ArianespaceAriane 5 ECA+Ariane Launch Area 3, Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana
JCSAT-17 & GEO-KOMPSAT-2B
Launched
February 18, 2020 · 22:18 UTC
Image: ESA/CNES/Arianespace/Optique vidéo du CSG
Summary
JCSAT-17 & GEO-KOMPSAT-2B launched on an Arianespace Ariane 5 ECA+ from Ariane Launch Area 3, Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana on February 18, 2020 at 22:18 UTC. The launch window ran from 22:18 to 23:20 UTC. It was Arianespace's 285th launch, 3rd this year and humanity's 5,936th orbital launch attempt. It was the 2nd Ariane 5 ECA+ flight and the 1st this year. The payload was bound for Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO). JCSAT 17, one of 4 catalogued objects, reached a 287 × 35,736 km orbit inclined 6.0°. 4 objects from this launch are catalogued, 2 of them payloads.
- Watch
- Vehicle
- Ariane 5 ECA+ · Arianespace
- Booster
- No booster details on record.
- Mission
- Communications · Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO)
- Milestone
- 2nd Ariane 5 ECA+ flight · 1st this yearArianespace's 285th launch3rd this yearhumanity's 5,936th orbital launch attempt14th orbital launch attempt this year
Webcast
Flight preview
Orbit: as tracked
JCSAT 17 · NORAD 45245 · 2020-013 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 4 objects
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- TBA - TO BE ASSIGNED
- Object ID
- 2020-013A
- Epoch
- 2020-02-19 00:19:00 UTC
- Mean motion
- 2.2802715 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.7269392
- Inclination
- 5.9915°
- Ascending node
- 312.5283°
- Arg. of perigee
- 177.3158°
- Mean anomaly
- 57.8889°
- Element set
- 999
- Rev at epoch
- 0
- B*
- 0
Perigee, apogee and period are Kepler figures from the catalogued mean elements, not a propagated state. Published orbit: GTO. Ascent drawn from padside's representative profile.
Catalogued objects
4 catalogued: 2 payloads, 1 rocket stage, 1 component; 4 still in orbit
- JCSAT 17 · NORAD 45245 · in orbit
- Cheollian 2B · NORAD 45246 · in orbit
Ariane 5 L5111 ESC-D · in orbit
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
JCSAT-17 is a Japanese communication satellite of SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation. Its payloads incorporate S-band, C-band and Ku-band transponders, which will provide satellite communication services. The S-band and C-band transponders will serve NTT DOCOMO, Inc., the largest telecommunications company in Japan, for its flexible mobile communications services in Japan and the surrounding region under IRU contract (Indefeasible Right of Use). SKY Perfect JSAT will support NTT DOCOMO’s satellite communication services. JCSAT-17 also includes a flexible processor that will allow SJC to redirect capacity to concentrate on disaster relief efforts or other high-volume events. The GEO-KOMPSAT-2 program is a national program of the Korean government to develop and operate two civilian geostationary satellites sharing the same satellite bus: GEO-KOMPSAT-2A for meteorological and space weather monitoring missions; and GEO-KOMPSAT-2B for Earth environment monitoring and ocean monitoring missions. The GEO-KOMPSAT 2 program also ensures the succession for the COMS program (Communication, Ocean and Meteorological Satellite). The satellite carries two main payloads: GOCI II (Geostationary Ocean Color Imager II), provided by Airbus Defence and Space; and the GEMS (Geostationary Environment Monitoring Spectrometer), provided by Ball Aerospace & Technologies.
Pad

Ariane Launch Area 3, Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana
109th launch from Ariane Launch Area 3, 2nd this year · 299th from Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana
Local pad time at liftoff: Feb 18, 7:18 PM GMT-3, in twilight
118 launches from this pad · 336 from Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana
33 days after the previous launch from this pad
All launches from Guiana Space Centre, French GuianaOpen in maps
Questions
When did JCSAT-17 & GEO-KOMPSAT-2B launch?
JCSAT-17 & GEO-KOMPSAT-2B launched on February 18, 2020 at 22:18 UTC. The launch window ran from 22:18 to 23:20 UTC.
Where can I watch JCSAT-17 & GEO-KOMPSAT-2B?
Coverage: Arianespace Flight VA252 – JCSAT-17 and GEO-KOMPSAT-2B (EN). Watch the replay
What rocket launched JCSAT-17 & GEO-KOMPSAT-2B?
Ariane 5 ECA+, flown by Arianespace. Ariane 5 ECA+ spec sheet
Where did JCSAT-17 & GEO-KOMPSAT-2B launch from?
Ariane Launch Area 3, Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana. Liftoff was Feb 18, 7:18 PM GMT-3 local time at the pad.
What orbit did JCSAT-17 & GEO-KOMPSAT-2B reach?
JCSAT 17, one of 4 catalogued objects, reached a 287 × 35,736 km orbit inclined 6.0°.
How many satellites did JCSAT-17 & GEO-KOMPSAT-2B launch?
2 payloads from this launch are catalogued, 2 of them still in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).
