Communications satellites

http://rammb.cira.colostate.edu/dev/hillger/communications.htm

Communications satellites
Below are checklists of communications satellites, including launch dates and images of the satellites. This is a work in progress, and completeness is our goal. If readers know of additional information or images, please contact the authors using the e-mail addresses at the bottom of this page.

Satellite series covered on this page:

ECS/Ayame ECS/Eutelsat Estrela do Sul Eutelsat Galaxy HotBird IDCSP Immarsat Intelsat Telesat Telstar Turksat TV-Sat Westar Yuri Other (selected) U.S. Other (selected) non-U.S.

AMOS Anik APStar Arabsat ASC Astra Aussat Ayame

BS/BSAT BSB Comstar Courier CS DFS DSCS Echo Echostar

JCSat Kopernikus Leasat Marcopolo Marecs Marisat Molniya Morelos NATO

Optus Orion OTS Palapa Panamsat PAS RCA-Satcom Relay Sakura

Satcom SBS SDS Skynet Symphonie Syncom TDF TDRS Telecom

U.S. Echo-series satellites:

Satellite
Shotput-1 (Echo test) rocket [sub-orbital] Shotput-2 (Echo test) rocket [sub-orbital] Shotput-3 (Echo test) rocket [sub-orbital] Shotput-4 (Echo test) rocket [sub-orbital] Echo-1 [failed]

Launch Date
1959-10-28 1960-01-16 1960-02-27 1960-04-01 1960-05-13

Images reference launch covers other postal items

Shotput

Shotput-5 (Echo test) rocket [sub-orbital] 1960-05-31 Echo-1A 1960-08-12 Big Shot-1 (Echo test) rocket [sub-orbital] 1962-01-15 Big Shot-2 (Echo test) rocket [sub-orbital] 1962-07-18 Echo-2 (Echo-C) 1964-01-25

Echo Echo Echo-1 Shotput Echo-1

Echo

Echo

Echo-2

U.S. Courier-series satellites:

Satellite Launch Date Images reference launch covers other postal items
Courier-1A

Courier-1A [failed] 1960-08-18

1 of 18

8/4/2011 3:34 PM

Communications satellites

http://rammb.cira.colostate.edu/dev/hillger/communications.htm

Courier-1B

1960-10-04

Courier-1B Courier-1B

U.S. Telstar-series satellites:

Satellite Launch Date Images launch covers other postal items

reference
Telstar-1 Telstar-1 Telstar Telstar Telstar Telstar Telstar Telstar-1 Telstar-301 Telstar-3 Telstar-3

Telstar-1

1962-07-10

Telstar-2

1963-05-07

Telstar-301 / Telstar-3A / Arabsat-1E 1983-07-28 Telstar-302 / Telstar-3C [STS-41D/Discovery-launched] 1984-08-30 Telstar-303 / Telstar-3D1 [STS-51G/Discoverylaunched] Telstar-401 Telstar-402 Telstar-402R / Telstar-4 Telstar-5 / Intelsat Americas-5 / Galaxy-25 Telstar-6 / Intelsat Americas-6 / Galaxy-26 Telstar-7 / Intelsat Americas-7 / Galaxy-27 Telstar-8 / Intelsat Americas-8 / Galaxy-28 Telstar-9 Telstar-10 / APStar-2R Telstar-11 / Orion-1 Telstar-12 / Orion-2 Telstar-13 / Intelsat Americas-13 / Galaxy-23 / Echostar-9 Telstar-14 / Estrela do Sul-1 Telstar-18 / APStar-5 Telstar-11N Telstar-14R / Estrela do Sul-2
1

1985-06-17 1993-12-16 1994-09-09 1995-09-23 1997-05-24 1999-02-15 1999-09-25 2005-06-23 Canceled 1997-10-17 1994-11-29 1999-10-19 2003-08-08 2004-01-11 2004-06-29 2009-02-26 2011-05-20

Telstar-401 Telstar Telstar-5/6/7 Telstar-8 Telstar-10 Telstar-11 Telstar-12 Telstar-13 Telstar-14 Telstar-18 Telstar-11N Telstar-14R Telstar

There is disagreement among various sources on whether this should be called Telstar-3D or Telstar-3B!

