| Auto: | all |
| Optus D3 | |
| Mission Type: | Communication |
| Operator: | Optus |
| Website: | http://www.optus.com.au/about/network/satellite/fleet/b3 |
| Cospar Id: | 2009-044B |
| Satcat: | 35756 |
| Mission Duration: | 15 years |
| Spacecraft Bus: | Star-2.4 |
| Manufacturer: | Orbital Sciences |
| Launch Date: | UTC |
| Launch Rocket: | Ariane 5ECA |
| Launch Site: | Kourou ELA-3 |
| Launch Contractor: | Arianespace |
| Orbit Epoch: | 23 January 2015, 19:12:10 UTC[1] |
| Orbit Reference: | Geocentric |
| Orbit Regime: | Geostationary |
| Orbit Periapsis: | 35778km (22,231miles) |
| Orbit Apoapsis: | 35808km (22,250miles) |
| Orbit Inclination: | 0.05 degrees |
| Orbit Period: | 1436.12 minutes |
| Orbit Longitude: | 156° east |
| Apsis: | gee |
Optus D3 is an Australian geostationary communications satellite, which is operated by Optus and provides communications services to Australasia. D3 was the third Optus-D satellite to be launched. It is a 2401kg (5,293lb) satellite, which was constructed by Orbital Sciences Corporation based on the Star-2.4 satellite bus, with the same configuration as the earlier Optus D2 satellite.[2]
It was launched, along with the Japanese JCSAT-12 satellite, by Arianespace. An Ariane 5ECA rocket was used for the launch, which occurred from ELA-3 at the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, French Guiana. The launch took place at 22:09 GMT on 21 August 2009, at the start of a 60-minute launch window.[3]
Optus D3 separated from its carrier rocket into a geosynchronous transfer orbit, from which it raised itself to geostationary orbit using an IHI -500-N apogee motor. It has a design life of fifteen years, and carries thirty two J band transponders (US IEEE Ku band).[2]