View source for Apstar 6

{{Short description|Communications satellite}}
{{Infobox spaceflight
| name                  = Apstar 6
| image                 =
| image_caption         =
| mission_type          =
| operator              = [[APT Satellite Holdings|APT Satellite]]
| website               =
| COSPAR_ID             =
| SATCAT                =
| mission_duration      = 15 years (planned)<br/>{{time interval|April 12, 2005, 00:00|show=ymd|sep=,}}<br/>(in progress)
| spacecraft_bus        = [[Spacebus 4000|Spacebus 4000C1]]
| manufacturer          = [[Alcatel Space]]
| dry_mass              =
| launch_mass           = {{convert|5000|kg}}
| power                 =
| launch_date           = {{start-date|April 12, 2005}}
| launch_rocket         = [[Long March 3B]]
| launch_site           = [[Xichang Satellite Launch Centre|Xichang]] [[Xichang Launch Area 2|LA-2]]
| launch_contractor     =
| entered_service       =
| disposal_type         =
| deactivated           = <!-- {{end-date|[insert date here]}} -->
| orbit_epoch           =
| orbit_reference       = [[Geocentric orbit|Geocentric]]
| orbit_regime          = [[Geostationary orbit|Geostationary]]
| orbit_periapsis       =
| orbit_apoapsis        =
| orbit_inclination     =
| orbit_period          =
| orbit_longitude       = 134° East {{coord|0|134|display=title}}
| orbit_slot            =
| apsis                 = gee
| trans_band            = 38 C band<br/>12 K<sub>u</sub> band
| trans_frequency       =
| trans_bandwidth       = 36&nbsp;MHz<br/>50&nbsp;MHz
| trans_capacity        =
| trans_coverage        =
| trans_TWTA            = 64W (C band)<br/>145 (K<sub>u</sub> band)
| trans_EIRP            = at Peak: 42&nbsp;decibel-watts <br/>60&nbsp;decibel-watts
| trans_HPBW            =
}}
'''Apstar 6''' is a [[communications satellite]] built by [[Alcatel Space]], a subsidiary of [[Alcatel-Lucent|Alcatel]], and was boosted into orbit on April 12, 2005, by Long March 3B launcher from [[Xichang Satellite Launch Center]] in China. It provides [[APT Satellite Holdings|APT Satellite]], a satellite operator in the [[Asia Pacific]] region, with  broadband media and television services.
It is fitted with 38 C-band [[transponders]] and 12 [[Ku band|K<sub>u</sub> band]] transponders. China is covered with a dedicated high power K<sub>u</sub> band beam for [[broadband]] multimedia transmission. It is the second model of the [[Spacebus 4000]].  The transponders have a reduced [[C band (IEEE)|C-band]] receiving dish over a wide [[footprint (satellite)|footprint]], which extends across India, China and Australia.{{citation needed|date=July 2012}}
It is significant in enhancing cooperation between Alcatel Space and China as a - to the [[SINOSAT]] satellite.{{citation needed|date=July 2012}}  Apstar 6 was built as an [[International Traffic in Arms Regulations|ITAR]]-free satellite, containing no restricted U.S. components.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Harvey|first1=Brian|title=China in Space: The Great Leap Forward|url=https://archive.org/details/chinaspacegreatl00harv|url-access=limited|date=2013|publisher=Springer|location=New York|isbn=9781461450436|pages=[https://archive.org/details/chinaspacegreatl00harv/page/n172 160]–162}}</ref>  Under the U.S. [[International Traffic in Arms Regulations|ITAR]] regulations, U.S. satellite components may not be exported for launch on Chinese rockets.  However, the U.S. Department of State did not accept the ITAR-free status of these satellites and fined the US company [[Aeroflex]] $8 million for selling ITAR components. In 2013, [[Thales Alenia]] discontinued its ITAR-free satellite line.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Ferster|first1=Warren|title=U.S. Satellite Component Maker Fined $8 Million for ITAR Violations|url=http://spacenews.com/37071us-satellite-component-maker-fined-8-million-for-itar-violations/|work=SpaceNews|date=5 September 2013}}</ref>
== References ==
<references />
==External links==
{{Portal|Spaceflight}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060321185654/http://www.home.alcatel.com/vpr/vpr.nsf/DateKey/12042005_1uk%23 Alcatel press release]
*[http://www.apstar.com  APT website]
* {{satbeams footprint|5181|Apstar 6}}
{{Orbital launches in 2005}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Apstar 6}}
[[Category:Communications satellites in geostationary orbit]]
[[Category:Spacecraft launched in 2005]]
[[Category:Satellites using the Spacebus bus]]
[[Category:Communications satellites of China]]
[[Category:2005 in China]]
[[Category:Spacecraft launched by Long March rockets]]
{{China-spacecraft-stub|nocat=yes}}
{{Communications-satellite-stub}}