U.S. Relay-series satellites:

Satellite Launch Date reference
Relay-1

Images launch covers other postal items

Relay-1 Relay-1 Relay-1 Relay-1 Relay-1+2 Relay Relay Relay Relay Relay

Relay-1 1962-12-13

2 of 18

8/4/2011 3:34 PM

Communications satellites

http://rammb.cira.colostate.edu/dev/hillger/communications.htm

Relay-2 1964-01-21

Relay-1+2 Relay-2 Relay-2 (Ariel image)

U.S. Syncom-series satellites:

Satellite Launch Date Images reference launch covers other postal items
Syncom Syncom Syncom Syncom Syncom Syncom Syncom Syncom Syncom Syncom Syncom Syncom+other Syncom

Syncom-1

1963-02-14

Syncom-1 Syncom-1 Syncom-1 Syncom-1 Syncom-2 Syncom-3 Syncom-3 (25th anniv.) Syncom-3 Syncom-3 Leasat-F1 Leasat-F2 Leasat-F3 (launch) Leasat Leasat-F3 (repair) Leasat-F4 Leasat-F5

Syncom-2

1963-07-26

Syncom-3

1964-08-19

Syncom-4-2 / Leasat-F1 [STS-41D/Discoverylaunched] Syncom-4-1 / Leasat-F2 [STS-51A/Discoverylaunched] Syncom-4-3 / Leasat-F3 [STS-51D/Discoverylaunched] Syncom-4-3 / Leasat-F3 [STS-51I/Discoveryrepaired] Syncom-4-4 / Leasat-F4 [STS-51I/Discoverylaunched] Syncom-4-5 / Leasat-F5 [STS-32R/Columbialaunched]

1984-08-30 1984-11-08 1985-04-12 1985-08-29 1985-08-29 1990-01-09

INternational TELecommunications SATellite consortium (Intelsat) series:

Satellite Launch Date reference Images launch covers other postal items

Intelsat-1 / Early-Bird

1965-04-06

Intelsat-1 Intelsat1+2+3+4+4A

Intelsat-1 Intelsat-1 (plus other cancel)

Early-Bird Early-Bird Early-Bird Intelsat Intelsat Intelsat-1+2+3+4+4A OTS+Anik-2+Intelsat1+2+3+4+4A Early-Bird

Intelsat-2 series (1 4) / Blue-Bird / Lani-Bird / Canary-Bird

1966-10-26 Intelsat-2 1967-09-28

Intelsat-2-2 Intelsat-2-3 Intelsat-2-4 (hand Lani-Bird+Telstar cancel) Intelsat-2-4

3 of 18

8/4/2011 3:34 PM

Communications satellites

http://rammb.cira.colostate.edu/dev/hillger/communications.htm

Intelsat-3 series (1 8)

1968-09-18 Intelsat-3 1970-07-23

Intelsat-4 series (1 8)

1971-01-25 Intelsat-4-4 1975-05-22 Intelsat-4-8

Intelsat-4A series (1 6)

1975-09-26 Intelsat-4A 1978-03-31

(machine cancel) Intelsat-3-3 (not Intelsat-3A) Intelsat-3-5 Intelsat-3-5 Intelsat-3-6 Intelsat-3-8 Intelsat-4 Intelsat-4-3 Intelsat-4-5 Intelsat-4A-2 Intelsat-4A-4 Intelsat-4A-3 (Intelsat-4 image) Intelsat-4A-4 (Intelsat-4 image) Intelsat-5A-15

Intelsat-3 Intelsat-3 Intelsat-3 Intelsat-4 (wrong image) Intelsat-4 SIRIO-1+Intelsat-4

Intelsat-4A

Intelsat-5 series (1 9) Intelsat-5A series (10 15) Intelsat-6 series (1 5) Intelsat-6-3 [rocket-launch]

1980-12-06 1984-06-09 Intelsat-5 1985-03-23 1989-01-27 1989-10-27 1991-10-29 1990-03-14 Intelsat-6

Intelsat-5 Meteosat+Intelsat-5 Meteosat+EXOSAT+Intelsat5+Arabsat+Turksat

Intelsat-6-3 (launch) Intelsat-6-3 (repair)

HST+UARS+Intelsat6+Explorer-66 (with Shuttle)

Intelsat-6-3 [STS-49/Endeavour1992-07-31 repaired and re-deployed] Intelsat-K 1992-06-09 1993-10-22 Intelsat-7 series (1 5, and 9) 1996-06-15 1995-05-17 Intelsat-7A series (6 8) 1996-02-14 1997-03-01 Intelsat-8 series (1 4) 1997-12-22 1998-06-18 Intelsat-8A series (5 6) 1998-02-27 2001-06-09 Intelsat-9 series (1 7) 2003-02-15 Intelsat-10-2 2004-06-16

Intelsat-K Intelsat-7 Intelsat-7a Intelsat-8 Intelsat-8a Intelsat-9

Asia Pacific STAR (APStar) series satellites:

Satellite Launch Date Images reference launch covers other postal items
APStar-1 APStar-2 APStar-2R APStar-6

APStar-1 1994-07-21 APStar-2 1995-01-26 APStar-1A 1996-07-03 APStar-2R / Telstar-10 1997-10-16 APStar-5 / Telstar 18 2004-06-29 APStar-6 2005-04-12

Anik-series satellites:
4 of 18

8/4/2011 3:34 PM

Communications satellites

http://rammb.cira.colostate.edu/dev/hillger/communications.htm

Satellite

Images Launch Date reference launch covers other postal items

1972-11-10 Anik-A Anik-A Anik-1 (Telesat-A) Anik-1 (Intelsat-4 image) OTS+Anik-2+Intelsat1+2+3+4+4A Anik-B1 (Telesat-4) Anik-B1 Anik-C1 Anik-C2 Anik-C/D Anik-C3

