EchoStar III
| Mission type | Communications |
|---|---|
| Operator | EchoStar |
| COSPAR ID | 1997-059A |
| SATCAT no. | 25004 |
| Mission duration | 12 years |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Bus | A2100AX |
| Manufacturer | Lockheed Martin |
| Launch mass | 3,674 kilograms (8,100 lb) |
| Dry mass | 1,700 kilograms (3,700 lb) |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | October 5, 1997, 21:01 UTC |
| Rocket | Atlas IIAS |
| Launch site | Cape Canaveral LC-36B |
| Contractor | NASA |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Geostationary |
| Longitude | 62° west |
| Semi-major axis | 42,164.0 kilometers (26,199.5 mi) |
| Perigee | 35,787.6 kilometers (22,237.4 mi) |
| Apogee | 35,798.8 kilometers (22,244.3 mi) |
| Inclination | 2.1 degrees |
| Period | 1,436.1 minutes |
| Epoch | May 14, 2017 |
| Transponders | |
| Band | 32 Ku band |
| Coverage area | Contiguous United States |
EchoStar III is a communications satellite operated by EchoStar. Launched in 1997 it was operated in geostationary orbit at a longitude of 62 degrees west for 12 years.
The launch of EchoStar I made use of a Atlas-II AS rocket flying from Launch Complex 36 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. The launch took place at 21:01 UTC on October 5, 1997, with the spacecraft entering a geosynchronous transfer orbit. EchoStar III carried 16 (or more) Ku band transponders to provide direct voice and video communications to small dishes in North America after parking over 79 W or 135 W longitude.
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