SBS 2 (satellite)

SBS 2 was a geostationary communications satellite designed and manufactured by Hughes (now Boeing) on the HS-376 platform. It was ordered by Satellite Business Systems, which later sold it to Hughes Communications. It had a K_u band payload and operated on the 117°W longitude.^[2]

SBS 2

Mission type	Communications
Operator	SBS
COSPAR ID	1981-096A
SATCAT no.	12855
Mission duration	7 years design life
Spacecraft properties
Bus	HS-376
Manufacturer	Hughes Space and Communications
Launch mass	550 kilograms (1,210 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date	24 September 1981, 23:09 (1981-09-24UTC23:09Z) UTC
Rocket	Delta-3910 PAM-D
Launch site	Cape Canaveral LC-17A
Contractor	NASA
End of mission
Disposal	Decommissioned
Deactivated	September 1996 (1996-10)
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric
Regime	Geostationary
Longitude	117° W[1]
Eccentricity	0.73679
Perigee altitude	166 kilometres (103 mi)
Apogee altitude	36,830 kilometres (22,890 mi)
Inclination	27.7°
Period	650.8 minutes
Epoch	September 24, 1981
Transponders
Band	14 Ku band

Satellite description

The spacecraft was designed and manufactured by Hughes on the HS-376 satellite bus. It had a launch mass of 550 kg (1,210 lb), a geostationary orbit and a 7-year design life.^[3]

History

On September 24, 1981, SDS 2 was finally launched by a Delta-3910 PAM-D from Cape Canaveral at 23:09 UTC.

In April 1996, SDS 2 finally decommissioned and put on a graveyard orbit.^[2]