Anik-A1 / Telesat-1 (Telesat-A)

Anik-A2 / Telesat-2 (Telesat-B) Anik-A3 / Telesat-3 (Telesat-C) Anik-B1 / Telesat-4 (Telesat-D) Anik-C1 / Telesat-9 (Telesat-I) / Nahuel-I1 / Brazil-1T [STS-51D/Discovery-launched] Anik-C2 / Telesat-7 (Telesat-G) / Nahuel-I2 [STS-7/Challenger-launched] Anik-C3 / Telesat-6 (Telesat-E) [STS-5/Columbialaunched] Anik-D1 / Telesat-5 (Telesat-F) Anik-D2 / Telesat-8 (Telesat-H) / Satcom-4R / Arabsat-1DR [STS-51A/Discovery-launched] Anik-E1 Anik-E2 Anik-ER2 / Galaxy-3R Anik-F1 Anik-F1R Anik-F2 Anik-F3

1973-04-19 1975-05-07 1978-12-15 Anik-B1 1985-04-12 1983-06-18 1982-11-11 1982-08-26 1984-11-08 1991-09-26 1991-04-04 1995-12-15 2000-11-21 200? 2004-07-18 200? Anik-E1 Anik-D2

Anik-E1 Anik-E2 Anik-F1

Anik-F1 Anik-F1R Anik-F2 Anik-F3

WEstern union STAR (Westar) series satellites:

Satellite
Westar-1 (Westar-A) Westar-2 (Westar-B) Westar-3 Westar-4 Westar-5

Launch Date
1974-04-13 1974-10-10 1979-08-10 1982-02-26 1982-06-09

Images reference launch covers other postal items

Westar Westar-1 Westar Westar-2

Westar-4 Westar-6 Westar-6 Westar-6 Westar-6 (recovery) Westar-6 Westar-6 (launch)

Westar-6 [STS-41B/Challenger-launched] 1984-02-03 Westar-6 [STS-51A/Discovery-recovered] 1984-11-08

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) series satellites:

Satellite Launch Date
NATO-1 1970-03-20

Images reference launch covers other postal items

NATO-1 NATO-1

5 of 18

8/4/2011 3:34 PM

Communications satellites

http://rammb.cira.colostate.edu/dev/hillger/communications.htm

NATO-2 1971-02-03 NATO-3A 1976-04-22 NATO-3B 1977-01-28 NATO-3C 1978-11-19 NATO-3D 1984-11-14 NATO-4A 1991-01-08 NATO-4B 1993-12-08

NATO-3A NATO-3B

NATO-4A

French-German Symphonie-series satellites:

Satellite
Symphonie-1 (Symphonie-A)

Launch Date
1974-12-19

reference

Images launch covers

other postal items

Symphonie-2 (Symphonie-B)

1975-08-27

Symphonie Symphonie-1 (folded solar Symphonie-1 Symphonie panels) Symphonie-1 Symphonie-1 (Intelsat-3 image) Symphonie1+TDF or TV-Sat Symphonie1+TDF or TV-Sat Symphonie-2 Symphonie Symphonie-2 Symphonie Symphonie-2 (folded solar Symphonie+Helios panels) Aeros+Azur+Helios+Symphonie

The solar panels on this satellite are not identical to those on Symphonie.

German TeleVision Satellite (TV-Sat) series:

Satellite Launch Date
TV-Sat-1 1987-11-21 TV-Sat-2 1989-08-08
1

Images reference launch covers other postal items

TV-Sat-1 Symphonie1+TDF or TV-Sat Symphonie1+TDF or TV-Sat

The solar panels on this satellite are not identical to those on Symphonie.

French Tldiffusion de France (TDF) series satellites:

Satellite Launch Date
TDF-1 TDF-2
1

Images reference launch covers other postal items

TDF-1 Symphonie1+TDF or TV-Sat Symphonie1+TDF or TV-Sat

1988-10-28 1990-07-25

The solar panels on this satellite are not identical to those on Symphonie.

