China Aerospace CorporationLong March 2ELaunch Complex 2 (LC-2), Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
Optus B3
Launched
August 27, 1994
Image: CNSA
Summary
Optus B3 launched on a China Aerospace Corporation Long March 2E from Launch Complex 2 (LC-2), Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China on August 27, 1994. It was China Aerospace Corporation's 5th launch, 4th this year and humanity's 3,926th orbital launch attempt. It was the 4th Long March 2E flight and the 1st this year. The payload was bound for Geostationary Orbit (Direct-GEO). Optus B3, one of 3 catalogued objects, reached a 390 × 39,131 km orbit inclined 24.1°. 3 objects from this launch are catalogued, one of them a payload.
- Watch
- No webcast on record.
- Vehicle
- Long March 2E · China Aerospace Corporation
- Booster
- No booster details on record.
- Mission
- Communications · Geostationary Orbit (Direct-GEO)
- Milestone
- 4th Long March 2E flight · 1st this yearChina Aerospace Corporation's 5th launch4th this yearhumanity's 3,926th orbital launch attempt58th orbital launch attempt this year
Flight preview
Orbit: as tracked
Optus B3 · NORAD 23227 · 1994-055 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 3 objects
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- OPTUS B3
- Object ID
- 1994-055A
- Epoch
- 1994-08-27 19:30:42 UTC
- Mean motion
- 2.05519595 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.741263
- Inclination
- 24.0718°
- Ascending node
- 329.0341°
- Arg. of perigee
- 179.0332°
- Mean anomaly
- 184.4859°
- 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
3 catalogued: 1 payload, 1 rocket stage, 1 component; 2 still in orbit
- Optus B3 · NORAD 23227 · in orbit
CZ-2E Y5 Stage 2 · re-entered December 27, 1994
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
Australian communications satellite built by Hughes Space and Communications Company in California.
Pad
Launch Complex 2 (LC-2), Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
5th launch from Launch Complex 2 (LC-2), 2nd this year · 14th from Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
126 launches from this pad · 242 from Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
200 days after the previous launch from this pad
All launches from Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of ChinaOpen in maps
Questions
When did Optus B3 launch?
Optus B3 launched on August 27, 1994. The time is known to the hour, not the minute.
Where can I watch Optus B3?
No webcast is on record for this launch.
What rocket launched Optus B3?
Long March 2E, flown by China Aerospace Corporation. Long March 2E spec sheet
Where did Optus B3 launch from?
Launch Complex 2 (LC-2), Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China.
What orbit did Optus B3 reach?
Optus B3, one of 3 catalogued objects, reached a 390 × 39,131 km orbit inclined 24.1°.
How many satellites did Optus B3 launch?
1 payload from this launch is catalogued, still in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).