Intelsat 5
| Mission type | Communication |
|---|---|
| Operator | Intelsat |
| COSPAR ID | 1997-046A |
| SATCAT no. | 24916 |
| Mission duration | 15 years |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Bus | HS-601HP |
| Manufacturer | Hughes |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | August 28, 1997, 00:33:30 UTC |
| Rocket | Proton-K/DM3 |
| Launch site | Baikonur 81/23 |
| Contractor | ILS |
| End of mission | |
| Disposal | Decommissioned |
| Deactivated | October 19, 2012 |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Geostationary (1997-2012) |
| Longitude | 58° West (1997-2002) 26° East (2002-2007) 169° East (2007-2012) |
| Transponders | |
| Band | 28 IEEE C band 28 IEEE Ku band |
| Coverage area | Americas-Europe (1997-2002) Middle East-Africa (2002-2007) Asia-Pacific (2007-2012) |
Intelsat 5 (aka IS-5, PAS-5 and Arabsat 2C) was a satellite providing television and communication services for ITSO and Inmarsat, which it was jointly commissioned by. It was manufactured by Aeronutronics. At beginning of life, it generates nearly 10 kilowatts. This version takes advantage of such advances as dual-junction gallium arsenide solar cells, new battery technology and the first commercial use of a high-efficiency xenon ion propulsion system (XIPS).
PanAmSat became HSC's first customer to launch the new model, on Aug. 28, 1997, on a Russian Proton-K Blok-DM3 rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. PAS-5 provides satellite services in the Americas, with access to Europe, including direct-to-home television services in Mexico.
Controllers began noticing degradation of the nickel-hydrogen battery in PAS-5 earlier 1998. The effect on operations was analyzed in June 1998. During periods of peak solar eclipse, which occur twice a year, PanAmSat will be required to shut off a portion of the satellite's payload for some time. PanAmSat reportedly received a compensation of US$185 million from its insurers after the satellite was declared a "total loss" because its capacity was reduced by more than 50 percent.
PAS 5 was leased in May 2002 to the Arab Satellite Communications Organisation (Arabsat).
The television channels it broadcasts include BBC World News, Australia Network and regular feeds of Entertainment Tonight and The Wall Street Journal Report.
As of September 28, 2012, BBC World News was replaced with a static video slate advising that the service would be only available on the existing horizontally aligned lower powered Pacific beam on Intelsat 19 which is 3.94 GHz @ 27.69 MBd QPSK 3/4. Intelsat 8 was moved to temporarily co-locate with Intelsat 5 at 169 deg E. and Intelsat 8 has been broadcasting Australia Network Pacific on the horizontally aligned Pacific Beam 4.1 GHz @ 26.479 MBd QPSK 3/4 when Intelsat 5 went silent and was sent to a higher "junk" orbit on October 19, 2012 around 2300 UTC. Intelsat 8 has an even lower powered beam than Intelsat 19 with a Pacific beam more focused on South East Asia and Australia than the South Pacific.