European Orbital Test Satellite (OTS) series:

Satellite
OTS-1 (OTS-A) [failed]

Launch Date
1977-06-16

reference
OTS

Images launch covers

OTS OTS

other postal items

6 of 18

8/4/2011 3:34 PM

Communications satellites

http://rammb.cira.colostate.edu/dev/hillger/communications.htm

OTS-2 (OTS-B)

1978-05-11

OTS-2 OTS-2 OTS-2 OTS-2 OTS-2 (mislabeled OTS-1, wrong image)

ESA-GEOS+OTS-2 OTS+Anik-2+Intelsat1+2+3+4+4A

European Astra-series satellites:

Satellite Launch Date
Astra-1A Astra-1B Astra-1C Astra-1D Astra-1E Astra-1F Astra-1G Astra-1H Astra-1K Astra-2A Astra-2B Astra-2C Astra-2D Astra-3A 1988-12-11 1991-03-02 1993-05-12 1994-11-01 1995-10-19 1996-04-08 1997-12-02 1999-06-18 2002-11-25 1998-08-30 2000-09-14 2001-06-16 2000-12-20 2002-03-29

Images reference launch covers other postal items

Astra-1B Astra-1C

European HotBird-series satellites:

Satellite Launch Date
HotBird-1 1995-03-28 HotBird-2 1996-11-21 HotBird-3 1997-09-02 HotBird-4 1998-02-27 HotBird-5 1998-10-09 HotBird-6 2002-08-21 HotBird-7A 2006-03-11

reference

Images launch covers other postal items

HotBird-3

HotBird-7A+SpainSat

MARitime communications SATellite (Marisat) series:

Satellite Launch Date
Marisat-1 1976-02-19 Marisat-2 1976-06-10 Marisat-3 1976-10-14

Images reference launch covers other postal items

Marisat-1 Marisat-1 Marisat+Marecs (not Inmarsat)

MARitime European Communications Satellite (Marecs) series:

7 of 18

8/4/2011 3:34 PM

Communications satellites

http://rammb.cira.colostate.edu/dev/hillger/communications.htm

Satellite

Launch Date

Images reference launch covers other postal items

Marecs-1 Marisat+Marecs (not Inmarsat) SIRIO-2+Marecs-B SIRIO-2+Marecs-B SIRIO-2+Marecs-B SIRIO-2+Marecs-B SIRIO-2+Marecs-B

Marecs-1 (Marecs-A) 1981-12-20

Marecs-B [failed]

1982-09-10

Marecs

Marecs-2 (Marecs-B2) 1984-11-10

INternational MARitime SATellite (Inmarsat) series:

Satellite Launch Date
Inmarsat-2-F1 1990-10-30 Inmarsat-2-F2 1991-03-08 Inmarsat-2-F3 1991-12-16 Inmarsat-2-F4 1992-04-15 Inmarsat-3-F1 1996-04-03 Inmarsat-3-F2 1996-09-06 Inmarsat-3-F3 1996-12-18 Inmarsat-3-F4 1997-06-03 Inmarsat-3-F5 1998-02-04 Inmarsat-4-F1 2004-03-11 Inmarsat-4-F2 2005-11-08 Inmarsat-4-F3 2008-08-19

Images reference launch covers other postal items

Inmarsat-2

Marisat+Marecs (not Inmarsat) Inmarsat-3

Inmarsat-4 Inmarsat-4-F3

COMmunications STAR (Comstar) series satellites:

Satellite Launch Date
Comstar-1 1976-05-13 Comstar-2 1976-07-22 Comstar-3 1978-06-29 Comstar-4 1981-02-21

Images reference launch covers other postal items

Comstar-1 Comstar-1 Comstar-2 Comstar-4

ECHO STAR (Echostar) series satellites:

Satellite
Echostar-1 Echostar-2 Echostar-3 Echostar-4 Echostar-5 Echostar-6 Echostar-7 Echostar-8

Launch Date
1995-12-28 1996-09-11 1997-10-05 1998-05-07 1999-09-23 2000-07-14 2002-02-21 2002-08-22

Images reference launch covers other postal items

Echostar-1 Echostar-3

Echostar-6 Echostar-8

8 of 18

8/4/2011 3:34 PM

Communications satellites

http://rammb.cira.colostate.edu/dev/hillger/communications.htm

Echostar-9 / Telstar-13 2003-08-08

Palapa-series satellites:
Satellite
Palapa-1 Palapa-2 Palapa-B1 [STS-7/Challengerlaunched] Palapa-B2 [STS-41B/Challengerlaunched] Palapa-B2 [STS-51A/Discoveryrecovered] Palapa-B2P Palapa-B2R Palapa-B4 Palapa-C1 Palapa-C2

Launch Date
1976-07-08 1977-03-10 1983-06-18 1984-02-03 1984-11-08 1987-03-20 1990-04-13 1992-05-14 1996-02-01 1996-05-16

Images reference launch covers

Palapa-1 Palapa-2 Palapa-B1 Palapa-B1 Palapa-B2 (launch) Palapa-B2 (recovery) Palapa-B2 (STS-51A/Discoveryrecovered) SMM+Palapa-B2 (with Shuttle)

other postal items

British Skynet-series satellites:

Satellite Launch Date
Skynet-1 1969-11-22 Skynet-1B 1970-08-19 Skynet-2A 1974-01-19 Skynet-2B 1974-11-23 Skynet-4A 1990-01-01 Skynet-4B 1988-12-11 Skynet-4C 1990-08-30 Skynet-4D 1998-01-10 Skynet-4E 1999-02-26 Skynet-4F 2001-02-07 Skynet-5C 2008-06-12

