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ATS-3

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AKA: Applications Technology Satellite. Status: Operational 1967. First Launch: 1967-11-05. Last Launch: 1967-11-05. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 365 kg (804 lb). Height: 1.50 m (4.90 ft).

In addition to fulfilling its primary mission, it also provided regular communications service to sites in the Pacific basin and Antarctica, provided emergency communications links during the 1987 Mexican earthquake and the Mt. St. Helens disaster, and supported the Apollo Moon landings. The satellite also provided the first color images from space as well as regular cloud cover images for meteorological studies. Spacecraft: Spin stabilized, drum solar array providing 175 W BOL, NiCd batteries. Payload: C-band and VHF communications packages, Earth imaging camera

Family: Communications technology sat, Geosynchronous orbit, Technology. Country: USA. Launch Vehicles: Atlas, Atlas SLV-3 Agena D. Projects: ATS. Launch Sites: Cape Canaveral, Cape Canaveral LC12. Agency: NASA, NSF, Hughes. More at: 6370. Bibliography: 2, 278, 279, 6.

• ATS 3 - . Payload: ATS C. Mass: 365 kg (804 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Greenbelt. Program: ATS. Class: Technology. Type: Communications technology satellite. Spacecraft Bus: ATS. Spacecraft: ATS-3. USAF Sat Cat: 3029 . COSPAR: 1967-111A. Apogee: 35,837 km (22,268 mi). Perigee: 35,736 km (22,205 mi). Inclination: 14.5000 deg. Period: 1,436.10 min.

  Communications tests. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit over the Atlantic Ocean at 45 deg W in-100 deg W in 1968-1970; over the Americas at 69 deg W in 1971-1976; over the Americas at 105 deg W in 1977-1998 As of 4 September 2001 located at 105.90 deg W drifting at 0.003 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 10 located at 105.23W drifting at 0.006W degrees per day.