DSCS II
Defense Satellite Communications System II
Part of the DSCS (Defense Satellite Communications System) program

DSCS provides secure voice and data communications for the US military. The contract is managed by the DCA (Defense Communications Agency) for the USAF.

Spacecraft
Spin stabilized with a despun antenna platform. Body mounted solar cells produced 535 watts. Three NiCd batteries provide 36 AHr total. Hydrazine propulsion system.

Payload
Two 20 watt X-Band transponders with 500 MHz bandwidths. Steerable narrow beam antennas and drive mechanism for communications privacy. Capacity is 1300 voice channels or 100 Mbps of data. Compatible with ground-portable units.

Country of Origin	United States
Customer/User	USAF
Manufacturer(s)	TRW
Size	Cylinder 3 m dia., 4 m high
Orbit	Geosynchronous
Design Life	5 years

Launch Facts

Name	Int'l Desig.	Date	Site	Vehicle	Orbit	Mass(kg)
Notes
DSCS 2 F1	1971-095A	11/3/71	ESMC	Titan 3C	GEO	520
Defense Satellite Communications System
DSCS 2 F2	1971-095B	11/3/71	ESMC	Titan 3C	GEO	520
Defense Satellite Communications System
DSCS 2 F3	1973-100A	12/14/73	ESMC	Titan 3C	GEO	566
Defense Satellite Communications System; 13 deg W
DSCS 2 F4	1973-100B	12/14/73	ESMC	Titan 3C	GEO	566
Defense Satellite Communications System; 175 deg E
DSCS 2 F5	1975-040A	5/20/75	ESMC	Titan 3C	LEO	566
Defense Satellite Communications System; unusable orbit
DSCS 2 F6	1975-040B	5/20/75	ESMC	Titan 3C	LEO	566
Defense Satellite Communications System; unusable orbit
DSCS 2 F7	1977-034A	5/12/77	ESMC	Titan 3C	GEO	565
Defense Satellite Communications System
DSCS 2 F8	1977-034B	5/12/77	ESMC	Titan 3C	GEO	565
Defense Satellite Communications System
DSCS 2 F10	none	3/25/78	ESMC	Titan 3C	FTO	550
Defense Satellite Communications System; destroyed by range safety; launched with DSCS F9
DSCS 2 F9	none	3/25/78	ESMC	Titan 3C	FTO	550
Defense Satellite Communications System; destroyed by range safety; launched with DSCS F10
DSCS 2 F11	1978-113A	12/14/78	ESMC	Titan 3C	GEO	550
Defense Satellite Communications System
DSCS 2 F12	1978-113B	12/14/78	ESMC	Titan 3C	GEO	550
Defense Satellite Communications System
DSCS 2 F13	1979-098A	11/21/79	ESMC	Titan 3C	GEO	611
Defense Satellite Communications System
DSCS 2 F14	1979-098B	11/21/79	ESMC	Titan 3C	GEO	611
Defense Satellite Communications System
DSCS 2 F15	1982-106A	10/30/82	ESMC	Titan 34D IUS	GEO
Defense Satellite Communications System
DSCS 2 F16 (USA 43)	1989-069A	9/4/89	ESMC	Titan 34D	GEO
Defense Satellite Communications System