Satcom C5 [RCA]
Official name SATCOM C3
Alternative name Satcom C-3
Cospar ID 1992-060B
Norad ID 22117
Launch date 1992-09-10
Launch site FRGUI
Launch vehicle Ariane-44LP H10+
Country/Organization USA
Type application Communication
Operator RCA Americom → GE Satcom
RCS size LARGE
Decay date ON ORBIT
Period (min) 1484.34
Inclination (deg) 13.08
Perigee (km) 36617
Apogee (km) 36835
Eccentricity 0.00296792463105157
Mean motion (revs. per day) 0.970128137758196
Semi-Major axis (km) 43104.135
Raan (deg) 25.2479
Arg of perigee (deg) 9.1985
Shape Hex Poly + 2 Pan
Mass (kg) 777.01
Height (m) 1.6
Width (m) 1
Depth (m) 1
Span (m^2) 15.08
Lifetime 10 years (#5, 1R, 2R); 12 years (#C1, C3, C4, C5)
Contractors RCA Astro
Equipment 24 (+4) C-band transponders
Propulsion Star-30B (#1R, 2R, 5); Star-30BP (#C1), Star-30C (#C3, C4, C5)
Configuration AS-3000
Power 2 deployable solar arrays, batteries

Satcom 1R, 2R, 5, C1, C3, C4 and C5, also known as Advanced Satcom, were the second generation of geostationary comsats built for RCA Americom.

These satellites were built by RCA Astro using their three-axis stabilized AS-3000 bus. They featured a 24 C-band transponder communications payload, but with higer power than the first generation Satcom series. The antenna design was changed to a single reflector. Life time was increased to 10 years and later for the C satellites to 12 years.

This series was succeeded by the Satcom-K series.

Satellite COSPAR Date LS Launch Vehicle Remarks
SATCOM C5 1982-105A 1982-10-28 AFETR Delta-3924
SATCOM 1R 1983-030A 1983-04-11 AFETR Delta-3924
SATCOM 2R 1983-094A 1983-09-08 AFETR Delta-3924
SATCOM C1 1990-100A 1990-11-20 FRGUI Ariane-42P H10 with GStar 4
AURORA 2 1991-037A 1991-05-29 AFETR Delta-7925
SATCOM C4 1992-057A 1992-08-31 AFETR Delta-7925
SATCOM C3 1992-060B 1992-09-10 FRGUI Ariane-44LP H10+ with Hispasat 1A