Jornal da Embratel
Telecommunications for Integration and Development

February, 1985

 

 


Orbiting Satellite Draw

Brasilsat is already at 35,800 kms of height, commanded by the Satelite System Operations Center

 

Brasilsat Program Logo

 

BRASILSAT - Perfect Launching, Anticipated Orbit and Long Life

The precision of the launching of Ariane 3 Rocket, on February 8, allied to the competence of the technicians at the Satellite System Operations Center, in Guaratiba, anticipated the entrance of the Brasilsat in its definite orbit. This, consequently, allows economy of fuel, increasing the utile life of the satellite. The mission's success was feasted in all Embratel.

Exactly at 20 hours and 22 minutes, the forecasted hour - of February 8th, Brasilsat, the first Brazilian Telecommunications Satellite was launched on board of the French rocket Ariane 3. The launching was perfect and when Ariane crossed the sky, coloring it red, and an expectation period started. All over the Country people were praying for the success of the mission.

About 20 minutes later, when Brasilsat was ejected , the tension diminished and all could breath easily. In Kouru, in Brasília, in Rio, and all branches of Embratel, the employees, authorities and invitees were commemorating intensively the perfect trajectory of our satellite.

BRASILSAT, ANTICIPATED ACTION

At the Operations Center, in Guaratiba, the movement started at 20.47h, after the confirmation of the launching of Brasilsat, when the experts in service could follow its trajectory through the information sent in by other stations. Thanks to its efficiency, Brasilsat was placed in its definite orbit (geostationary) at 12:34h, that is, 24 hours after its launching, and 3 days prior to the expected date.

Of the 54 Brazilian experts and 53 Canadian and American ones that have been working in the Brasilsat project, it was the operator Soraya Bittencourt the one to press the button to start the apogee motor of the satellite to take it to its definite orbit. These 3 days represent a large economy, once the term of utile life of the Brasilsat is conditioned to the controlled use of the fuel it carries to correct its orbit whenever necessary. The fact of the motor being fired prior to the expected time date may mean one or two more years of utile life for our satellite. It may now have a 10 years life period, while the previous expectation was from 8 to 9 years.

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