# Athena-Fidus

> French-Italian geostationary military communications satellite

**Wikidata**: [Q755203](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q755203)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athena-Fidus)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/athena-fidus

## Summary
Athena-Fidus is a French-Italian geostationary military communications satellite launched on February 6, 2014, to provide secure communications for European allied forces. Developed through a partnership between France and Italy, it has a 15-year design life and operates in geostationary orbit.

## Key Facts
- Athena-Fidus is a geostationary military communications satellite with a mass of 3080 kilograms
- Launched on February 6, 2014 at 21:30 UTC from ELA-3 launch complex using Ariane 5 ECA vehicle (flight VA217)
- Developed and operated by French (CNES, Direction générale de l'Armement) and Italian (Italian Space Agency) organizations
- Built by Thales Alenia Space using the Spacebus-4000B2 satellite bus
- Has a design life of 15 years and is powered by two spacecraft solar arrays
- Also known as "Access on theatres for European allied forces nations-French Italian dual use satellite"
- COSPAR ID and NSSDCA ID: 2014-006B
- Uses ESC-A H14.4 space tug for maneuvering with specific impulse of 572 seconds

## FAQs
### Q: What is Athena-Fidus used for?
A: Athena-Fidus is a military communications satellite designed to provide secure telecommunications for European allied forces, particularly for military operations across different theaters. The satellite enables dual-use communications between French and Italian military personnel.

### Q: Which countries are involved in the Athena-Fidus project?
A: Athena-Fidus is a joint venture between France and Italy. It is operated by the French space agency CNES and the Direction générale de l'Armement on the French side, and the Italian Space Agency on the Italian side.

### Q: When and how was Athena-Fidus launched?
A: Athena-Fidus was launched on February 6, 2014 at 21:30 UTC from the ELA-3 launch complex using an Ariane 5 ECA rocket, which was designated as flight VA217.

### Q: What are the technical specifications of Athena-Fidus?
A: Athena-Fidus has a launch mass of 3080 kilograms and was built on the Spacebus-4000B2 platform. It is powered by two spacecraft solar arrays and uses an ESC-A H14.4 space tug. The satellite was designed with a 15-year service life and operates in geostationary orbit.

## Why It Matters
Athena-Fidus represents a significant advancement in European military communications capabilities by providing secure, high-bandwidth connectivity for allied forces operations. As a French-Italian dual-use satellite, it strengthens transnational defense cooperation and coordination between European nations. The satellite's ability to operate in geostationary orbit enables continuous coverage over strategic regions, supporting military operations, disaster response, and intelligence gathering. Athena-Fidus fills a critical gap in secure communications infrastructure for European forces, enhancing interoperability with NATO allies and potentially reducing reliance on non-European communication systems. Its 15-year design life ensures long-term strategic value for defense planners across Europe, demonstrating the growing capability of European nations in developing and managing advanced space-based defense assets.

## Notable For
- First French-Italian dual-use military communications satellite in geostationary orbit
- Provides secure communications specifically for "Access on theatres for European allied forces"
- Operates on the Spacebus-4000B2 platform, giving it enhanced capabilities compared to earlier military communications satellites
- Successfully launched on a European Ariane 5 ECA vehicle, demonstrating European space launch capabilities for military purposes
- Has a longer design life (15 years) than many comparable military communications satellites

## Body
### Basic Information
Athena-Fidus is a French-Italian geostationary military communications satellite. It was launched on February 6, 2014, at 21:30 UTC from ELA-3 launch complex using an Ariane 5 ECA rocket designated as flight VA217. The satellite has an international catalog number of 39509 and a COSPAR ID of 2014-006B.

### Development and Ownership
Athena-Fidus was developed through a partnership between France and Italy. On the French side, it is operated by CNES (French space agency) and the Direction générale de l'Armement. The Italian Space Agency is responsible for its operation in Italy. The satellite was built by Thales Alenia Space, a European aerospace manufacturer.

### Technical Specifications
The satellite has a launch mass of 3080 kilograms and operates on the Spacebus-4000B2 spacecraft bus. It is powered by two spacecraft solar arrays and uses an ESC-A H14.4 space tug with a specific impulse of 572 seconds. Athena-Fidus has a design service life of 15 years and operates in geostationary orbit.

### Mission Purpose
Athena-Fidus provides secure communications for European allied forces across different theaters. It also serves as a dual-use satellite for both French and Italian military communications, supporting intelligence gathering, military operations, and emergency response capabilities.

## Schema Markup
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{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Thing",
  "name": "Athena-Fidus",
  "description": "French-Italian geostationary military communications satellite launched on February 6, 2014",
  "url": "https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/athena-fidus.htm",
  "sameAs": [
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  "additionalType": [
    "military satellite",
    "communications satellite",
    "geostationary satellite"
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  "manufacturer": "Thales Alenia Space",
  "launchDate": "2014-02-06",
  "serviceLife": "15",
  "mass": {
    "@type": "QuantitativeValue",
    "value": "3080",
    "unitCode": "KGM"
  },
  "orbitalPeriod": "geostationary",
  "countryOfOrigin": [
    "France",
    "Italy"
  ],
  "operator": [
    "CNES",
    "Direction générale de l'Armement",
    "Italian Space Agency"
  ],
  "launchVehicle": "Ariane 5 ECA"
}

## References

1. [Source](https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/athena-fidus.htm)
2. Jonathan's Space Report