Mission type Communication COSPAR ID 1992-010B Launch site Kourou ELA-2 Launch mass 1,360 kg Launch date 26 February 1992 Bus Spacebus | Operator Arabsat → ISRO Manufacturer Aérospatiale Period 24 hours Launch mass 1,360 kg Rocket Ariane 4 | |
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Mission duration 7 years (planned)
12¾ years (achieved) Similar INSAT‑1A, INSAT‑3B, INSAT‑1B, INSAT‑2E, INSAT‑3E | ||
INSAT-2DT, previously Arabsat-1C and also known as INSAT-2R, was a Saudi Arabian and subsequently Indian communications satellite which was operated initially by Arabsat, and then by the Indian Space Research Organisation.
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Launch and Arabsat service
Launched in 1992 as Arabsat-1C, it was operated at 31° East longitude in geostationary orbit, from where it was used to provide communication services to the Arab States. It was constructed by Aérospatiale, based on the Spacebus 100 satellite bus, and carried two NATO E/F-band (IEEE S band) and 25 NATO G/H-Band (IEEE C band) transponders. At launch, it had a mass of 1,170 kilograms (2,580 lb), and an expected operational lifespan of seven years.
It was launched by Arianespace using an Ariane 4 rocket in the 44L configuration, flying from ELA-2 at the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou. The launch took place at 22:58:10 UTC on 26 February 1992. It was the final Spacebus 100 satellite to be launched.
ISRO operations
In November 1997, Arabsat-1C was sold to ISRO as INSAT-2DT. In December, it was moved to a new slot at 55°E longitude, where it replaced the INSAT-2D satellite which had failed in orbit. It remained at 55°E until August 2003, when it was moved to 85.2°E, arriving in November. By the time of its departure from 55°E, its orbital inclination had increased somewhat.
INSAT-2DT remained at 85.2°E until October 2004, when it was retired from service and placed into a graveyard orbit.