Artificial satellites of Mexico

This article deals with the artificial satellites of Mexico.

Background

For the international broadcasting of the 1968 Mexico Olympic Games, the Mexican government affiliated that year with the Intelsat satellite system and built the first earth station in the country in the state of Hidalgo and rented an ATS-3 satellite, property of the POT. Two years later, in 1970, satellite use began in Mexico for domestic service. Beginning in 1982, the Mexican government acquired its first package of its own satellites, known as the Morelos System. The Morelos I and Morelos II satellites were placed in orbit in 1985 in geostationary positions for both at 113.5º W and 116.8º W and in Iztapalapa, to the east of Mexico City, their ground control center was built. To manage both satellites and their control center, Telecommunications of Mexico (Telecomm) was created in 1989, with headquarters in Mexico City, a decentralized organization that acquired a second satellite package to eventually replace the Morelos System at the end of its life. Useful. The Solidaridad System was made up of the Solidaridad 1 and Solidaridad 2 satellites, put into orbit in 1993 and 1994, respectively, at the time that Morelos 1 was decommissioned, keeping the two satellite positions already acquired plus a new one at 109.2º W.. The National Autonomous University of Mexico created the University Space Research and Development Program (PUIDE), which in 1991 began manufacturing the first 100% Mexican satellite, UNAMSAT-1, which was destroyed during its launch in 1995. In 1996, it launched orbit the UNAMSAT-B that worked for about a year. The Mexican government put the country's satellite system up for sale through Satélites Mexicanos, S.A. de C.V. (SATMEX) in 1997, which came under the control of Principia Loral Space & Communications. The package included the inactive Morelos 1, the active Morelos 2, Solidaridad 1 and 2, and the Morelos 3 under construction (renamed Satmex 5). For national security purposes, the Mexican government announced in 2010 the creation of a new Mexican Satellite System (MEXSAT), to be administered by Telecommunications of Mexico (Telecomm-Telégrafos) which will consist of 3 satellites called Bicentenario, Centenario and Morelos III.

Morelos System

Rodolfo Neri Vela, first Mexican astronaut, traveled on NASA's STS-61-B mission in the orbit of Morelos II in 1985.

The Federal Government of Mexico created the Morelos System with two satellites, Morelos I and Morelos II, which are versions of the most commercial satellite of the time, the Hughes HS-376. This model was modified to operate in a hybrid way, for the first time, two bands at different frequencies (C and Ku) simultaneously. Both satellites are cylindrical in shape with a rotation system to stabilize in a geostationary manner. It measures 7 feet 1 inch (2.16 meters) in diameter and in height, during its launch position with its solar panel system retracted and its antenna stowed, it measures 9 feet 4 inches (2.85 meters). In orbit, by expanding its solar panels and antenna, it reaches 21 feet 8 inches (6.6 meters) tall. Its weight at the start of its orbit is 1,422 pounds (645.0 kilograms), which includes 293 pounds (132.9 kilograms) of fuel to control its orbit over a 9-year lifetime. The two solar panels, built with K-7 solar cells, provide the satellite with 950 watts when placed in orbit, which are supported by two nickel-cadmium batteries to operate during eclipses as they pass through the Earth's shadow. The modified antenna of the common versions of the HS-376 satellite to operate according to Mexican specifications, has the capacity to operate 18 C frequency bands and 4 Ku frequency bands. For its positioning at the corresponding geostationary point, each satellite had a PAM-D module manufactured by McDonnell Douglas and a Star-30B motor manufactured by Thiokol, to take it to a synchronized circular orbit, from an elliptical orbit in which they were released from a NASA space shuttle. The control and telemetry center was manufactured by Hughes and installed in Iztapalapa, within the metropolitan area of Mexico City. The Morelos System satellites provided television, telephony and data communications services in the C and Ku bands to and from any point in the Mexican Republic. In 1989 the decentralized organization Telecomm became the operator of the Morelos System and in 1997 it was Satélites Mexicanos, S.A. de C.V. (Satmex), which was privatized.

