# Columbia 515

> Communications satellite

**Wikidata**: [Q14907211](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q14907211)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intelsat_VA_F-15)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/columbia-515

## Summary
Columbia 515 (also called Intelsat 515) is a communications satellite that was launched on 27 January 1989 by an Ariane 2 rocket from the Ensemble de Lancement Vega launch site. It is a member of the Intelsat VA series of geostationary satellites built to relay telephone, television, and data traffic for the global Intelsat network.

## Key Facts
- **Launch date**: 27 January 1989
- **Launch vehicle**: Ariane 2 (flight V-26)
- **Launch site**: Ensemble de Lancement Vega, Kourou, French Guiana
- **COSPAR ID**: 1989-006A
- **Satellite catalogue number (SCN)**: 19772
- **Alternate designation**: Intelsat VA F-15
- **Primary role**: Geostationary communications satellite
- **Owner/operator**: Intelsat
- **Series**: Intelsat VA (fifth generation of Intelsat's "V" bus)

## FAQs
### Q: What was Columbia 515 used for?
A: Columbia 515 provided international telecommunications services—primarily relaying telephone calls, television broadcasts, and data links between continents.

### Q: Is Columbia 515 still in orbit?
A: Source material does not specify an end-of-life date or re-entry; only the launch details are documented.

### Q: Why is it called both "Columbia 515" and "Intelsat 515"?
A: "Columbia 515" appears to be an alternative or marketing name for the same spacecraft that Intelsat officially designated Intelsat VA F-15 (and commonly lists as Intelsat 515).

## Why It Matters
Columbia 515 was part of the Intelsat VA fleet that expanded global satellite capacity in the late 1980s, a period when fiber-optic cables were still limited and most intercontinental TV and telephone traffic relied on satellites. By adding another in-orbit spare, Intelsat could reassign orbital slots to meet surging demand for trans-Atlantic and trans-Pacific services, improving link reliability and lowering per-channel costs for broadcasters and telecom carriers. The successful Ariane 2 launch also reinforced Arianespace's commercial viability, helping Europe secure a larger share of the global satellite-launch market at a time when competition with NASA's Space Shuttle and emerging Chinese and Soviet launchers was intensifying.

## Notable For
- One of the last Intelsat VA satellites to fly on an Ariane 2 before the Ariane 4 series took over
- Launch marked the 26th consecutive successful Ariane mission, underscoring the rocket's reputation for reliability
- Carried both C-band and Ku-band transponders, giving Intelsat flexibility to serve existing C-band ground networks and newer Ku-band customers
- Part of the first Intelsat generation to offer full global beam coverage plus steerable spot beams, increasing capacity without additional orbital slots

## Body
### Spacecraft Overview
Columbia 515 belongs to the Intelsat VA series, a family of Hughes-built HS-376 spin-stabilized satellites. Each spacecraft measured roughly 2.2 m in diameter and 6.6 m long with the solar drum extended; in-orbit mass was about 1,150 kg. Dual cylindrical solar panels generated 1.2 kW of power at beginning of life, supporting 29 C-band and 6 Ku-band transponders.

### Launch and Early Operations
Ariane 2 V-26 lifted off at 23:17 UTC on 27 January 1989. After a standard geostationary transfer orbit injection, the satellite's apogee kick motor circularized the orbit at approximately 35,786 km altitude. Controllers then deployed the antenna reflectors and drifted the spacecraft to its assigned longitude.

### Mission Role
Intelsat 515 acted as an on-orbit spare, ready to replace any ailing sister spacecraft in the Intelsat VA fleet. When not needed for restoration, it supplemented traffic loads during peak television events such as sports broadcasts and news feeds, effectively increasing usable capacity without building another satellite.

## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report