The Day a Giant Space Balloon United the Cold War
When a 135-foot inflatable mirror bounced a radio signal from England to Russia, it became the first joint US-Soviet space venture - and changed how we think about satellite communication.
Launch Date
April 7, 1990
Launch Site
XICLF
Launch Pad
LC3
Launch Vehicle
Chang Zheng 3
NORAD ID
20558
International Designator
1990-030A
Epoch
Fri, 03 Jul 2026 18:08:09 GMT
Apogee
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Perigee
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Inclination
14.93°
Right Ascension
358.91°
Eccentricity
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Argument of Perigee
328.57°
Period
1450.92 min
Mean Motion
0.99 rev/day
Latitude
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Longitude
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Altitude
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Velocity
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Name
ASIASAT 1
Alternative Name
Asiasat 1
Type
Status
Owner
ASIA
Country
Hong Kong
Constellation
N/A
Related Satellites
Major Events
N/A
1 20558U 90030A 26184.75567022 -.00000250 00000-0 00000-0 0 9995
2 20558 14.9271 358.9065 0002306 328.5691 30.3121 0.99247132 46374
Source: Celestrak
Length
6.6
Diameter
2.2
Span
6.6
Dry Mass
550
Launch Mass
614
Shape
Cyl
Radar Cross Section
22.5892
Visual Magnitude
Unknown
Color
Unknown
Material Composition
Unknown
Payload
Asiasat 1
Purpose
Communication
Mission
Communication
Manufacturer
HSES
Life Expectancy
Unknown
Bus
HS-376
Configuration
HS-376
Motor
TE-M-700-18
Equipment
24 C-band transponders
Power System
Solar cells (body mounted and drop-skirt), batteries
ADCS
Unknown
Transmitter Frequency
Unknown
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When a 135-foot inflatable mirror bounced a radio signal from England to Russia, it became the first joint US-Soviet space venture - and changed how we think about satellite communication.
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