 The TACOMSAT experimental communications satellite | |
| Mission type | Technology |
|---|---|
| Operator | United States Department of Defense |
| COSPAR ID | 1969-013A |
| SATCAT no. | 03691 |
| Mission duration | 1,405 days |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Bus | HS-308 |
| Manufacturer | Hughes Aircraft Company |
| Dry mass | 645 kilograms (1,422 lb) |
| Power | Solar cells (body mounted), batteries |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | February 9, 1969 |
| Rocket | Titan IIIC |
| Launch site | Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Space Launch Complex 41 |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Geostationary |
| Perigee altitude | 35,692 kilometers (22,178 mi) |
| Apogee altitude | 35,822 kilometers (22,259 mi) |
| Inclination | 3.7° degrees |
| Period | 1,434 minutes |
TACOMSAT (also known as TACSAT 1, OPS 0757, or Tactical Communications Satellite) was a communications satellite designed and built by Hughes Aircraft Corporation under the direction of the United States Air Force Space and Missile Systems Organization (SAMSO). TACOMSAT was used by the United States Department of Defense to explore the feasibility of geostationary satellite communications between ground stations comprising fixed bases, military field units, aircraft, and ships.[1]