Official name NATO 3D
Alternative name NATO IIID
Cospar ID 1984-115A
Norad ID 15391
Launch date 1984-11-14
Launch site AFETR
Launch vehicle Delta-3914
Country/Organization International
Type application Military communication
Operator NATO
RCS size LARGE
Decay date ON ORBIT
Period (min) 1516.51
Inclination (deg) 14.35
Perigee (km) 36891
Apogee (km) 37801
Eccentricity 0.0121833663578429
Mean motion (revs. per day) 0.949548634694133
Semi-Major axis (km) 43724.135
Raan (deg) 359.6546
Arg of perigee (deg) 113.0462
Shape Cyl
Mass (kg) 342.91
Diameter (m) 2.18
Height (m) 3.09
Span (m^2) 3.09
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