Skynet 5D
| Company type | Satellite |
|---|---|
| Industry | Military communications |
| Founded | December 19, 2012 |
| Founder | Astrium |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom |
| Owner | British Ministry of Defence |
| Parent | Airbus Defence and Space |
Skynet 5D represents a military communications satellite managed by Airbus Defence and Space on behalf of the British Ministry of Defence. It was the final installment in the series of four Skynet 5 satellites deployed.
Spacecraft
Constructed by Astrium, Skynet 5D utilizes the Eurostar 3000S satellite platform. At launch, its mass was approximately , and it was engineered to operate for around 15 years. The satellite’s solar arrays provide a minimum of 6 kilowatts to support both UHF and X-band communication equipment. Included in its payload are systems designed for jamming resistance.
The Ministry of Defence emphasizes the satellite’s essential function in secure communications and intelligence operations.
Launch
On 19 December 2012 at 21:49 UTC, Skynet 5D was deployed aboard an Ariane 5ECA launch vehicle from ELA-3 at the Kourou. It shared the launch with another payload, mounted above the Mexsat Bicentenario satellite using a Sylda 5 adaptor.
Orbit
Following launch, Skynet 5D was placed into a geosynchronous transfer orbit, from which it was intended to transition to a geostationary orbit positioned at 25 degrees East longitude.