Morelos II

The Morelos I was put into orbit on June 17, 1985 by the space shuttle Discovery during its fifth flight, on NASA's STS 51-G mission, which took off from Cape Canaveral and was positioned at 113.5 degrees west latitude. In 1993 its useful life ended and its operations were transferred to Solidaridad 1. In 1994 it ceded its orbital position to Solidaridad 2, when it was removed to another disused one. After the privatization of 1997, Morelos I is also known as Satmex 1.

Morelos II

The Morelos II was put into orbit on November 27 of that same year by the space shuttle Atlantis, during its second flight, on NASA's STS 61-B mission, which included the participation of Dr. Rodolfo Neri Vela, the first Mexican astronaut (and to date the only one under the Mexican flag). The Morelos II took off at Cape Canaveral and was positioned at 116.8 degrees west latitude. After privatization in 1997, the Morelos II is also known as Satmex 2. Its useful life ended in 2004.

Solidarity System

In May 1991, in order to replace the Morelos System at the end of its useful life, Telecomm again hired Hughes to manufacture a second satellite package called the Solidarity System for an amount of more than 300 million dollars, including launch services, adaptation to the Iztapalapa control center, a new control center in Hermosillo and insurance. The Solidaridad System had two satellites, Solidaridad 1 and Solidaridad 2, versions of the Hughes HS-601 satellite, with a useful life of 14 years. Both satellites are cube shaped with a triaxial geostational stabilization system. Its shape is cubic and contains in its center the electronic and propulsion system; On their north-south axis they have wings 21 meters long, they weigh around 1,641 kg at the beginning of their orbit, their solar cells provide them with 3,300 watts and they have 27 batteries for eclipses. Like the Morelos, they have 18 C frequency bands, but with greater capacity that allow them to transmit from small terminals, plus 16 Ku frequency bands and one L frequency band. the antennas, placed one to the east (the Ku band) and the other to the west (the C band), measure 2.5 meters. The Iztapalapa Control Center was remodeled to operate the Solidarity System and a new one was built in Hermosillo, Sonora, from where the television, telephone and data communications service continued in band C to and from Mexico, the southern United States. United States and rest of Latin America, and in the Ku band to and from Mexico and the United States. In 1997 the company Satélites Mexicanos, S.A. de C.V. (Satmex) becomes the operator of the Solidarity System, which is privatized that same year.

Solidarity 1

The Solidaridad 1 was put into orbit on November 19, 1993 by the Ariane-44LP H10+ rocket, which took off from Kourou, French Guyana, and was positioned at 109.2 degrees west latitude. After the privatization of 1997, Solidaridad 1 is also known as Satmex 3. In 1999 it had a failure in the satellite processing controls, which was repeated in 2000, resulting in a total loss.

Solidarity 2

The Solidaridad 2 was put into orbit on October 7, 1994 by the Ariane-44L H10+ rocket, which took off from Kourou, French Guyana, and was positioned at 113.5 degrees west latitude, a position previously held by Morelos I. After privatization in 1997, Solidaridad 2 is also known as Satmex 4. In March 2006 it was migrated to the 114.9º west orbit to extend its useful life. After a severe failure, in March 2008 it was transferred to an inclined orbit to keep it active at least until 2013, withdrawing from commercial activity, serving only the Mexican government. New studies of the satellite have given consecutive extensions to its useful life, even reaching up to 2015 when the new MEXSAT system satellites would be in orbit. But Solidaridad 2's useful life ended on November 29, 2013, at 11: 59 hours, after its gradual replacement by the Satmex 8.

