Italy's first operational communications satellite was launched 15 January 1991 by an Ariane-44L H10 booster. Developed by a
contractor team led by Alenia Spazio, Italsat carries ten active transponders plus five
spares for 30/20 GHz and 50/40 GHz links with a capacity of 12,000 telephone circuits. The
900 kg (on-station) spacecraft consists of a rectangular bus 2.3 m by 2.7 m by 3.5 m and
two solar panels with a total span of 21.8 m and more than 1.5 kW power. The design life
for the first test vehicle is only five years, increased to 8 for the second Italsat.
Italsat 2 was launched in 1996 by a Ariane-44L H10-3. It also carries ESA's first European Mobile Services (EMS) payload. Italsat 2
was undergoing environmental testing in France in late 1994. Italsat 1 is stationed at
13.2 degrees E, also be the home of Italsat 2.
The satellites were moved to graveyard orbits in January 2001 and July 2002
respectively.
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