NSSDCA/COSPAR ID: 2012-075A
Skynet 5D is a military communications satellite operated by Astrium Services on behalf of the British Ministry of Defence. It was the last of four Skynet 5 satellites to be launched. The Skynet 5D spacecraft was constructed by Astrium, based on the Eurostar 3000S satellite bus. It had a mass at launch of approximately 4,800 kilograms (11,000 lb), and is designed to operated for at least 15 years. Its 34-metre (112 ft) solar arrays will generate a minimum of 6 kilowatts to power its UHF and X-band communications systems. The satellite's payload includes jamming countermeasures.
Launch Date: 2012-12-19
Launch Vehicle: Ariane 5 ECA
Launch Site: Kourou, French Guiana
Questions and comments about this spacecraft can be directed to: Coordinated Request and User Support Office