AMC-11
Encyclopedia
AMC-11 , previously GE-11, is a Dutch, previously American geostationary communications satellite
which is operated by SES World Skies. It is currently positioned in geostationary orbit
at a longitude
of 131 degrees West, from where it is used to relay cable television
across North America
for onward distribution. It broadcasts to Canada
, the Caribbean
, Mexico
and the United States
.
AMC-11 was built by Lockheed Martin
, and is based around the A2100A satellite bus
. It was originally ordered by GE Americom as GE-11, however following the merger of GE Americom and SES, it was redesignated AMC-11 while still under construction. It is equipped with 24 transponder
s operating in the G
and H band
s of the NATO frequency spectrum, or the C band
of the IEEE spectrum. At launch it had a mass of 2340 kilograms (5,158.8 lb), with an expected operational lifespan of around fifteen years.
The launch of AMC-11, which was conducted by International Launch Services
, was the penultimate flight and last commercial launch of the Atlas II
carrier rocket, which flew in the Atlas IIAS configuration. The launch occurred from Space Launch Complex 36B at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
, at 22:22 GMT on 19 May 2004. The launch successfully placed AMC-11 into a geosynchronous transfer orbit, from which it raised itself to geostationary orbit by means of a LEROS-1C apogee motor. Its insertion into geosynchronous orbit occurred at 20:00 on 24 May 2004.
In late May and early June 2010, the Galaxy 15
satellite, which had failed with its transponders still broadcasting, passed close to AMC-11. Since Galaxy 15 broadcast on similar frequencies to AMC-11, interference
from its transponders could have affected signals originating from AMC-11. As a result, AMC-11 was manoeuvred out of the way of Galaxy 15, and the SES-1
satellite was brought in to provide backup in case AMC-11 could not continue broadcasting. Galaxy 15 passed within 0.2 degrees of AMC-11, however no service interruptions occurred.
Communications satellite
A communications satellite is an artificial satellite stationed in space for the purpose of telecommunications...
which is operated by SES World Skies. It is currently positioned in geostationary orbit
Geostationary orbit
A geostationary orbit is a geosynchronous orbit directly above the Earth's equator , with a period equal to the Earth's rotational period and an orbital eccentricity of approximately zero. An object in a geostationary orbit appears motionless, at a fixed position in the sky, to ground observers...
at a longitude
Longitude
Longitude is a geographic coordinate that specifies the east-west position of a point on the Earth's surface. It is an angular measurement, usually expressed in degrees, minutes and seconds, and denoted by the Greek letter lambda ....
of 131 degrees West, from where it is used to relay cable television
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
across North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
for onward distribution. It broadcasts to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
AMC-11 was built by Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin is an American global aerospace, defense, security, and advanced technology company with worldwide interests. It was formed by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta in March 1995. It is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, in the Washington Metropolitan Area....
, and is based around the A2100A satellite bus
Satellite bus
A satellite bus or spacecraft bus is the general model on which multiple-production satellite spacecraft are often based. The bus is the infrastructure of a spacecraft, usually providing locations for the payload .They are most commonly used for geosynchronous satellites, particularly...
. It was originally ordered by GE Americom as GE-11, however following the merger of GE Americom and SES, it was redesignated AMC-11 while still under construction. It is equipped with 24 transponder
Transponder
In telecommunication, the term transponder has the following meanings:...
s operating in the G
G band
-NATO G band:The G band in the modern sense is the range of radio frequencies from 4 GHz to 6 GHz in the electromagnetic spectrum. This is equal to wave lengths between 7.5 cm and 5 cm...
and H band
H band
H band can refer to two different regions of the electromagnetic spectrum, in the radio and near-infrared.-Radio:The H band is the range of radio frequencies from 6 GHz to 8 GHz in the electromagnetic spectrum. This is equal to wave lengths between 5 cm and 3.75 cm...
s of the NATO frequency spectrum, or the C band
C band
The C band is a name given to certain portions of the electromagnetic spectrum, including wavelengths of microwaves that are used for long-distance radio telecommunications. The IEEE C-band - and its slight variations - contains frequency ranges that are used for many satellite communications...
of the IEEE spectrum. At launch it had a mass of 2340 kilograms (5,158.8 lb), with an expected operational lifespan of around fifteen years.
The launch of AMC-11, which was conducted by International Launch Services
International Launch Services
International Launch Services is a U.S.-Russian joint venture with exclusive rights to the worldwide sale of commercial Proton rocket launch services from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.- Ownership :...
, was the penultimate flight and last commercial launch of the Atlas II
Atlas II
Atlas II was a member of the Atlas family of launch vehicles, which evolved from the successful Atlas missile program of the 1950s. Atlas II was the last Atlas to use a three engine, "stage-and-a-half" design: two of its three engines were jettisoned during ascent, but its fuel tanks and other...
carrier rocket, which flew in the Atlas IIAS configuration. The launch occurred from Space Launch Complex 36B at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station is an installation of the United States Air Force Space Command's 45th Space Wing, headquartered at nearby Patrick Air Force Base. Located on Cape Canaveral in the state of Florida, CCAFS is the primary launch head of America's Eastern Range with four launch pads...
, at 22:22 GMT on 19 May 2004. The launch successfully placed AMC-11 into a geosynchronous transfer orbit, from which it raised itself to geostationary orbit by means of a LEROS-1C apogee motor. Its insertion into geosynchronous orbit occurred at 20:00 on 24 May 2004.
In late May and early June 2010, the Galaxy 15
Galaxy 15
Galaxy 15 is an American telecommunications satellite which is owned by Intelsat. It was launched for and originally operated by PanAmSat, and was subsequently transferred to Intelsat when the two companies merged in 2006. It was originally positioned in geostationary orbit at a longitude of 133°...
satellite, which had failed with its transponders still broadcasting, passed close to AMC-11. Since Galaxy 15 broadcast on similar frequencies to AMC-11, interference
Interference
In physics, interference is a phenomenon in which two waves superpose to form a resultant wave of greater or lower amplitude. Interference usually refers to the interaction of waves that are correlated or coherent with each other, either because they come from the same source or because they have...
from its transponders could have affected signals originating from AMC-11. As a result, AMC-11 was manoeuvred out of the way of Galaxy 15, and the SES-1
SES-1
SES-1 is a Dutch geostationary communications satellite which is operated by SES World Skies. It was originally ordered by SES Americom as a ground spare for AMC-5R, however in April 2008 a decision was made to launch it, and it was named AMC-1R. It was subsequently renamed AMC-4R, and finally...
satellite was brought in to provide backup in case AMC-11 could not continue broadcasting. Galaxy 15 passed within 0.2 degrees of AMC-11, however no service interruptions occurred.