Satmex System

In 1995 the Mexican government reformed the Telecommunications Law and with the Fixed Satellite Services Section of Telecomm established the company Satélites Mexicanos S.A. de C.V. (SATMEX) on June 26, 1997, which was put up for sale through a public tender. 75% of SATMEX was acquired in October 1997 by Principia Loral Space & Communications and the remaining 25% is retained by the Mexican government, without the right to vote; and initiates an investment of 645 million dollars. The package included the inactive Morelos 1, the active Morelos 2, Solidaridad 1 and 2, and the Morelos 3 under construction (which was renamed Satmex 5). Before the privatization was completed, in August 1996, a new satellite was requested from Hughes for the third and last time, the Morelos 2R or Morelos 3, with C and Ku band coverage for the entire American continent. During the manufacture of this satellite, Satmex is created, so the name of the satellite is modified to Satmex 5 during its manufacture. It was a more powerful version of the Solidaridad satellites and would be the first of what has been called the Satmex System. Completion of the contract with Hughes, Satélites Mexicanos S.A. de C.V., as a subsidiary of Principia Loral Space & Communications, established a program to replace the expiring-life satellite fleet manufactured by Space Systems Loral; In this way, Satmex 6 was put into orbit and the construction of the other satellites of the system began. SATMEX was unable to maintain its profitability and twice filed for bankruptcy in the United States, the first in 2005 and the second in 2011, in order to restructure its debts and maintain financial viability. Its owners decided to put it up for sale for the first time in 2007, but the offers did not meet the expectations of the company that asked for at least 500 million dollars. During 2010, the companies EchoStar Satellite Services and MVS Comunicaciones reached various commercial agreements to acquire Satélites Mexicanos, S.A. de C.V. The first was in March, which fell when most shareholders refused the sale. The second was in May, which would be for 374 million dollars, but it did not materialize either. A new telecommunications reform undertaken by the Mexican government opened 100% foreign direct investment in the satellite sector, with which SATMEX became a highly coveted attraction and in 2013 the French company Eutelsat Communications made an offer for 831 million dollars for 100% of its shares, plus 311 million to settle its outstanding debt. This operation was completed on January 2, 2014, which included the SATMEX 5, 6 and 8 satellites.

Satmex 5 (now EUTELSAT 115 West A)

The Satmex 5, is based on the Hughes HS-601HP satellite or on a version of the HP-601 “High Power”, base of Solidaridad 1 and 2. It generates 7000 watts of power, at least 10 times the capacity of Morelos II, with an innovative system of solar cells and more advanced batteries and with a xenon ion propulsion system, with a useful life of 15 years. The transmission capacity allows it to be received by terrestrial antennas of 60 centimeters or smaller. It covers all of America, so it can provide services in any country on the continent. Satmex 5 began construction under the name Morelos III at the Hughes Space and Communications Company's Integrated Satellite Factory in El Segundo, California, like the satellites of the Morelos and Solidaridad Systems, with Hughes personnel and at least ten engineers. Mexicans who worked on the integration of the satellite. The Satmex 5 has 24 bands at 36 MHz C frequency with linear polarization and 24 bands at 36 MHz Ku frequency with linear polarization. Satmex 5 was launched into orbit on December 5, 1998 aboard an Ariane-42L H10-3 rocket at 116.8º West. On January 27, 2010, it presented a failure in its XIPS propulsion system, with which the chemical propulsion mechanism began to operate, which has a duration of 2.5 years. orbital position at 114.9º West with an operation in inclined orbit to extend its useful life, which it completed at the end of 2013. Since May 21, 2014 it has been called EUTELSAT 115 West A. and it will be replaced by the EUTELSAT 115 West B, depending on its launch date, around 2015.

Satmex 6 (now EUTELSAT 113 West A)

The Satmex 6 was requested from Space Systems Loral, to replace the loss of the Solidaridad 1-Satmex 3, based on the LS-1300X High Power satellite, built in Palo Alto, Calif. It weighs 5,700 kg, has 36 linearly polarized 36 MHz C bands, 24 linearly polarized 36 MHz Ku bands that cover the entire American continent, and a triaxial system as stabilization mode. It was launched on May 27, 2006 by an Ariane-5ECA rocket and placed in geostatic orbit at 113.0º west latitude, the position originally occupied by Solidaridad 2, to function for a useful life of more than 15 years. Since 21 May 2014 it has been called EUTELSAT 113 West A. (still in orbit)

Satmex 7 (EUTELSAT 115 West B)

The Satmex 7 was a satellite originally requested in June 2008 from Space Systems Loral to replace the Solidaridad 2-Satmex 4 near the end of its useful life, based on on the LS-1300 satellite, which would incorporate the Fixed Satellite Services (FSS) system to the continent. It would be a state-of-the-art satellite with high transmission capacity in C and Ku bands that would cover the HDTV service. It would be designed to occupy the orbital position of 109.2º West latitude occupied by Solidaridad 1 and its launch was scheduled for 2011. However, the Mexican government, after declaring a couple of tenders void, lost the 109.2º West position since The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) had a deadline to occupy it until March 5, 2008. Therefore, Satmex 7 was canceled and it was decided to extend the life of Solidaridad 2; although the project would revive later (see EUTELSAT 115 West B).

