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AMC-21

Field	Value
name	AMC-21
names_list	GE-21
Americom-21
image_size	300px
mission_type	Communications
operator	SES Americom (2008–2009)
SES World Skies (2009–2011)
SES (2011-present)
COSPAR_ID	2008-038B
SATCAT	33275
mission_duration	15 years (planned)
(elapsed)
spacecraft	GE-21
spacecraft_bus	STAR-2
manufacturer	Thales Alenia Space (prime)
Orbital Sciences (bus)
launch_mass	2473 kg
dry_mass	1161 kg
power	4.4 kW
launch_date	14 August 2008, 20:44 UTC
launch_rocket	Ariane 5 ECA
launch_site	Centre Spatial Guyanais, ELA-3
launch_contractor	Arianespace
entered_service	September 2008
orbit_reference	Geocentric orbit
orbit_regime	Geostationary orbit
orbit_longitude	125° West
apsis	gee
trans_band	24 Ku-band
trans_bandwidth	36 MHz
trans_coverage	Canada, United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
programme	SES constellation
previous_mission	AMC-18
next_mission	AMC-23

Americom-21 SES World Skies (2009–2011) SES (2011-present) (elapsed) Orbital Sciences (bus)

AMC-21, or GE-21, is an American communications satellite operated by SES S.A., formerly SES World Skies and SES Americom. It was launched in August 2008 and is expected to remain in service for approximately 15 years. It is currently located at 125° West longitude.

Spacecraft and mission design

AMC-21 is based on a STAR-2 satellite bus that provides 4.4 kilowatts of power for the communications payload. The platform will support a 15-year on-orbit mission life. It carries 24 Ku-band transponders at 36 MHz, which will be used to broadcast television signals to Canada, United States, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central America.

Manufacture

Thales Alenia Space was the prime contractor for AMC-21, and provided the satellite's communications payload. The STAR-2 bus was subcontracted to Orbital Sciences Corporation, as were integration and testing of the satellite. As prime contractor, Thales Alenia Space delivered the completed satellite to SES Americom.

Launch

AMC-21 was launched, along with the Superbird-7 satellite, by an Ariane 5 ECA launch vehicle on 14 August 2008 at 20:44 UTC. The satellite separated from the launch vehicle in a geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO). An onboard IHI-500 N (IHI-BT4) engine then raised it to an operational geostationary orbit and placed it at a longitude of 125° West of the Greenwich Meridian. After successful completion of in-orbit testing, SES Americom took operational control of AMC-21 in September 2008.

Mergers and acquisitions

In September 2009, SES Americom merged with SES New Skies to form SES World Skies, to which all of its operational satellites, including AMC-21, were transferred.

References

(11 December 2017). "AMC-21". Gunter's Space Page.
"AMC-21". SES.
"AMC-21". Orbital Sciences Corporation.
(18 August 2008). "Orbital-Built AMC-21 Communications Satellite Successfully Launched". Northrop Grumman.
(August 14, 2008). "Another successful Arianespace launch: Superbird-7 and AMC-21 in orbit". Arianespace.
(16 October 2008). "Orbital Reports Third Quarter 2008 Financial Results". Orbital.

Info: Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

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