AUSSAT A1
From The Space Library
 | |
| Organization | AUSSAT Proprietary Ltd. (Australia) |
|---|---|
| Mission type | Communications |
| Launch date | August 29, 1985 |
| Launch vehicle | STS-51I |
| Carrier rocket | Space Shuttle |
| Launch site | Cape Canaveral, United States |
| COSPAR ID | 1985-076B |
| Mass | 655.0 kg |
| Experiments | Here |
| Alternate Names | AUSSAT 1,OPTUS A1,15993 |
| Additional Information | Here |
| PDMP Information | Here |
| Telecommunications Information | Here |
This spacecraft was Australia's first dedicated communications spacecraft. It was a Hughes HS-376 satellite, and it operated with extremely tight pointing accuracies using a new triple dish spot beam antenna designed specifically for Australia. It provided the first continuous television and radio facility to thousands of remote Australian homesteads and communities. It also provided a real-time communications relay for Australian air traffic control, receiving aircraft signals relayed from VHF grand stations. The satellite was spin-stabilized and ejected from the payload bay attached to a PAM perigee kick stage. Operating location was at 156 degrees E longitude.