Images reference launch covers other postal items

Skynet-1 Skynet-1B Skynet-2B

Skynet-5C

British Marcopolo / British Satellite Broadcasting (BSB) series satellites:

Satellite Launch Date Images reference launch covers other postal items
Marcopolo-1

Marcopolo-1 / BSB-R1 / Sirius-1 1989-08-27 Marcopolo-2 / BSB-R2 / Thor-1 1990-08-18

German Deutscher Fernmelde Satellit (DFS) / Kopernikus-series:

Satellite Launch Date Images reference launch covers other postal items

9 of 18

8/4/2011 3:34 PM

Communications satellites

http://rammb.cira.colostate.edu/dev/hillger/communications.htm

DFS / Kopernikus-1 1989-06-05 DFS / Kopernikus-2 1990-07-25 DFS / Kopernikus-3 / HellasSat-1 1992-10-12

DFS

DFS/Kopernikus DFS DFS

Japanese Ayame / Experimental Communications Satellite (ECS) series:

Satellite Launch Date Images reference launch covers other postal items
Ayame-1 Ayame-1 Ayame-2 Ayame-2

Ayame-1 (ECS-A) 1979-02-06 Ayame-2 (ECS-B) 1980-02-22

Japanese Yuri / Broadcasting Satellite (BS / BSAT) series:

Satellite Launch Date reference
BS-2a

Images launch covers

BSE (Explorer-38/49 image and text)

other postal items

Yuri-1 / BSE 1978-04-07 Yuri-2a / BS-2a 1984-01-23 Yuri-2b / BS-2b 1986-02-12 Yuri-2x / BS-2x 1990-02-23 Yuri-3a / BS-3a 1990-08-28 Yuri-3h / BS-3h 1991-04-19 Yuri-3b / BS-3b 1991-08-25 Yuri-3n / BS-3n 1994-07-08 BSAT-1a 1997-04-16 BSAT-1b 1998-04-28 BSAT-2a 2001-03-08 BSAT-2b 2001-07-12 BSAT-2C 2003-06-11

BS-3a BS-3h

BS-3+others

BSAT-1a BSAT-2a

Japanese Sakura / Communications Satellite (CS) series:

Satellite Launch Date Images reference launch covers other postal items
CS-1 CS-2a CS-1 CS-2b CS-2b CS-3a

Sakura-1 / CS-1 1977-12-15 Sakura-2A / CS-2A 1983-02-04 Sakura-2B / CS-2B 1983-08-05 Sakura-3A / CS-3A 1988-02-19 Sakura-3B / CS-3B 1988-09-16

CS-3a

Japanese Communications SATellite (JCSat) series:

Satellite Launch Date
JCSat-1 1989-03-06

Images reference launch covers other postal items

JCSat-1 JCSat-1

10 of 18

8/4/2011 3:34 PM

Communications satellites

http://rammb.cira.colostate.edu/dev/hillger/communications.htm

JCSat-2 JCSat-3 JCSat-4 JCSat-5 JCSat-6 JCSat-8

1990-01-01 1995-08-29 1997-02-18 1997-12-02 1999-02-16 2002-03-29

JCSat-3/4 JCSat-5/6 JCSat-8

EUropen TELcommunications SATellite (Eutelsat) / European Communications Satellite (ECS) series:

Satellite
Eutelsat-1-F1 / ECS-1

Launch Date
1983-06-16

Images reference launch covers other postal items

Eutelsat-1-F1 Eutelsat-1 Eutelsat-1-F5 Eutelsat Eutelsat

Eutelsat-1-F2 / ECS-2 1984-08-04 Eutelsat-1-F3 / ECS-3 [failed] 1985-09-12 Eutelsat-1-F4 / ECS-4 1987-09-16 Eutelsat-1-F5 / ECS-5 1988-07-21 Eutelsat-2-F1 1990-08-30 Eutelsat-2-F2 1991-01-16 Eutelsat-2-F3 1991-12-07 Eutelsat-2-F4 1992-07-10 Eutelsat-2-F5 1994-01-24

Eutelsat-2 Eutelsat-2-F4

Eutelsat-2

French Telecommunications (Telecom) satellites:

Satellite Launch Date
Telecom-1A 1984-08-04 Telecom-1B 1985-05-08 Telecom-1C 1988-03-11 Telecom-2A 1991-12-16 Telecom-2B 1992-04-15 Telecom-2C 1995-12-06 Telecom-2D 1996-08-08

Images reference launch covers other postal items

Telecom-1A Telecom-1 Telecom-1

Telecom-2A

AUStralian communications SATellite (Aussat) / Optus series:

Satellite Launch Date Images reference launch covers other postal items
Aussat-A1 Aussat-A Aussat-A2 Aussat Aussat

