Zhongxing 12

Zhongxing 15A

Illustration of ZX 15A
Mission type	Communication
Operator	China Satcom
Mission duration	15 years
Spacecraft properties
Bus	Spacebus-4000C2[1]
Manufacturer	Thales Alenia Space
Launch mass	5,054 kilograms (11,142 lb)
Power	2 deployable solar arrays, batteries
Start of mission
Launch date	27 November 2012 (2012-11-27)[2]
Rocket	Chang Zheng 3B/E[3]
Launch site	Xichang LA-2
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric
Regime	Geostationary
Longitude	87.5° East
Transponders
Band	28 C-band 28 Ku-band
Coverage area	China Sri Lanka East Asia South Asia Middle East Africa Australia China sea area the Indian Ocean region.

Now called Zhongxing 15A (ZX 15A), or ChinaSat-15A, the former Zhongxing 12^[4][5] communications satellite is wholly owned by China Satcom, with part of its communications payload leased or rented by SupremeSAT, a Sri Lankan company to be marketed to potential users as SupremeSAT-I.^[6] Once operational it will provide communications services for the China, Sri Lanka, East Asia, South Asia, Middle East, Africa, Australia and China sea area, the Indian Ocean region.^[7]

Following launch on 27 November 2012, the satellite was placed into geosynchronous orbit and located at 51.5° East while being tested. On April 19, 2013 it started to move towards its operational location at 87.5°^[8] East. At the same time it was renamed Chinasat 15A to reflect its future operation as a replacement for Chinasat 5A, the current incumbent of the slot.

The satellite was built by Thales Alenia Space and has a designed life of 15 years.

Gallery

• 

  Diagram of the Long March 3B, showing its outboard liquid rocket boosters.

• 

  The launch of a Long March 3B (similar to CZ-3B/E (Chang Zheng-3B/E))

References