Satmex 8 (now EUTELSAT 117 West A)

The Satmex 8 is an SSL-1300E that was originally announced in May 2010 to replace the Satmex 5, although it was reprogrammed to eventually replace the Solidaridad 2-Satmex 4. It will incorporate the Fixed Satellite Services (FSS) system. It has a capacity for 24 C bands and 41.5 Ku bands, with coverage throughout the American continent and a useful life of 15 years. In April 2010, SATMEX made an initial payment of $2 million to Space Systems/Loral to begin manufacturing of SATMEX 8. This satellite was planned to be launched in July 2012, delayed to November and then December 2012. by means of a Proton rocket from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhastan. The launch finally took place on March 26, 2013. It occupies the orbital position of 116.8º W originally occupied by Satmex 5 (which was previously moved to 114.9º West). Since 21 May 2014 it has been called EUTELSAT 117 West A.

Eutelsat Americas System

The French company Eutelsat Communications decided to begin its expansion in satellite services in the American continent, while Principia Loral Space & Communications maintained its firm intention to sell its 75% stake in Satélites Mexicanos, S.A. de C.V. (SATMEX). Coincidentally, the Mexican government undertakes a telecommunications reform that allows foreign investment to be opened in the entire country's satellite sector, making the remaining 25% of SATMEX available. Therefore, in 2013, Eutelsat Communications made an offer for 831 million dollars for 100% of the shares of SATMEX, plus 311 million to settle its outstanding debt. This operation was completed on January 2, 2014, which included the SATMEX 5, 6 and 8 satellites. As part of its business strategy, on March 7, 2014 Eutelsat Communications announced that Satélites Mexicanos, S.A. de C.V. It would henceforth operate under the commercial name of Eutelsat Americas and weeks later, on May 21, it announced the change in the nomenclature of its satellites, substituting the name Satmex for Eutelsat, in order to standardize the nomenclature of the entire satellite fleet worldwide. The Mexican satellites were renamed:

1. EUTELSAT 117 West A, before Satmex 8
2. EUTELSAT 115 West A, before Satmex 5
3. EUTELSAT 113 West A, before Satmex 6

The growth strategy that SATMEX had in the construction of new satellites was absorbed by EUTELSAT, modifying itself according to the needs of the French firm.

EUTELSAT 115 West B

The EUTELSAT 115 West B is a satellite designed to replace the Satmex 5-EUTELSAT 115 West A that currently occupies the 114.9º West inclined orbit, which exceeded its lifetime original useful in 2013. This project was started on March 13, 2012 by Satélites Mexicanos (Satmex), giving the satellite the name Satmex 7, in order to replace the previous canceled project of its satellite namesake. The construction of this new satellite was entrusted to Boeing Satellite Systems International and it was initially estimated that it would be launched in late 2014 or early 2015 from Cape Canaveral, Florida, aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from the company Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX). Before being launched, on May 21, 2014, the satellite received its new name of EUTELSAT 115 West B and is waiting to be able to schedule its launch into orbit.

EUTELSAT 117 West B

The EUTELSAT 117 West B is a satellite scheduled to replace the Satmex 8-EUTELSAT 117 West A that currently serves in the 116.8º West orbit. It was originally ordered by Satélites Mexicanos under the name Satmex 9 to be put into orbit in 2014. On May 21, 2014 the satellite was renamed EUTELSAT 117 West B, the which will be built by Boeing Defense and Space, will have a useful life of 15 years and will occupy the 116.8º West orbital position. It will have 48 transponders, equivalent to 36 MHz, in the extended Ku band. It will be the second new generation electric satellite in the Eutelsat Americas fleet.

EUTELSAT 65 West A

The EUTELSAT 65 West A was ordered directly by Eutelsat Communications to enter the Brazilian market and the rest of Latin America, since before the acquisition of Satélites Mexicanos. It is an SSL 1300 satellite manufactured by Space Systems/Loral that will be put into orbit in early 2016, prior to the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, to occupy the 65º West position. It will have coverage in three frequencies: C band, Ku band and Ka band (used in Brazil). It will have a useful life of 15 years. Following the purchase of Satélites Mexicanos by Eutelsat Communications, the EUTELSAT 65 West A was reassigned to be operated by Eutelsat Americas.

UNAMSAT System

The National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) created the University Program for Space Research and Development (PUIDE) which under the direction of Dr. Alfonso Serrano developed the UNAMSAT-1 project in 1991 to create a satellite for the statistical study of impact trajectories of meteorites in the Earth's atmosphere. It was the first Mexican-made satellite. The project, led by engineer David Liberman and made up of a group of interns from computer, electronic and mechanical engineering, developed the satellite structure at the Instrument Center, with the support of the University's Institute of Physics. The budget used was $100,000 in total. The launch of UNAMSAT-B cost $112,000. Outside the academic field, the project had an important participation of the Amateur Satellite Organization (AMSAT), who contributed with the Amsat-Na Microsat model, to develop the satellite, in exchange for including a transponder system for use by radio amateurs; reason why the satellite is also known as Oscar 30 or UO 30.

UNAMSAT 1

The UNAMSAT-1 was completed in 1993 in Ciudad Universitaria. Its shape is cubic of 23 centimeters, with 10 liters of volume and with a weight of 17 kilos; composed of 5 quadrangular modules, solar cells and batteries, its useful life was calculated at 4 and a half years. Its telecommunication system works under the amateur system of 0.2-0.3 UHF, with a PACSAT protocol system used by the Oscar 16 and 19 satellites. To put it in polar orbit, a collaboration agreement was established between PUIDE and the Sternberg Astronomical Institute of the Moscow State University and the space company Progress, in order to have a lower cost in putting the satellite into orbit, compared to what would be a commercial agreement. The agreement allowed the design of the coupling between the satellite and the Russian rocket to be established with the Space Technology Group of the Sternberg Institute. However, UNAMSAT-1 was classified as secondary payload during the launch of a Russian communications satellite, so the project suffered postponements according to the Russian space program itself. The first scheduled date was in December 1993 and the second in June 1994. Finally UNAMSAT-1 was launched from a military base in Plasestsk, Russia, on March 28, 1995, but a failure in the IV stage of Start 1 Russian missed the launch.

UNAMSAT B

The UNAMSAT-B began to be built alongside UNAMSAT-1 as a twin satellite, to remain on the ground as a simulator of the in-orbit operation, which was expected to be completed in 1995. Without However, after the unsuccessful launch of UNAMSAT-1, it was decided to put its twin into orbit, under the name of UNAMSAT-B, making the corresponding adjustments for it and adding improvements in relation to its predecessor. Its 5 gallium arsenide solar panels were purchased at half price from the Italian company FIAR, S.p.A. The launch was negotiated with the help of the Moscow Aeronautical Institute (MAI), with the Lavochkin Association Space Company, with whom the coupling of UNAMSAT-B to a Russian military satellite Kosmos 2334 (Parus #86) was designed and built, which was the main load of the Kosmos-3M rocket of the Russian company Polyot. The launch took place on September 5, 1996, from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome; five hours later UNAMSAT-B successfully separated from the Russian military satellite to reach a thousand kilometer high orbit at an 83º inclination with respect to the equator and began transmissions to the portable station installed in Plesetsk at 11:00 PM In August 1997 it was reported that problems began to occur in the power supply system, with which the satellite was considered lost. The Mexican space engineers of the UNAMSAT-B satellite received honors in Russia: Dr. Gianfranco Bisiacchi Giraldi, director of PUIDE; Ing. David Liberman S., director of the UNAMSAT Project; Eng. José Luis García García, Electronics Area; Ing. Saúl de la Rosa Nieves, Electronic Area; Eng. Eloy Martínez Martínez, Electronics Area; Eng. Luis Bustamante Murillo, Electronics Area; Héctor A. Sosa Rojas, Computer Engineer Intern; Eduardo G. García Gama, Computer Engineer Trainee; and Juan Antonio Asencio Armenta, Mechanical Engineer Intern.^{[citation required]}

While these people were in Russia, in Mexico, from Ciudad Universitaria in the Instrument Center Building, staff from the University Space Research and Development Program (Physicist Gabriel Resendiz, Saúl Valencia, Porfirio Gaona, Enrique Bernal, Gilberto Chavarria and Víctor Pineda) were in charge of capturing the signals transmitted by the satellite that was already in orbit.