Aussat-A1 / Optus-A1 [STS-51I/Discovery-launched] 1985-08-27 Aussat-A2 / Optus-A2 [STS-61B/Atlantis-launched] 1985-11-27 Aussat-A3 / Optus-A3 1987-09-16 Aussat-B1 / Optus-B1 1992-08-13 Aussat-B2 / Optus-B2 1992-12-21 Aussat-B3 / Optus-B3 1994-08-27

Optus-B

Optus-B2 Optus-B3 Optus-B3

11 of 18

8/4/2011 3:34 PM

Communications satellites

http://rammb.cira.colostate.edu/dev/hillger/communications.htm

Mexican Morelos-series satellites:

Satellite Launch Date Images reference launch covers other postal items
Morelos-1 Morelos-1 Morelos-2 Morelos

Morelos-1 (Morelos-A) [STS-51G/Discovery-launched] 1985-06-17 Morelos-2 (Morelos-B) [STS-61B/Atlantis-launched] 1985-11-27

ARABian SATellite (Arabsat) series:

Satellite Launch Date reference
Telstar-301 1983-07-28 Telstar-3 Telstar-3 1985-02-08 Arabsat-1 Arabsat-1DR / Anik-D2 / Telesat-8 / Satcom-4R [STS-51A/Discovery-launched] Arabsat-1B [STS-51G/Discovery-launched] Arabsat-1C / Insat-2DT Arabsat-2A Arabsat-2B Arabsat-3A Arabsat-4AR 1984-11-08 Anik-D2 Arabsat-1 Arabsat-1 Meteosat+EXOSAT+Intelsat5+Arabsat+Turksat

Images launch covers other postal items

Arabsat-1E / Telstar-301 / Telstar-3A

Arabsat-1A

1985-06-17 Arabsat-1B 1992-02-26 1996-07-09 Arabsat-2 1996-11-13 1999-02-26 Arabsat-3A 2008-07-07 Arabsat-4AR

TURKish SATellite (Turksat) series:

Satellite Launch Date
Turksat-1A 1994-01-24 Turksat-1B 1994-08-11 Turksat-1C 1996-07-09 Turksat-2 2001-01-10

reference launch covers

Turksat-1A

Images other postal items

Meteosat+EXOSAT+Intelsat-5+Arabsat+Turksat

Turksat-2a Turksat-2a

PAN-AMerican SATellite (Panamsat / PAS) series:

Satellite Launch Date
Panamsat-1 1988-06-15 Panamsat-2 1994-07-08 Panamsat-4 1995-08-03 Panamsat-3R 1996-01-12 Panamsat-6 1997-08-07 Panamsat-5 1997-08-28

Images reference launch covers other postal items

Panamsat-1 Panamsat-2/3/4 Panamsat-6/7/8 Panamsat-5

12 of 18

8/4/2011 3:34 PM

Communications satellites

http://rammb.cira.colostate.edu/dev/hillger/communications.htm

Panamsat-7 1998-09-16 Panamsat-8 1998-11-04 Panamsat-6B 1998-12-22 Panamsat-9 2000-07-28 Panamsat-1R 2000-11-16 Panamsat-10 2001-05-15

Panamsat-6/7/8 Panamsat-6B Panamsat-9 Panamsat-1R

Panamsat-1R

American Satellite Company (ASC) series:

Satellite Launch Date Images reference launch covers other postal items
ASC-1 ASC-2

ASC-1 [STS-51I/Discovery-launched] 1985-08-27 ASC-2 1991-04-13

Satellite Business Systems (SBS) series:

Satellite
SBS-1 (SBS-A) SBS-2 (SBS-B) SBS-3 (SBS-C) [STS-5/Columbia-launched] SBS-4 (SBS-D) [STS-41D/Discoverylaunched] SBS-5 SBS-6

Launch Date
1980-11-15 1981-09-24 1982-11-11 1984-08-30 1988-09-08 1990-10-12

Images reference
SBS-1

launch covers
SBS-1 SBS-3 SBS-4

other postal items

SBS-4 (STS-41D/Discoverylaunch)

SBS-6

U.S. Air Force (USAF) Satellite Data System (SDS) series:

Satellite Launch Date Images reference launch covers other postal items

SDS-1 1976-06-02 SDS-2 1976-08-06 SDS-3 1978-08-05 SDS-4 1980-12-13 1984-08-28 SDS-5 / USA-4 SDS-6 / USA-9 1985-02-08 SDS-7 / USA-21 1987-02-12 SDS-2-1 / USA-40 [STS-28R/Columbia-launched] 1989-08-08 SDS-2-2 / USA-67 [STS-38/Atlantis-launched] 1990-11-16 SDS-2-3 / USA-87 [STS-53/Discovery-launched] 1992-12-02 SDS-2-4 / USA-125 1996-07-03 SDS-3-1 / USA-137 1998-01-29 SDS-3-2 / USA-155 2000-12-06 SDS-3-3 / USA-162 2001-10-11 SDS-3-4 / USA-179 2004-08-31 SDS-3-5 / USA-198 2007-12-10

