Official name NATO 3C
Alternative name NATO IIIC
Cospar ID 1978-106A
Norad ID 11115
Launch date 1978-11-19
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) 1462.21
Inclination (deg) 10.56
Perigee (km) 36290
Apogee (km) 36302
Eccentricity 0.00016530747189773
Mean motion (revs. per day) 0.984810663311016
Semi-Major axis (km) 42674.135
Raan (deg) 320.1726
Arg of perigee (deg) 339.2241
Shape Cyl
Mass (kg) 342.91
Diameter (m) 2.18
Height (m) 2.9
Span (m^2) 2.9
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