Telstar 3C

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Telstar 3C
Organization American Telephone and Telegraph Company (United States)
Mission type Communications
Launch date September 1, 1984 (1984-09-01)
Launch vehicle STS-41D
Carrier rocket Space Shuttle
Launch site Cape Canaveral, United States
COSPAR ID 1984-093D
Mass 1225.0 kg
Alternate Names 15237
Additional Information Here
PDMP Information Here


Telstar 3C was an AT&T communications satellite deployed by the shuttle Discovery during the STS-41D mission. It was placed in a geosynchronous orbit at 86 degrees W and had a design life of 10 years. The spacecraft was launched with the main communications reflector and the outer cylinder stowed, a configuration the made it possible to launch either with expendable rocket boosters or from the space shuttle. The compact stowed configuration allowed the spacecraft to stand upright in the cargo bay, occupying a minimum of linear space. It was 7 feet, 1 inch (2.16 meters) in diameter. Its height with antennas and the telescoping solar panel deployed was 22 feet, 5 inches (6.84 meters). Like their predecessor satellites, the Telstar 3 satellites operated at 6/4 GHz (C-band). Simultaneous long distance telephone call capacity was 21,600. The satellite furnished voice, video, and high speed data services to the continental US, Hawaii, Alaska, and Puerto Rico.