Intelsat VA F-14, was a communications satellite operated by Intelsat. Launched in 1986, it was the fourteenth of fifteen Intelsat V satellites to be launched. The Intelsat V series was constructed by Ford Aerospace, based on the Intelsat VA satellite bus. Intelsat VA F-14 was part of an advanced series of satellites designed to provide greater telecommunications capacity for Intelsat's global network.
| Mission type | Communication |
|---|---|
| Operator | Intelsat |
| COSPAR ID | 1986-F05 |
| Mission duration | 7 years (planned) |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Bus | Intelsat VA |
| Manufacturer | Ford Aerospace |
| Launch mass | 1981 kg |
| BOL mass | 1098 kg [1] |
| Dimensions | 1.66 x 2.1 x 1.77 metres |
| Power | 1800 watts |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 31 May 1986, 00:53:03 UTC [2] |
| Rocket | Ariane 2 V18 |
| Launch site | Kourou, ELA-1 |
| Contractor | Aérospatiale |
| Entered service | Launch failure |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric orbit |
| Regime | Geostationary orbit |
| Epoch | Planned |
| Transponders | |
| Band | 26 C-band 6 Ku-band |
Intelsat V | |
Satellite
The satellite was box-shaped, measuring 1.66 by 2.1 by 1.77 metres; solar arrays spanned 15.9 metres tip to tip. The arrays, supplemented by nickel-hydrogen batteries during eclipse, provided 1800 watts of power at mission onset, approximately 1280 watts at the end of its seven-year design life. The payload housed 26 C-band and 6 Ku-band transponders. It could accommodate 15,000 two-way voice circuits and two TV channels simultaneously. It also provided maritime communications for ships at sea.[3]
Launch
The satellite was successfully launched into space on 31 May 1986, at 00:53:03 UTC, by means of an Ariane 2 vehicle from the Centre Spatial Guyanais, Kourou, French Guiana. It had a launch mass of 1981 kg.[4] During the Ariane 2 maiden flight, the third stage had a partial ignition followed by another ignition above nominal pressure which led to the engine's failure and the destruction of the launcher.
Investigation
Because the upper stage of the Ariane 2 was shared with the other Ariane rockets, all flights were suspended until 16 September 1987. As a result of an investigation into the ignition irregularities, it was decided that installing more powerful igniters would sufficiently rectify the issue.[5]
