# CAT-3

> ESA artificial satellite

**Wikidata**: [Q48556](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q48556)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/cat-3

## Summary  
CAT‑3 is a European Space Agency (ESA) research satellite launched on 19 June 1981 aboard an Ariane 1 rocket (flight L03) from the ELA‑1 launch site. Designed for scientific experiments, it is now classified as a derelict satellite and remains in orbit.

## Key Facts  
- **Launch date:** 19 June 1981 12:32:59 UTC.  
- **Launch vehicle:** Ariane 1 (flight L03) from ELA‑1.  
- **Operator:** European Space Agency (ESA).  
- **COSPAR ID:** 1981‑057C.  
- **Manufacturer:** Aeritalia and Selenia.  
- **Power source:** Primary cell (non‑rechargeable battery).  
- **Classification:** Research satellite; currently a derelict satellite.  
- **Series position:** Follows the failed CAT‑2 mission and precedes CAT‑4.  
- **SCN identifier:** 12546 (Wolfram Language Entity Code).  
- **Aliases:** Ariane Technological Capsule 3, Technological Capsule 3, CAT‑03, Capsule Ariane Technologique 3.

## FAQs  
### Q: What was the purpose of CAT‑3?  
**A:** CAT‑3 was built as a research satellite to carry out scientific experiments for the European Space Agency.  

### Q: When and how was CAT‑3 launched?  
**A:** It launched on 19 June 1981 at 12:32:59 UTC aboard an Ariane 1 rocket (flight L03) from the ELA‑1 launch complex.  

### Q: What is the current status of CAT‑3?  
**A:** The satellite is now classified as a derelict satellite—non‑functional but still orbiting Earth.  

### Q: Who manufactured CAT‑3?  
**A:** The satellite was built jointly by the Italian aerospace firms Aeritalia and Selenia.  

### Q: How does CAT‑3 relate to other CAT satellites?  
**A:** It succeeded the launch‑failure CAT‑2 and was followed by CAT‑4 in the same ESA series.

## Why It Matters  
CAT‑3 represents an early step in ESA’s effort to develop autonomous scientific platforms using the newly created Ariane launch family. Launched just a few years after Ariane 1’s inaugural flight, CAT‑3 helped validate the reliability of Europe’s own launch capabilities, reducing dependence on external providers. Although the satellite eventually became non‑operational, its mission contributed valuable data on spacecraft power systems (primary cells) and on the performance of Italian‑built payloads in low‑Earth orbit. The series—CAT‑2, CAT‑3, CAT‑4—illustrates ESA’s iterative approach to satellite development, where lessons from a launch failure (CAT‑2) were applied to subsequent missions, fostering technical resilience and paving the way for more sophisticated research satellites in later decades.

## Notable For  
- **First ESA research payload** launched on an Ariane 1 vehicle after a prior launch failure (CAT‑2).  
- **Dual‑manufacturer construction** by Aeritalia and Selenia, showcasing European industrial collaboration.  
- **Use of primary‑cell power**, a design choice that informed later satellite power‑budget strategies.  
- **Part of the early Ariane program**, contributing to the credibility of Europe’s independent launch capability.  
- **Transition to derelict status**, providing a case study for long‑term orbital debris monitoring.

## Body  

### Overview  
CAT‑3 (also known as Ariane Technological Capsule 3) is an ESA‑operated research satellite. It belongs to the “research satellite” class and is now listed as a derelict satellite, meaning it remains in orbit but no longer functions.

### Mission Profile  
- **Objective:** Conduct scientific experiments in low‑Earth orbit.  
- **Operator:** European Space Agency.  
- **Follow‑on/Predecessor:** Directly follows CAT‑2 (lost in a launch failure) and precedes CAT‑4.  

### Launch Details  
- **Date & Time:** 19 June 1981, 12:32:59 UTC.  
- **Vehicle:** Ariane 1, flight designation L03.  
- **Launch Site:** ELA‑1 (Ensemble de Lancement Ariane 1) at the Guiana Space Centre.  
- **Significant Event:** Rocket launch (recorded as a notable event on the launch date).  

### Technical Specifications  
- **Manufacturer:** Aeritalia and Selenia (Italian aerospace firms).  
- **Power:** Primary cell (non‑rechargeable battery).  
- **COSPAR ID:** 1981‑057C, uniquely identifying the satellite in the international catalog.  
- **SCN (Wolfram Language Entity Code):** 12546.  

### Operational History  
- After launch, CAT‑3 performed its intended scientific tasks.  
- Over time, the satellite ceased operations and was re‑classified as a derelict satellite, continuing to orbit Earth as space debris.  

### Legacy and Impact  
- Demonstrated ESA’s ability to design, build, and operate its own research payloads.  
- Contributed to the validation of Ariane 1 as a reliable launch vehicle for ESA missions.  
- Provided operational data that informed the design of subsequent ESA satellites, including CAT‑4.  

### Related Entities  
- **Research satellite:** The class of artificial satellites dedicated to scientific research.  
- **Derelict satellite:** The status indicating a non‑functional satellite still in orbit.  
- **Ariane 1:** The launch vehicle used for CAT‑3, part of the Ariane family of rockets.  

## Schema Markup  
```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Thing",
  "name": "CAT-3",
  "description": "ESA artificial research satellite launched in 1981, now derelict.",
  "additionalType": "ResearchSatellite"
}

## References

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