| Intelsat II F-3 | |
| Mission Type: | Communications |
| Operator: | Intelsat |
| Cospar Id: | 1967-026A[1] |
| Satcat: | 2717 |
| Mission Duration: | 3 years |
| Spacecraft Bus: | HS-303A |
| Spacecraft Type: | Intelsat II |
| Manufacturer: | Hughes |
| Power: | 85 watts |
| Launch Date: | UTC[2] |
| Launch Rocket: | Delta E1 |
| Launch Site: | Cape Canaveral LC-17B |
| Launch Contractor: | NASA |
| Deactivated: | Early 1970s |
| Orbit Epoch: | February 7, 2014, 14:16:27 UTC[3] |
| Orbit Reference: | Geocentric |
| Orbit Regime: | Geosynchronous |
| Orbit Periapsis: | 35716km (22,193miles) |
| Orbit Apoapsis: | 35892km (22,302miles) |
| Orbit Inclination: | 5.81 degrees |
| Orbit Period: | 23.94 hours |
| Orbit Longitude: | 15° west (1967-71, 1973) 35° west (1972) |
| Apsis: | gee |
| Programme: | Intelsat II |
| Previous Mission: | Intelsat II F-2 |
| Next Mission: | Intelsat II F-4 |
Intelsat II F-3, also known as Canary Bird was a communications satellite operated by Intelsat. Launched in 1967 it was operated in geostationary orbit, spending most of its operational life at a longitude of 15 degrees west.
The third of four Intelsat II satellites to be launched, Intelsat II F-3 was built by Hughes Aircraft around the HS-303A satellite bus. It carried two transponders, which were powered by body-mounted solar cells generating 85 watts of power.[4] The spacecraft had a mass of 162kg (357lb) at launch, decreasing through expenditure of propellant to 86kg (190lb) by the beginning of its operational life.
Intelsat II F-3 was launched atop a Delta E1 rocket flying from Launch Complex 17B at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The launch took place at 01:30:12 on March 23, 1967, with the spacecraft entering a geosynchronous transfer orbit. It fired an SVM-1 apogee motor to place itself into its operational geostationary orbit. The spacecraft was operated at a longitude of 15° west, over the Atlantic Ocean. It was briefly relocated to 35° west in 1972, but had returned to 15° west by the following year.[5]
It acquired the unofficial nickname Canary Bird because of the association of the mission with Maspalomas Station, the ground station which is located in the Canary Islands.[6]
As of February 7, 2014 the derelict Intelsat II F-3 was in an orbit with a perigee of 35716km (22,193miles), an apogee of 35892km (22,302miles), inclination of 5.81 degrees and an orbital period of 23.94 hours.[3]