Engineering:Healthsat-2

From HandWiki
Short description: Medical communications satellite
Healthsat 2
Mission typeCommunication
OperatorSatelLife, Wavix
COSPAR ID1993-061E
SATCAT no.22827
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeMicrosat-70
ManufacturerSSTL
Start of mission
Launch date26 September 1993, 01:45 UTC
RocketAriane-40 V59
Launch siteKourou ELA-2
ContractorArianespace
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeLEO
Perigee altitude797 kilometres (495 mi)
Apogee altitude821 kilometres (510 mi)
Inclination98.6º
Period100.8 minutes
 

Healthsat-2, later WavSat-1, was a store-and-forward communications microsatellite. As part of the HealthNet constellation operated by SatelLife, it provided communication services between health programs in developing nations and healthcare systems in developed nations.[1][2] In 1993, it provided communications to CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent while it was in the Northwest passage, reported as the first use of Low Earth Orbit communications near the North Pole.[3] Operations were transferred to satellite communications company Wavix, which continued operating the satellite as WavSat-1.[2]

References