ArianespaceAriane 5 ECAAriane Launch Area 3, Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana
Skynet 5D & Mexsat-3
Launched
December 19, 2012
Image: ESA/CNES/Arianespace/Optique vidéo du CSG
Summary
Skynet 5D & Mexsat-3 launched on an Arianespace Ariane 5 ECA from Ariane Launch Area 3, Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana on December 19, 2012. It was Arianespace's 210th launch, 9th this year and humanity's 5,268th orbital launch attempt. It was the 39th Ariane 5 ECA flight and the 6th this year. The payload was bound for Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO). Skynet 5D, one of 4 catalogued objects, reached a 271 × 35,828 km orbit inclined 2.0°. 4 objects from this launch are catalogued, 2 of them payloads.
- Vehicle
- Ariane 5 ECA · Arianespace
- Booster
- No booster details on record.
- Mission
- Communications · Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO)
- Milestone
- 39th Ariane 5 ECA flight · 6th this yearArianespace's 210th launch9th this yearhumanity's 5,268th orbital launch attempt78th orbital launch attempt this year
Webcast
Flight preview
Orbit: as tracked
Skynet 5D · NORAD 39034 · 2012-075 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 4 objects
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- TBA - TO BE ASSIGNED
- Object ID
- 2012-075A
- Epoch
- 2012-12-19 23:15:41 UTC
- Mean motion
- 2.27492355 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.7280157
- Inclination
- 1.9981°
- Ascending node
- 244.2438°
- Arg. of perigee
- 178.3057°
- Mean anomaly
- 38.1867°
- 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; 2 still in orbit
- Skynet 5D · NORAD 39034
- Mexsat Bicentenario · NORAD 39035 · in orbit
Ariane 5 L567 ESC-A · in orbit
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
Skynet 5D is a military communications satellite operated by Astrium Services on behalf of the British Ministry of Defence. It operates in a geostationary orbit at 25 degrees East. Mexsat-3 is part of the MEXSAT telecommunications network and occupies 114.9 degrees West. It provides broadband, high quality telephony and much more for Mexico.
Pad
Ariane Launch Area 3, Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana
67th launch from Ariane Launch Area 3, 7th this year · 225th from Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana
118 launches from this pad · 336 from Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana
39 days after the previous launch from this pad
All launches from Guiana Space Centre, French GuianaOpen in maps
Questions
When did Skynet 5D & Mexsat-3 launch?
Skynet 5D & Mexsat-3 launched on December 19, 2012. The time is known to the hour, not the minute.
Where can I watch Skynet 5D & Mexsat-3?
Coverage: Flight VA211 – Skynet 5D / Mexsat Bicentenario | Ariane 5 Launch | Arianespace. Watch the replay
What rocket launched Skynet 5D & Mexsat-3?
Ariane 5 ECA, flown by Arianespace. Ariane 5 ECA spec sheet
Where did Skynet 5D & Mexsat-3 launch from?
Ariane Launch Area 3, Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana.
What orbit did Skynet 5D & Mexsat-3 reach?
Skynet 5D, one of 4 catalogued objects, reached a 271 × 35,828 km orbit inclined 2.0°.
How many satellites did Skynet 5D & Mexsat-3 launch?
2 payloads from this launch are catalogued, 1 of them still in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).