
	3.920	8B		6.145
6.165		8A	3.940
	3.960	9B		6.185
6.205		9A	3.980
	4.000	10B		6.225
6.245		10A	4.020
	4.040	11B		6.265
6.285		11A	4.060
	4.080	12B		6.305
6.325		12A	4.100
	4.120	13B		6.345
6.365		13A	4.140
	4.160	14B		6.385
6.405		14A	4.180

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Ku-band

Main transponders	16
Backup transponders	4
Power	138 W (TWTA)
Bandwidth	54 MHz
Coverage	2 beams: 1 for China & 1 for India + 1 steerable beam
EIRP max	53 dBW
G/T max	6 dB/K
SFD	-100 dBW/m² (at G/T = 7 dB/K)
Polarization	linear H/V

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Ku-band transponder frequency chart (GHz)

Horizontal uplink	Horizontal downlink	Transponder	Vertical downlink	Vertical uplink	beam
	12.280	1B		14.028	North
14.048		1A	12.300		North/South
	12.340	2B		14.088	North
14.108		2A	12.360		North/South
	12.400	3B		14.148	North
14.168		3A	12.420		North/South
	12.460	4B		14.208	North
14.228		4A	12.480		North/South
	12.520	5B		14.268	North
14.288		5A	12.540		North/South/Steerable
	12.580	6B		14.328	North
14.348		6A	12.600		North/South/Steerable
	12.640	7B		14.388	North
14.408		7A	12.660		North/South/Steerable
	12.700	8B		14.448	North
14.468		8A	12.720		North/South/Steerable

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