LAUNCH CENTER

Launch Image
Success
Sun Oct 05 1997
Lockheed Martin

Echostar III

Launch Successful
LAUNCH PREVIEW

Launch Time

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(9:01 PM UTC)

Launch Window Start

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(9:01 PM UTC)

Launch Window End

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(9:01 PM UTC)

RECOVERY OVERVIEW

Location

No Recovery Specified

Type

No Recovery Specified

Rocket Details

Name:

Atlas IIAS

Description:

Atlas II was a member of the Atlas family of launch vehicles, which evolved from the successful Atlas missile program of the 1950s. It was designed to launch payloads into low earth orbit, geosynchronous transfer orbit or geosynchronous orbit. Sixty-three launches of the Atlas II, IIA and IIAS models were carried out between 1991 and 2004; all sixty-three launches were successes, making the Atlas II the most reliable launch system in history.

Atlas IIAS rocket
MISSION OVERVIEW
  • Type: Communications
  • EchoStar 3 was originaly ordered as DBSC 1 by DBSC (Direct Broadcast Satellite Corporation) which merged with a subsidiary of EchoStar in late 1995. The merger was approved by the FCC in August 1996. EchoStar is only authorized to operate 11 transponders from 61.5°W but was granted in Mar 1998 a special authorization to use the full frequency space at that location.
COMPLEX OVERVIEW

Location

Cape Canaveral, FL, USA

Pad

Launch Complex 36B