Mission type | Communication |
---|---|
Operator | China Satellite Communications |
COSPAR ID | 2012-067A |
SATCAT no. | 39017 |
Website |
english |
Mission duration | 15 years |
Spacecraft properties | |
Bus | Spacebus-4000C2 [1] |
Manufacturer | Thales Alenia Space |
Launch mass | 5,054 kilograms (11,142 lb) |
Power | 2 deployable solar arrays, batteries |
Start of mission | |
Launch date | 27 November 2012[2] |
Rocket | Long March 3B/E [3] |
Launch site | Xichang LA-2 |
Orbital parameters | |
Reference system | Geocentric |
Regime | Geostationary |
Longitude | 87.5° East |
Transponders | |
Band | 28 C-band 28 Ku-band |
Coverage area | China Sri Lanka East Asia South Asia Middle East Africa Australia China sea area the Indian Ocean region. |
The ChinaSat 12 ( Chinese: 中星12号; pinyin: Zhōngxīng 12) [4] [5] [3] [6] communications satellite is wholly owned by China Satellite Communications, with part of its communications payload leased or rented by SupremeSAT, a Sri Lankan company, to be marketed to potential users as SupremeSAT-I. [7] Once operational, it will provide communications services for the China, Sri Lanka, East Asia, South Asia, Middle East, Africa, Australia, and China sea area, the Indian Ocean region. [8]
ChinaSat 12 was also known as Apstar 7B (as a backup of Apstar 7), but acquired by China Satellite Communications from its subsidiary APT Satellite Holdings in 2010. [9] However, APT Satellite Holdings was contracted by its parent company as the operator of ChinaSat 12. [9]
Following launch on 27 November 2012, [10] the satellite was placed into geosynchronous orbit and located at 51.5° East while being tested. On April 19, 2013, it started to move towards its operational location at 87.5° East.[ citation needed]
The satellite was built by Thales Alenia Space and has a designed life of 15 years.