ArianespaceAriane 5 ECAAriane Launch Area 3, Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana
WildBlue 1 & AMC-18
Launched
December 8, 2006
Image: ESA/CNES/Arianespace/Optique vidéo du CSG
Summary
WildBlue 1 & AMC-18 launched on an Arianespace Ariane 5 ECA from Ariane Launch Area 3, Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana on December 8, 2006. It was Arianespace's 169th launch, 5th this year and humanity's 4,808th orbital launch attempt. It was the 8th Ariane 5 ECA flight and the 5th this year. The payload was bound for Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO). WildBlue 1, one of 4 catalogued objects, reached a 307 × 35,976 km orbit inclined 2.3°. 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
- 8th Ariane 5 ECA flight · 5th this yearArianespace's 169th launch5th this yearhumanity's 4,808th orbital launch attempt58th orbital launch attempt this year
Flight preview
Orbit: as tracked
WildBlue 1 · NORAD 29643 · 2006-054 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 4 objects
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- TBA - TO BE ASSIGNED
- Object ID
- 2006-054A
- Epoch
- 2006-12-08 17:23:50 UTC
- Mean motion
- 2.26216533 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.7275593
- Inclination
- 2.278°
- Ascending node
- 224.0104°
- Arg. of perigee
- 185.848°
- Mean anomaly
- 188.9236°
- 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
- WildBlue 1 · NORAD 29643
- AMC 18 · NORAD 29644 · in orbit
Ariane 5 L534 ESC-A · in orbit
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
WildBlue-1 offers Ka-band Broadband Internet Access via satellite. Operates at 111.1 degrees West in a geostationary orbit. AMC-18 is an SES satellite that provides coverage to North America for many television networks. This satellite operates at 105 degrees West.
Pad
Ariane Launch Area 3, Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana
30th launch from Ariane Launch Area 3, 5th this year · 183rd from Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana
118 launches from this pad · 336 from Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana
56 days after the previous launch from this pad
All launches from Guiana Space Centre, French GuianaOpen in maps
Questions
When did WildBlue 1 & AMC-18 launch?
WildBlue 1 & AMC-18 launched on December 8, 2006. The time is known to the hour, not the minute.
Where can I watch WildBlue 1 & AMC-18?
Coverage: Vol V174 - Ariane 5 ECA - WildBlue 1 , AMC 18 - decollage takeoff liftoff. Watch the replay
What rocket launched WildBlue 1 & AMC-18?
Ariane 5 ECA, flown by Arianespace. Ariane 5 ECA spec sheet
Where did WildBlue 1 & AMC-18 launch from?
Ariane Launch Area 3, Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana.
What orbit did WildBlue 1 & AMC-18 reach?
WildBlue 1, one of 4 catalogued objects, reached a 307 × 35,976 km orbit inclined 2.3°.
How many satellites did WildBlue 1 & AMC-18 launch?
2 payloads from this launch are catalogued, 1 of them still in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).