Leasat F5

Description

LEASAT-5, also known as SYNCOM-IV-5, was deployed from the orbiting STS 32 on January 10, 1990. Forty-five minutes after ejecting frisbee-style from the cargo bay, LEASAT's solid perigee kick motor fired to boost it into orbit. Subsequent solid and liquid fuel engine firings inserted the satellite into geosynchronous orbit. It reached its assigned station at 177 deg w on January 14. LEASAT was built by Hughes Space and Communications Group for Hughes Communications, Inc (HCI). The US Navy leased communications service from HCI for DoD users, including air, sea, surface and subsurface units. Twelve UHF repeaters provided the main communications capability; signals were received and transmitted via 2 helical antennas. LEASAT 5 was a 4.26-m-diameter drum, standing 6.17 m high with antenna mast deployed. Body mounted solar arrays provided 1,238 W at the end of its 10-year design life.