WGS 3 (USA 211)
Spacecraft: |
WGS stands for Wideband Global
Satcom |
Chronologies: |
2009 payload #119 ; 2009-068A ; 6,844th spacecraft. |
Type: |
Communications |
Families: |
|
Ranks: |
|
Sponsor: |
U.S. Department of Defense |
|
|
Launch: |
6 December 2009 at 1h47 UTC,
from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's SLC-37B, by a Delta
4M+(5,4). |
Orbit: |
Geosynchronous at 12° West longitude |
Mission: |
The 5,990-kg third Wideband Global Satcom
that carries US Army-led X-band and Ka-band communications payloads to
significantly increase the communications capabilities for troops in the
field, allies and national leadership, to include the President.
The WGS satellites are important elements of a new high-capacity satellite
communications system providing enhanced communications capabilities to
America's troops around the world for the next decade and beyond. WGS enables
more robust and flexible execution of command and control, communications
computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, as well as battle
management and combat support information functions. WGS 3, a Boeing
702-class satellite, is managed by the USAF and operated by Space Command/Schriever
AFB. It joins the service's two other WGS satellites, which launched on
October 2007 and April 2009. The satellite will be positioned over
the equator at around 12 degrees West longitude to provide satellite communications
support to U.S. Southern Command, European Command, Africa Command, DoD,
and the President. WGS-4 is currently scheduled to launch in 2011 from
Cape Canaveral. Two additional satellites are planned to be launched after
WGS-4 to bring the constellation to a total of six by 2013. |
Source: |
Jonathan
Space Report No. 619
; Spacewarn No.
; National Space Science Data Center's
2009-0 ; USAF''s 9
Dec 09 l |
|
|