ATS-3
Applications Technology Satellite-3
Part of the ATS (Applications Technology Satellites) program

The goals for ATS-3 included investigations of spin stabilization techniques and VHF and C-band communications experiments. In addition to fulfilling its primary mission, it also provided regular communications service to sites in the Pacific basin and Antarctica, provided emergency commications links during the 1987 Mexican earthquake and the Mt. St. Helens disaster, and supported the Apollo Moon landings. The satellite also provided the first color images from space as well as regular cloud cover images for meteorological studies.

Spacecraft
Spin stabilized, drum solar array providing 175 W BOL, NiCd batteries

Payload
C-band and VHF communications packages, Earth imaging camera

Country of Origin	United States
Customer/User	NASA, NSF
Manufacturer(s)	Hughes
Size	1.5 m dia. x 1.5 m high cylinder
Orbit	GEO, located at 105 deg. W
Design Life	3 years

Launch Facts

Name	Int'l Desig.	Date	Site	Vehicle	Orbit	Mass(kg)
Notes
ATS 3	1967-111A	11/5/67	ESMC	Atlas Agena D	GEO	365
Communications tests