Arabsat-1C → INSAT-2DT

Mission type	Communication
Operator	Arabsat → INSAT
COSPAR ID	1992-010B
SATCAT no.	21894
Mission duration	7 years (planned) 12¾ years (achieved)
Spacecraft properties
Bus	Spacebus 100
Manufacturer	Aérospatiale/MBB[1]
Launch mass	1,360 kilograms (3,000 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date	26 February 1992, 23:58:10 (1992-02-26UTC23:58:10Z) UTC
Rocket	Ariane 44L
Launch site	Kourou ELA-2
Contractor	Arianespace
End of mission
Disposal	Decommissioned
Deactivated	October 2004 (2004-11)
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric
Regime	Geostationary
Longitude	31° East 55° East 82.5° East
Period	24 hours
Transponders
Band	2 E/F-band 25 G/H-Band

INSAT-2DT, previously Arabsat-1C and also known as INSAT-2R, was a Saudi Arabian and subsequently Indian communications satellite which was operated initially by Arabsat, and then by the Indian National Satellite System.

Launch and Arabsat service

Launched in 1992 as Arabsat-1C, it was operated at 31° East longitude in geostationary orbit,^[2] from where it was used to provide communication services to the Arab States. It was constructed by Aérospatiale, based on the Spacebus 100 satellite bus, and carried two NATO E/F-band (IEEE S band) and 25 NATO G/H-Band (IEEE C band) transponders. At launch, it had a mass of 1,170 kilograms (2,580 lb), and an expected operational lifespan of seven years.^[1]

It was launched by Arianespace using an Ariane 4 rocket in the 44L configuration, flying from ELA-2 at the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou. The launch took place at 22:58:10 UTC on 26 February 1992.^[3] It was the final Spacebus 100 satellite to be launched.

Indian operations

In November 1997, Arabsat-1C was sold to India as INSAT-2DT.^[4] In December, it was moved to a new slot at 55°E longitude, where it replaced the INSAT-2D satellite which had failed in orbit.^[5] It remained at 55°E until August 2003, when it was moved to 85.2°E, arriving in November.^[6] By the time of its departure from 55°E, its orbital inclination had increased somewhat.

INSAT-2DT remained at 85.2°E until October 2004, when it was retired from service and placed into a graveyard orbit.^[6]

See also

• 1992 in spaceflight

References