Brasilsat B2 is a Brazilian communications satellite launched on 28 March 1995, at 23:14:19 UTC, by an Ariane 44LP H10+

launch vehicle A launch vehicle or carrier rocket is a rocket designed to carry a payload (spacecraft or satellites) from the Earth's surface to outer space. Most launch vehicles operate from a launch pad, launch pads, supported by a missile launch contro ...

Kourou Kourou () is a commune in French Guiana, an overseas region and department of France in South America. Kourou is famous for being the location of the Guiana Space Centre, the main spaceport of France and the European Space Agency (ESA). It i ...

French Guiana French Guiana ( or ; french: link=no, Guyane ; gcr, label=French Guianese Creole, Lagwiyann ) is an overseas departments and regions of France, overseas department/region and single territorial collectivity of France on the northern Atlantic ...

History

The

Boeing Company The Boeing Company () is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, telecommunications equipment, and missiles worldwide. The company also provides leasing and product ...

contracted the acquisition of three satellites from

Hughes Electronics Corporation Hughes may refer to: People * Hughes (surname) * Hughes (given name) Places Antarctica * Hughes Range (Antarctica), Ross Dependency * Mount Hughes, Oates Land * Hughes Basin, Oates Land * Hughes Bay, Graham Land * Hughes Bluff, Victoria Lan ...

. As part of the contract,

Hughes Hughes may refer to: People * Hughes (surname) * Hughes (given name) Places Antarctica * Hughes Range (Antarctica), Ross Dependency * Mount Hughes, Oates Land * Hughes Basin, Oates Land * Hughes Bay, Graham Land * Hughes Bluff, Victoria La ...

would divide the work with Promon Engenharia SA of

São Paulo São Paulo (, ; Portuguese for 'Saint Paul') is the most populous city in Brazil, and is the capital of the state of São Paulo, the most populous and wealthiest Brazilian state, located in the country's Southeast Region. Listed by the GaWC a ...

. Brasilsat B1 and B2 were tested by the

National Institute for Space Research The National Institute for Space Research ( pt, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais, INPE) is a research unit of the Brazilian Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovations, the main goals of which are fostering scientific research an ...

(INPE) of

São José dos Campos São José dos Campos (, meaning Saint Joseph of the Fields) is a major city and the seat of the Municipalities of Brazil, municipality of the same name in the state of São Paulo (state), São Paulo, Brazil. One of the leading industrial and res ...

, Brasilsat B3 and B4 were tested in the Hughes laboratories. The contract also included renovation of sensor equipment and

telemetry Telemetry is the in situ data collection, collection of measurements or other data at remote points and their automatic data transmission, transmission to receiving equipment (telecommunication) for monitoring. The word is derived from the Gr ...

, provided by

Guaratiba Center for Satellite Signaling Guaratiba is a large neighborhood located in the West Zone of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It has one of the city's smallest population densities Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population ...

, located in

Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro ( , , ; literally 'River of January'), or simply Rio, is the capital of the state of the same name, Brazil's third-most populous state, and the second-most populous city in Brazil, after São Paulo. Listed by the GaWC as a b ...

, as well as automation and installation of security equipment in the

Tanguá Control Station Tanguá () is a municipality located in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro ( , , ; literally 'River of January'), or simply Rio, is the capital of the state of the same name, Brazil's third-most populous state, and the s ...

Current status

In January 2008, Brasilsat B2 was moved from its former orbital position at 65° West to 92° West. Brasilsat B2 is now in inclined orbit at 63° West. Of the four Brasilsat satellites, only Brasilsat B3 and Brasilsat B4 are currently(?) transmitting signals.

Main characteristics

* Original orbital position: 65° West * Current orbital position: 63.1° West (inactive) * Coverage: Brazil * Transponders: 28 C-band, 1

X-band The X band is the designation for a band of frequencies in the microwave radio region of the electromagnetic spectrum. In some cases, such as in communication engineering, the frequency range of the X band is rather indefinitely set at approxim ...

* Launch date: 28 March 1995 * Model: Hughes HS-376W * Launch location/vehicle:

Centre Spatial Guyanais The Guiana Space Centre (french: links=no, Centre spatial guyanais; CSG), also called Europe's Spaceport, is a European spaceport to the northwest of Kourou in French Guiana, a region of France in South America. Kourou is located approximatel ...

/ Ariane 44LP * Planned life of satellite: 12 years

References

External links

Communications satellites in geostationary orbit Spacecraft launched in 1995 Satellites using the HS-376 bus Star One satellites {{Brazil-spacecraft-stub