# SATCOM I
**Wikidata**: [Q16061270](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q16061270)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/satcom-i

## Summary
SATCOM I is a communications satellite — an artificial satellite designed for telecommunications — listed under satellite catalog number (SCN) 20945. It was launched on 1990-11-20 by an Ariane 42P rocket from ELA-2 and is identified by COSPAR ID 1990-100A.

## Key Facts
- SATCOM I is classified as a communications satellite (artificial satellite designed for telecommunications).  
- Satellite catalog number (SCN): 20945.  
- COSPAR ID: 1990-100A.  
- Launch date: 1990-11-20.  
- Launch vehicle: Ariane 42P (a rocket in the Ariane 4 series).  
- Launch site / start point: ELA-2.  
- Significant recorded event: rocket launch from ELA-2 on 1990-11-20.  
- External identifiers: Google Knowledge Graph ID /g/1pxxnzrzf and Wolfram Language entity code Entity["Satellite", "20945"].  
- Available Wikipedia language link: Portuguese.

## FAQs
### Q: What is SATCOM I?
A: SATCOM I is a communications satellite (an artificial satellite designed for telecommunications) recorded in catalogs as SCN 20945 with COSPAR ID 1990-100A.

### Q: When and how was SATCOM I launched?
A: SATCOM I was launched on 1990-11-20 aboard an Ariane 42P rocket from the ELA-2 launch site.

### Q: How is SATCOM I identified in satellite catalogs?
A: It appears as SCN 20945 and has COSPAR designation 1990-100A; it is also indexed in external knowledge systems (Google Knowledge Graph and Wolfram Language).

### Q: Which launch vehicle family does Ariane 42P belong to?
A: The Ariane 42P is a rocket in the Ariane 4 series, which was the launch vehicle used for SATCOM I.

## Why It Matters
Communications satellites are fundamental components of global telecommunications infrastructure because they relay voice, data, and broadcast signals over large distances and across regions where terrestrial networks are limited. SATCOM I, as a member of this class, is part of that broader system of spaceborne telecommunications assets. Its launch on 1990-11-20 contributes to the historical record of satellite deployments during that period and is traceable through standard cataloging identifiers (SCN 20945, COSPAR 1990-100A). Such identifiers and linked data (Google Knowledge Graph and Wolfram Language entries) make SATCOM I discoverable and referenceable for researchers, catalogers, and systems that track space objects. The use of an Ariane 42P from the ELA-2 site places the mission within the operational context of the Ariane 4 launch program, which supplied medium-capacity geostationary and other orbital insertions during its service era. Together these facts establish SATCOM I as a documented element of late-20th-century satellite telecommunications activity.

## Notable For
- Being a communications satellite cataloged as SCN 20945 with COSPAR ID 1990-100A.  
- A launch date of 1990-11-20, placing it among satellites deployed in 1990.  
- Launch aboard an Ariane 42P, a member of the Ariane 4 rocket family.  
- Liftoff from ELA-2, with the launch event recorded as a significant event for the satellite.  
- Inclusion in external knowledge systems (Google Knowledge Graph ID /g/1pxxnzrzf and Wolfram Language entity code).

## Body
### Overview
- SATCOM I is identified as an instance of the class "communications satellite," i.e., an artificial satellite designed for telecommunications.  
- The satellite is recorded in standard catalogs and knowledge repositories for identification and reference.

### Identification numbers and external IDs
- Satellite Catalog Number (SCN): 20945.  
- COSPAR (International Designator): 1990-100A.  
- Google Knowledge Graph ID: /g/1pxxnzrzf.  
- Wolfram Language entity code: Entity["Satellite", "20945"].  
- Wikipedia language presence: Portuguese.

### Launch details
- Launch date: 1990-11-20.  
- Launch vehicle: Ariane 42P (part of the Ariane 4 rocket series).  
- Launch site / start point: ELA-2.  
- Recorded significant event: rocket launch from ELA-2 on 1990-11-20.

### Classification and context
- Instance of: communications satellite (artificial satellite designed for telecommunications).  
- The Ariane 42P designation connects SATCOM I’s launch to the Ariane 4 family of rockets used for medium-capacity space missions.

### Cataloging and provenance
- The SCN and COSPAR identifiers provide standard catalog references for tracking and archival purposes.  
- References for the structured data point to established records (as indicated by the provided source references).

## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report