Name of Satellite, Alternate Names |
Helios 2A |
Country of Operator/Owner |
France/Italy/Belgium/Spain/Greece |
Operator/Owner |
Centre National d´Etudes Spatiales (CNES)/Délégation Générale de l´Armement (DGA) |
Users |
Military |
Purpose |
Reconnaissance |
Class of Orbit |
LEO |
Type of Orbit |
Sun-Synchronous |
Longitude of GEO (degrees) |
0 |
Perigee (km) |
681 |
Apogee (km) |
683 |
Eccentricity |
0.000141803743618832 |
Inclination (degrees) |
98.1 |
Period (minutes) |
98 |
Launch Mass (kg.) |
4200 |
Dry Mass (kg.) |
1,500-1,900 |
Power (watts) |
2900 |
Date of Launch |
18-12-2004 |
Expected Lifetime |
5 yrs. |
Contractor |
EADS Astrium |
Country of Contractor |
France/UK/Germany/Spain |
Launch Site |
Guiana Space Center |
Launch Vehicle |
Ariane 5G |
COSPAR Number |
2004-049A |
NORAD Number |
28492 |
Comments |
Optical reconnaissance; independent military intelligence capability for the EU (France has financed 90% of the B series). |