Dr. Miguel Ángel Herrera, technical secretary of PUIDE, was in charge of directing this program, as well as in charge of the dissemination related to the great success of the UNAMSAT-B satellite.

It is worth mentioning that in this project all the staff have collaborated.

Likewise, the UNAMSAT-B satellite will soon begin its trajectory, which is to determine the speed of meteorites that come into contact with the Earth's atmosphere.

UNAMSAT III

The UNAMSAT-III is under construction to provide information on electromagnetism on Earth during earthquakes in order to establish an earthquake detection and prediction system. Its launch is scheduled to take place in Russia by means of a Dnepr 1 rocket. The first launch was scheduled for February 2011, postponed to May 2012. A new rescheduling anticipated that its launch would be carried out in November 2012.

QuetzSat System

On February 2, 2005, the Ministry of Communications and Transportation granted a 20-year concession over the 77° W orbital position to the Mexican company QuetzSat. MedCom paid 14 million dollars for the concession, a company in which in which SES S.A. participates based in Luxembourg. Once the orbital position was acquired, and in order not to lose it, it was successively occupied by three SES satellites, leasing 90% of its capacity to EchoStar, a company dedicated to direct-to-home television transmission.

QuetzSat 1

The QuetzSat 1 is a satellite manufactured by Space Systems/Loral, under the latest generation LS-1300 model, with 32 Ku band transponders (which unlike the rest of the commercial fleet mexicana does not have band C), whose cost was 250 million dollars, including launch service and insurance. For SES S.A. It is its 49th satellite, although the first with the Mexican flag through its association with MedCom, which will operate it, and it will be dedicated to the DBS direct television service. It was launched on September 29, 2011 by the Proton-M Briz-M of the Russian company International Launch Services from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan and placed in the 77º W orbit with coverage nationwide and in the United States, with a lifetime of estimated useful life of 15 years.

Mexican Satellite System (MEXSAT)

The Mexican government, through the Ministry of Communications and Transportation, decided to buy three new satellites for security purposes of the Mexican State, the Mexsat 1, 2 and 3 satellites, called Centenario, Morelos III and Bicentenario, respectively. The Mexsat 1 (Centenario) and Mexsat 2 (Morelos III) satellites will be twin devices for mobile communications, one supporting the other, to operate in the L and Ku bands. Mexsat 3 (Bicentenario) will be one more for fixed communications that will operate in the extended C and Ku bands. The satellites will make up the new Mexican Satellite System (MEXSAT) and will be operated through Telecommunications of Mexico (Telecomm-Telégrafos). Likewise, these satellites are expected to cover the country's telecommunications needs in case SATMEX fails to put in orbit the Satmex 7 and 8 satellites that must replace the fleet that ends its useful life in the coming years. For the operation of the new Mexican Satellite System (MEXSAT), the Mexican Satellite Control and Monitoring Center was built, inaugurated by President Felipe Calderón Hinojosa on November 29, 2012, where the monitoring will be carried out. telemetry and command, as well as the maneuvers and orbital analysis of the three satellites of the system. In addition, a second center will be built in Hermosillo, Son.

Mexsat 1 (Centennial)

The Mexsat 1 (Centenario) would be the main satellite for the mobile service of the MEXSAT network, it was a Boeing 702 HP, which would be placed in the 113W orbit, in the last quarter of 2013. Despite such projections, it ended up being launched on May 15, 2015 at 00:47 Central Mexico time from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan aboard a Proton M rocket. This satellite would have a useful life estimated 15 years. However, an accident that occurred approximately 490 seconds after the Proton M liftoff prevented the mission from being completed. The loss of the Centennial would be corrected with the subsequent launch of its twin satellite, Morelos III, into orbit (which was carried out until October 2 of the same year). Also, since the Centenario was insured against any eventuality, the Mexican government would recover the investment to build and eventually put a replacement into orbit.