SDS-2

SDS-2-1 SDS-2-2 SDS-2-3

13 of 18

8/4/2011 3:34 PM

Communications satellites

http://rammb.cira.colostate.edu/dev/hillger/communications.htm

Radio Corporation of America-SATellite COMmunications (RCA-Satcom) series:

Satellite Launch Date Images reference launch covers other postal items

RCA-Satcom-1 (RCA-Satcom-A) 1975-12-13 RCA-Satcom-2 (RCA-Satcom-B) 1976-03-26 RCA-Satcom-3 (RCA-Satcom-C) 1979-12-07 RCA-Satcom-3R 1981-11-20 RCA-Satcom-4 1982-01-16 RCA-Satcom-5 1982-10-28 RCA-Satcom-6 (RCA-Satcom-F) 1983-04-11 RCA-Satcom-7 (RCA-Satcom-H) 1983-09-08

SATellite COMmunications (Satcom) series:

Satellite
Satcom-4R / Anik-D2 / Telesat-8 / Arabsat-1DR [STS-51A/Discovery-launched] Satcom-Ku2 [STS-61B/Atlantis-launched] Satcom-Ku1 [STS-61C/Columbia-launched] Satcom-C1 Satcom-C4 Satcom-C3

Launch Date
1984-11-08 1985-11-27 1986-01-12 1990-11-20 1992-08-31 1992-09-10

reference
Anik-D2

Images launch other postal covers items

Satcom-Ku2 Satcom-Ku1

Orion-series satellites:
Satellite Launch Date Images reference launch covers other postal items
Telstar-11 Telstar-12 Orion-3

Orion-1 / Telstar-11 1994-11-29 Orion-2 / Telstar-12 1999-10-19 Orion-3 1999-05-05

Estrela do Sul-series satellites:

Satellite Launch Date Images reference launch covers other postal items
Telstar-14 Telstar-14R

Estrela do Sul-1 / Telstar-14 2004-01-11 Estrela do Sul-2 / Telstar-14R 2011-?

(Selected) Galaxy-series satellites:

Satellite Launch Images

14 of 18

8/4/2011 3:34 PM

Communications satellites

http://rammb.cira.colostate.edu/dev/hillger/communications.htm

Date
Galaxy-25 / Telstar-5 / Intelsat Americas-5 Galaxy-26 / Telstar-6 / Intelsat Americas-6 Galaxy-27 / Telstar-7 / Intelsat Americas-7 Galaxy-28 / Telstar-8 / Intelsat Americas-8 Galaxy-23 / Telstar-13 / Intelsat Americas-13 / Echostar-9 Galaxy-3R / Anik-ER2 1997-05-24 1999-02-15 1999-09-25 2005-06-23 2003-08-08 1995-12-15

reference
Telstar-5/6/7 Telstar-8 Telstar-13

launch covers

other postal items

U.S. Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) series:

Satellite
TDRS-1 (TDRS-A) [STS-6/Challengerlaunched] TDRS-2 (TDRS-B) [STS-51L/Challengerlaunched, failed] TDRS-3 (TDRS-C) [STS-26R/Discoverylaunched] TDRS-4 (TDRS-D) [STS-29R/Discoverylaunched] TDRS-5 (TDRS-E) [STS-43/Atlantislaunched] TDRS-6 (TDRS-F) [STS-54/Endeavourlaunched] TDRS-7 (TDRS-G) [STS-70/Discoverylaunched] TDRS-8 (TDRS-H) TDRS-9 (TDRS-I) TDRS-10 (TDRS-J)

Launch Date
1983-04-04 1986-01-28 1988-09-26 1989-03-13

reference

Images launch covers

other postal items

TDRS-1 (STS-6/Challengerlaunch) TDRS-1

TDRS 1991-08-02 1993-01-13 1995-07-13 2000-06-30 2002-03-08 2002-12-05 TDRS-7 TDRS-8

TDRS

Russian Molniya-series satellites:

Satellite Launch Date Images reference launch covers other postal items

Molniya-1 Molniya-1 Molniya-1 series (1-1 1-31) 1965-04-23 1975-09-02 Molniya-1 Molniya-1 Molniya-1S-1 1974-07-29 Molniya-1S Molniya Molniya-1T series (1-32 1-93) 1976-01-22 2004-02-18 Molniya-2 series (2-1 2-17) 1971-11-24 1977-02-11 Molniya-2 Molniya-3 Molniya-3 series (3-1 3-50) 1974-11-21 1999-07-08 Molniya-3 Molniya-3K series (3K-1 3K-3) 2001-07-20 2008-? Molniya-3K

Molniya

15 of 18

8/4/2011 3:34 PM

Communications satellites

http://rammb.cira.colostate.edu/dev/hillger/communications.htm

Israeli Affordable Modular Optimized Satellite (AMOS) series:

