ArianespaceAriane 3Ariane Launch Area 1 (ELV), Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana
Aussat A3 & ECS 4
Launched
September 16, 1987
Image: ESA/CNES/Arianespace
Summary
Aussat A3 & ECS 4 launched on an Arianespace Ariane 3 from Ariane Launch Area 1 (ELV), Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana on September 16, 1987. It was Arianespace's 18th launch, 1st this year and humanity's 3,221st orbital launch attempt. It was the 7th Ariane 3 flight and the 1st this year. The payload was bound for Geostationary Orbit (Direct-GEO). Aussat K3, one of 7 catalogued objects, reached a 34,071 × 35,855 km orbit inclined 0.3°. 7 objects from this launch are catalogued, 2 of them payloads.
- Watch
- No webcast on record.
- Vehicle
- Ariane 3 · Arianespace
- Booster
- No booster details on record.
- Mission
- Communications · Geostationary Orbit (Direct-GEO)
- Milestone
- 7th Ariane 3 flight · 1st this yearArianespace's 18th launch1st this yearhumanity's 3,221st orbital launch attempt82nd orbital launch attempt this year
Flight preview
Orbit: as tracked
Aussat K3 · NORAD 18350 · 1987-078 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 7 objects
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- OPTUS A3 (AUSSAT 3)
- Object ID
- 1987-078A
- Epoch
- 1987-09-16 05:28:02 UTC
- Mean motion
- 1.03310126 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.02158
- Inclination
- 0.3485°
- Ascending node
- 196.5475°
- Arg. of perigee
- 166.5249°
- Mean anomaly
- 194.027°
- Element set
- 999
- Rev at epoch
- 0
- B*
- 0.000099999
Perigee, apogee and period are Kepler figures from the catalogued mean elements, not a propagated state. Published orbit: Direct-GEO. Ascent drawn from padside's representative profile.
Catalogued objects
7 catalogued: 2 payloads, 1 rocket stage, 3 debris, 1 component; 1 still in orbit
- Aussat K3 · NORAD 18350
- Eutelsat I F-4 · NORAD 18351
Ariane H10 V19 · re-entered June 21, 1991
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
Geostationary communications satellites
Pad
Ariane Launch Area 1 (ELV), Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana
19th launch from Ariane Launch Area 1 (ELV), 1st this year · 28th from Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana
56 launches from this pad · 336 from Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana
472 days after the previous launch from this pad
All launches from Guiana Space Centre, French GuianaOpen in maps
Questions
When did Aussat A3 & ECS 4 launch?
Aussat A3 & ECS 4 launched on September 16, 1987. The time is known to the hour, not the minute.
Where can I watch Aussat A3 & ECS 4?
No webcast is on record for this launch.
What rocket launched Aussat A3 & ECS 4?
Ariane 3, flown by Arianespace. Ariane 3 spec sheet
Where did Aussat A3 & ECS 4 launch from?
Ariane Launch Area 1 (ELV), Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana.
What orbit did Aussat A3 & ECS 4 reach?
Aussat K3, one of 7 catalogued objects, reached a 34,071 × 35,855 km orbit inclined 0.3°.
How many satellites did Aussat A3 & ECS 4 launch?
2 payloads from this launch are catalogued (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).