Mexsat 2 (Morelos III)

The Mexsat 2 (Morelos III) is a Boeing 702 HO that was originally planned as the secondary satellite for the mobile service of the MEXSAT network, to be put into the 116.8W orbit launching into space on the third quarter of 2014. However, its launch was postponed. When the twin satellite Mexsat 1 (Centenario) was destroyed during its failed launch on May 15, 2015, Morelos III became its replacement. It was finally launched on October 2, 2015 at 5:27 a.m. (Central Mexico time) on an Atlas-V 421 rocket from Lockheed Martin Commercial Launch Services, launching from the United States Air Force base. at Cape Canaveral, Florida. After a two-hour, 51-minute flight, Morelos 3 was successfully released by Atlas-V to begin its autonomous ascent to its orbital position of 113.5ºW at 36,000 kilometers, which is reached in 13 days of travel. This satellite will have an estimated useful life of 15 years.

Satellite Mexsat 2 being mounted inside the cofia for launch.

Mexsat 3 (Bicentennial)

The Mexsat 3 (Bicentennial) was the first of the MEXSAT network satellites to be put into orbit. It is a fixed service satellite of the STAR-2 platform manufactured by the company Orbital Sciences Corporation. Its launch took place on December 19, 2012 at 6:50 p.m. local time (3:50 p.m. Central Time 21:50 GMT) from the ELA-3 ramp in Kourou, French Guyana, aboard an Ariane 5 rocket. It is scheduled to occupy the 114.9 W orbit and is intended as controller of the other two satellites in the network and to cover the communications of the Mexican State that only Solidaridad 2 currently provides during its final phase of useful life.

SATEX system

The SATEX 1 satellite project was developed by a consortium of Mexican institutions with the sponsorship and coordination of the extinct Mexican Telecommunications Institute. It had the participation of various Mexican research centers: the Center for Scientific Research and Higher Education of Ensenada (CICESE), the Center for Research and Advanced Studies (CINVESTAV) of the National Polytechnic Institute (IPN), the Institute of Electrical Research (IIE), the National Institute of Astrophysics, Optics and Electronics (INAOE), the Institute of Engineering of the UNAM and the ESIME Zacatenco and Ticoman of the IPN and the Meritorious Autonomous University of Puebla (BUAP)

SATEX 1

It was intended that the SATEX, with an approximate weight of 50 kg, would take photographs of the Mexican territory, study the high frequency Ku band and carry out tests to establish optical communications; all for scientific purposes. Although several modules were developed independently by the participating institutions, the project was never fully completed.

Ulysses I

The Ulises I mission has aroused national and international interest, which has allowed exhibitions, meetings and conferences to be held in Belgium, Spain, the United States, Brazil, France, Colombia, Italy; in venues such as MIT in Boston, ISEA in Turkey, Australia and the United States; UNAM and MUTEC, to name a few. The Ulises I project proposal, from the conceptual stage to the construction and testing stage, has been a joint effort between the Colectivo Espacial Mexicano (CEM), the Multimedia Center of the National Center for the Arts (CENART), the Polytechnic Institute National (IPN), the Center for Digital Culture (CCD), CONACULTA. In 2013, the National Institute of Optical and Electronic Astrophysics (INAOE) joined the project to collaborate in the mission design phase and the integration and testing of the first Ulysses I nanosatellite. The Ulysses I nanosatellite has been integrated into the National Institute of Astrophysics, Optics and Electronics (INAOE), in Tonanzintla, Puebla, by the work team of the Radiofrequency and Fiber Optic Communications Laboratory. The integration of the Ulises I nanosatellite is the first mission of this type to take place in Mexico, with the purpose of opening a way for our country to participate in the use of space. This experience represents a transcendental step in the country's space history. The Ulises I space mission generates a new line of interdisciplinary development that will allow Mexico to advance in the use of satellite technologies, for the benefit of its society, allowing the generation of space missions for scientific, cultural, and academic purposes., educational and social, with national impact.