Satellite Launch Date
AMOS-1 1996-05-16 AMOS-2 2003-12-27 AMOS-3 2008-04-28

Images reference launch covers other postal items

AMOS-1 AMOS-2 AMOS-3 AMOS

(Selected) Initial Defense Communication Satellite Program (IDCSP) series:

Satellite
IDCSP-1

Launch Date
1966-06-16

reference
IDCSP DODGE

Images launch covers

GGTS+IDCSP-1 GGTS+IDCSP-1 IDCSP-2 IDCSP-4 DODGE+IDCSP-16+17+18+19+LES-5

other postal items

IDCSP-2 1967-01-18 IDCSP-4 1968-06-13 IDCSP-16+17+18+19 1967-07-01

(Selected) Defense Satellite Communications System (DSCS) series:

Satellite Launch Date Images reference launch covers other postal items
DSCS-2 DSCS-2 DSCS-3 DSCS-2-3+4 DSCS-2-7+8 DSCS-2-13+14 DSCS-3-B4/5

DSCS-2-03/04 1973-12-13 DSCS-2-07/08 1977-05-12 DSCS-2-13/14 1979-11-21 DSCS-3-B4/5 / USA-11/12 [STS-51J/Atlantis-launched] 1985-10-03 DSCS-2-E14 / USA-43 1989-09-04 DSCS-3-A2 / USA-44 1989-09-04

Other (selected) U.S. communications satellites:

Satellite
SCORE Advent Tacomsat-1 / Tacsat-1

Launch Date
1958-12-18 Canceled 1969-02-09

Images reference launch covers other postal items

SCORE Advent Tacsat BATSat ACTS Tacomsat-1 Tacomsat-1 FltSatCom-5 BATSat ACTS Iridium Iridium Iridium

FltSatCom-5 1981-08-06 BATSat / Teledesic-T1 1988-02-25 ACTS [STS-51/Discovery-launched] 1993-09-12 Iridium (series) MUBLCOM

1995-05-05 2002-02-20 Iridium 1999-05-18 MUBLCOM MUBLCOM

Other (selected) non-U.S. communications satellites:

16 of 18

8/4/2011 3:34 PM

Communications satellites

http://rammb.cira.colostate.edu/dev/hillger/communications.htm

Satellite
DFH-1 CTS / Hermes Ekran / Statsionar (series)

Country
China (PR) USA / Canada Russia (USSR)

Launch Date
1970-04-23 1976-01-17

reference
DFH-1 CTS

Images launch covers

other postal items

DFH-1 DFH-1

CTS Ekran-M Molniya3+Ekran+Gorizont14+53+90+140 Gorizont Gorizont Gorizont Gorizont Molniya3+Ekran+Gorizont14+53+90+140 APPLE Tele-X Olympus Olympus Intasat+Olympus Hispasat-1B Solidaridad-1 Ekspress Luch AsiaSat-2 DFH-3 DFH-3 Kwangmyongsong-1 Kwangmyongsong-1 Kwangmyongsong Atlantic Bird-1 Chinasat-20 HotBird7A+SpainSat Vinasat-1 Venesat Kwangmyongsong-2 Kwangmyongsong-2 Kwangmyongsong-2 Kwangmyongsong-2 Kwangmyongsong-2

1976-10-26 > Ekran

Gorizont (series)

Russia (USSR)

1978-12-19 > Gorizont

APPLE Tele-X

India Sweden, Norway, and Finland ESA Spain Mexico Russia Russia Asia / China China (PR) China (PR)/Korea (North) Europe China (PR) Spain Viet Nam Venezuela China (PR)/Korea (North)

1981-06-19 1989-04-02 Tele-X

APPLE

Olympus / L-sat Hispasat-1B Solidaridad-1 Ekspress (series) Luch (series) AsiaSat-2 DFH-3 Kwangmyongsong-1 [failed] Atlantic Bird-1 Chinasat-20 SpainSat-1 Vinasat-1 Venesat-1 / Simon Bolivar Kwangmyongsong-2 [failed]

1989-07-12

Olympus

1993-07-22 Hispasat-1A 1993-11-20 Solidaridad-1 1994-10-13 > Ekspress 1994-12-16 Luch 1995-10-11 1995-11-28 1997-05-11 1998-08-30 2002-08-28 2003-11-03 2006-03-11 2008-04-18 2008-10-29 Venesat-1 SpainSat-1 Kwangmyongsong-1

2009-04-05

Links to communications satellite information:

(The links below lead to information sources that are maintained by others. They are not part of this Website.)

17 of 18

8/4/2011 3:34 PM

Communications satellites

http://rammb.cira.colostate.edu/dev/hillger/communications.htm

Czechoslovakia: Program Molniya Back to Un-Manned Satellite Philately.

Copyright 2004-2011, Colorado State University. All rights reserved. This Website created and maintained by Don Hillger and Garry Toth. Updated: 2011-08-01

18 of 18

8/4/2011 3:34 PM