Official name NATO 3A
Alternative name NATO IIIA
Cospar ID 1976-035A
Norad ID 8808
Launch date 1976-04-22
Launch site AFETR
Launch vehicle Delta-2914
Country/Organization International
Type application Military communication
Operator NATO
RCS size LARGE
Decay date ON ORBIT
Period (min) 1442.16
Inclination (deg) 6.74
Perigee (km) 35812
Apogee (km) 35998
Eccentricity 0.00259016850020888
Mean motion (revs. per day) 0.998502246630055
Semi-Major axis (km) 42283.135
Raan (deg) 302.2725
Arg of perigee (deg) 308.035
Shape Cyl
Mass (kg) 307.23
Diameter (m) 2.2
Height (m) 3.1
Span (m^2) 3.1
Lifetime 7 years
Contractors Philco Ford Space & Reentry Systems Division
Equipment 2 transponders operating in the 7 to 8 GHz region
Propulsion SVM-6 (#A - #C), Star-27B (#D)
Configuration NATO-3 Bus
Power Solar cells (body mounted), batteries

The NATO Satellite Communications System provided immediate communications links between officials of the various NATO nations. The satellites feature ultra-high, super-high and extremely-high frequency transponders with three horn antennas capable of providing secure voice and fax services to hundreds of NATO users simultaneously. Members of an Air Force Space Command unit provided command and control for the NATO system.

The NATO-3 series were spin stabilized satellites with a design life of 7 years. They were built by Ford Aerospace.

Satellite COSPAR Date LS Launch Vehicle Remarks
NATO 3A 1976-035A 1976-04-22 AFETR Delta-2914
NATO 3B 1977-005A 1977-01-28 AFETR Delta-2914
NATO 3C 1978-106A 1978-11-19 AFETR Delta-2914
NATO 3D 1984-115A 1984-11-14 AFETR Delta-3914