CNES and Alcatel Space position AMC-9 satellite

CNES's Toulouse Space Centre is positioning the AMC-9 satellite launched atop an ILS Proton rocket (International launch Services) on the morning of 7 June 2003 on behalf of Alcatel Space and its customer, US operator SES AMERICOM, a SES GLOBAL company.

The AMC-9 satellite, manufactured by prime contractor Alcatel Space, is built around a SPACEBUS 3000B3 satellite bus.

CNES will now conduct positioning operations from its Toulouse control centre to take the satellite from its initial transfer orbit to an intermediate geostationary orbital slot at 81.9° West for system testing, before moving to its final operational location at 85° West, pending FCC approval.

The Toulouse Space Centre took charge of AMC-9 orbit control operations after separation from the launch vehicle.

Operational facilities

The AMC-9 satellite will be tracked by a network of stations across the globe. Control teams will communicate with the satellite via C-band links from earth stations in Perth (Australia), Fucino (Italy), Clarksburg (United States) and Paumalu (Hawaii).

The Toulouse Space Centre is in charge of coordinating the stations and performing satellite control operations and manouvres with support from space industry experts.

Satellite positioning operations will be carried out by a joint CNES-Alcatel Space team overseen by CNES.

CNES has already successfully positioned 42 geostationary satellites, but AMC-9 is the first this year.

Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook.