36582 - COMSATBW-2

COMSATBW 2 is a German military communication satellite launched from Kourou on 21 May 2010 at 22:01 UT. The craft weighs 2,495 kg and was launched by an Ariane 5 rocket. COMSATBW 2 is a secure relay platform that delivers key services for the German Bundeswehr (German armed forces), and is a follow-on spacecraft to COMSATBW 1, which was orbited by an Ariane 5 in October 2009. Together, the COMSATBW satellites provide a secure broadband network which guarantees uninterrupted communications between the government, military authorities and armed forces deployed around the world. It will be positioned at 13.2 degrees E longitude and has a design life of 15 years.

Facts in Brief

Launch Date: 2010-05-21
Launch Vehicle: Ariane 5
Launch Site: Kourou, French Guiana