Palapa B1,B2,B2P,B2R,B4

Part of the Palapa program

Palapa B satellites were four times as powerful and twice the size of their predecessors, the Palapa A series. While the A series was designed for domestic/regional communications within Indonesia, the new system also served the Phillipines, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore. Palapa B2 was originally placed into a useless orbit due to malfunctions of its PAM-D upper stage. The Indonesian government claimed $75 million insurance and ordered a replacement (B2P), which was successfully orbited 3 years later. The original B2 was recovered by the STS-51A mission on November 12, 1984 under an arrangement between the satellite's insurers, NASA and Hughes. The satellite was then sold by the insurers to an intermediary company, refurbished, and then resold back to Indonesia following its launch in 1990.

Spacecraft
Based on Hughes HS-376 design. Cylindrical structure. Spin stabilized. Hydrazine propulsion system for attitude control, orbit maintenance. Body mounted solar cells provide 1060 W BOL. Despun antenna platform.

Payload
Each carried 24 C-band transponders (+6 spares).

Country of Origin	Indonesia
Customer/User	Perumtel, Satelindo
Manufacturer(s)	Hughes
Size	6.83 m high, 2.16 m diameter
Orbit	All in GEO: B1: 118 deg E, B2P: 113 deg E, B2R: 108 deg E, B4: 118 deg E
Design Life	8 years

Launch Facts

Name	Int'l Desig.	Date	Site	Vehicle	Orbit	Mass(kg)
Notes
Palapa B1	1983-059C	6/18/83	ESMC	STS 7	GEO	1200
Deployed by STS-7 6/18/83
Palapa B2	1984-011D	2/3/84	ESMC	STS 41B	LEO	1200
Deployed from STS 41B 2/4/84; failed to reach proper orbit; recovered by STS-51A
Palapa B2P	1987-029A	3/20/87	ESMC	Delta 3920	GEO	1200
113 deg W
Palapa B2R	1990-034A	4/13/90	ESMC	Delta 6925-8	GEO	1200
Refurbished Palapa B2 retrieved by STS-51A; 107.7 deg E
Palapa B4	1992-027A	5/14/92	ESMC	Delta 7925-8	GEO	1254
118 deg E