Ulysses I

Ulysses I, is an artificial nanosatellite created by the Mexican Space Collective, under the direction of Juan José Díaz Infante Casasús. The Ulysses I space mission is considered a project that combines art and science, based on advanced technologies, which has attracted the support of experts in the field such as Robert la Frenais, Nicola Triscott (Arts Catalyst of England), Roger Malina (MIT Leonardo Magazine Editor), Edward Finn (Arizona State University), Daragh Byrne (Carnegie Mellon) and Nahum Mantra (Kósmika), among others. Ulysses I has received the support of the International Astronautical Federation (FIA), in particular the "IAF Technical Activities Committee for the Cultural Utilization of Space". The Spanish newspaper "El País" has considered the Ulises I space mission as one of the most important art and technology projects in 2012

Mexican satellite industry

In 2015 Simple Complexity, a company from Baja California, affiliated with the Mexican Space Initiative MXSpace AC, began operations in Tijuana to manufacture satellites in Mexico. Although its original plan was to focus on the cubosatellite format, due to market opportunities it is concentrating, based on its capabilities acquired in the femto format. The company has announced that it has a contract for the manufacture of one hundred units, which positions it, by quantity, as one of the companies with the greatest potential in its field.

The project, called Thumbsat, has received attention in international media such as Wired Magazine, which in its October 2015 issue highlighted the virtues of miniaturization and cheapness that this project implies. The project has also been highlighted in the prestigious French publication Planete Robots in its issue number 39 (broken link available at Internet Archive, see history, first and last version)..

Although the development and manufacturing operations have been anchored in Mexico, by strategy it was decided that the commercialization is carried out by the company Thumbsat Inc, incorporated as a United States entity.

Satellite orbits assigned to Mexico

Currently, Mexico has four satellite orbits assigned by the International Telecommunications Union; three concessioned to the Satmex company and the other to the Quetzsat company.

Orbit 109.2° W

In 1993, the Mexican government was granted the 109.2° W orbit to put its new satellite, Solidaridad I, into orbit at the end of its useful life on August 29, 2000; no other satellite occupies that orbit. The telecommunications authorities tried to bid for this position on two occasions, and for neither was there a satellite. The Mexican State lost the rights to the 109.2 degree west satellite orbit, because it could not guarantee that it would have the satellite to occupy this position on March 5, 2008, the deadline set by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) for the country will retain this satellite orbit.

Orbit 114.9° W

The 114.9° W orbit has been concessioned to the company Satmex since May 14, 2010 and has a 20-year extension from October 24, 2017. This orbit was occupied by the Solidaridad II satellite, which at the end of During his useful life, he only worked in the L band and exclusively provided communications services to the different dependencies of the Mexican government. The original Satmex project was that once Satmex 8 was launched to replace Satmex 5 in the 116.8° W orbit, the latter would move to the 114.9° W orbital position and would be placed in an inclined position to extend its life until it was replaced by the Satmex 7. However, several external factors prevented putting this project into practice. The first of these was the delay in the launch of Satmex 8. Another factor was the launch of the new Mexican government satellite system known as Mexsat, which plans to launch three new satellites into space. Mexsat 3 was launched in December 2012 and occupied the 114.9° W orbit. Currently, neither the Mexican government nor the Satmex company have clarified the legal situation of the 114.9° W orbit.

New Orbits

The launch of the new Mexican Satellite System (MEXSAT), which plans to launch three new satellites between 2012 and 2014, requires the allocation of three new satellite orbits for Mexico, since the current four orbits assigned to the country are concessioned to private for periods of time greater than 20 years. The first satellite launched by Mexsat, it occupied the 114.9° W orbit concessioned to Satmex. This operation does not imply conflicts in the first years of operation of this new satellite, since Satmex 8, scheduled to be put into orbit at the beginning of 2013, will replace Satmex 5. Therefore, the 114.9° W orbit would remain free until late 2014 or early 2015, the year in which the Satmex 7 is planned to be launched. The Mexsat 1 satellite is scheduled to be put into orbit at the end of 2013 and the Mexsat 2 at the end of 2014, as well as the Satmex 7. This means that the Mexican government must manage the allocation of three new satellite orbits in a period of 2 years from January 2013.

Fleet of Mexican satellites