ATHENA-FIDUS (39509)

COSPAR: 2014-006B | Alt Name: ATHENA-FIDUS

Image
ATHENA-FIDUS Satellite Image
Additional Sources
Launch Details

Launch Date

February 6, 2014

Launch Site

FRGUI

Launch Pad

ELA3

Launch Vehicle

Ariane 5ECA

Orbital Elements

NORAD ID

39509

International Designator

2014-006B

Epoch

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 14:06:56 GMT

Apogee

Calculating...

Perigee

Calculating...

Inclination

0.03°

Right Ascension

95.74°

Eccentricity

Calculating...

Argument of Perigee

20.13°

Period

1436.08 min

Mean Motion

1.00 rev/day

Latitude

Calculating...

Longitude

Calculating...

Altitude

Calculating...

Velocity

Calculating...

Polar Plot
3D Visualization
Basic Satellite Info

Name

ATHENA-FIDUS

Alternative Name

ATHENA-FIDUS

Type

Payload

Status

Operational

Owner

CNES/ASI

Country

France

Constellation

N/A

Related Satellites

Major Events

N/A

Latest TLEs
1 39509U 14006B   26184.58815476  .00000165  00000-0  00000-0 0  9994
2 39509   0.0305  95.7359 0001624  20.1277  55.2824  1.00273035 45259

Source: Celestrak

Summary
ATHENA-FIDUS is a military communication satellite launched on February 6, 2014, from the Guiana Space Center's ELA3 launch pad using an Ariane 5ECA launch vehicle. The spacecraft has dimensions of 3 meters in length and 1.8 meters in diameter with a span of 20 meters due to its solar arrays. It features a dry mass of 1500 kilograms and was launched with a total mass of 3080 kilograms. Equipped with EHF/Ka-band transponders, ATHENA-FIDUS is designed for military communication purposes and has an expected lifetime of 15 years. The satellite uses two deployable solar arrays and batteries for power generation and operates under the ownership of CNES/ASI. It was manufactured by THALES and features a box shape with two panels for its configuration.
Physical Characteristics

Length

3

Diameter

1.8

Span

20

Dry Mass

1500

Launch Mass

3080

Shape

Box+2 pan

Radar Cross Section

3.9811

Visual Magnitude

Unknown

Color

Unknown

Material Composition

Unknown

Technical Details

Payload

ATHENA-FIDUS

Purpose

Military communication

Mission

Military communication

Manufacturer

THALES

Life Expectancy

15 years

Bus

Spacebus 4000B2

Configuration

Spacebus-4000B2

Motor

S400

Equipment

EHF/Ka-band transponders

Power System

2 deployable solar arrays, batteries

ADCS

Unknown

Transmitter Frequency

Unknown

Map
This tool will help you track the satellite's position and predict its upcoming passes over your location. Simply input the coordinates or click the geolocation button to get started.
Next Pass
Azimuth Elevation Time (Local)
Start Azimuth
Max Elevation
Stop Azimuth
Time Until
Pass Duration

Satellite Articles

View All Posts »

Learn more about satellites and other related topics.

X Report 30 Oct 2025

X Report 30 Oct 2025

SpaceX continues to ramp up its operations with the launch of 29 more Starlink satellites, while significant upgrades at its Starbase facility signify ambitious future plans.

X Report 22 May 2025

X Report 22 May 2025

SpaceX successfully launched 23 Starlink satellites on a brand-new Falcon 9 rocket, while preparations ramp up for Starship Flight 9 and a pioneering commercial docking mission approaches.

Space Brief 15 Dec 2025

Space Brief 15 Dec 2025

Today's highlights include multiple SpaceX Starlink launches, a successful Rocket Lab mission for JAXA, and a scheduled launch update from Kennedy Space Center.

Space Brief 26 May 2025

Space Brief 26 May 2025

Today's highlights include China's lunar collaboration with Russia, new insights from Magellan's Venus mission, and stunning 8K images of the sun.

Suborbital Tourism Scorecard 2026, the Edge of Space Goes Quiet

Suborbital Tourism Scorecard 2026, the Edge of Space Goes Quiet

Twenty-two years after SpaceShipOne, the two companies that defined suborbital tourism are both sitting on the ground. Blue Origin parked New Shepard in January, Virgin Galactic has not flown a customer since 2024, and the math behind the whole business is finally getting an honest look.

Space Brief 26 Aug 2024

Space Brief 26 Aug 2024

Today's briefing covers an exciting new satellite launch, a significant reentry, and unexpected space debris from a fragmentation event.

Why Nobody Can See What Is Happening Near the Moon

Why Nobody Can See What Is Happening Near the Moon

The volume of space between Earth and the Moon is roughly a thousand times larger than the orbit we actually watch, and almost none of it is under surveillance. As the U.S. and China race to build lunar outposts, the Space Force is scrambling to put eyes on a region it has been effectively blind to.

Aurora 7 and the Day NASA Almost Lost Scott Carpenter

Aurora 7 and the Day NASA Almost Lost Scott Carpenter

Exactly 64 years ago today, Scott Carpenter became the fourth American to orbit the Earth aboard Aurora 7. His five-hour flight produced new science, a tense reentry, and 39 minutes of silence in which the country wondered if it had just lost its astronaut.