# SICRAL 1

> decommissioned Italian military communication satellite

**Wikidata**: [Q2206205](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2206205)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/sicral-1

## Summary  
SICRAL 1 is a decommissioned Italian military communications satellite that was launched on 7 February 2001 into geostationary orbit. Operated by the Ministry of Defence of Italy, it provided secure communications for the Italian armed forces until its retirement in 2021, after which it was succeeded by SICRAL 1B.

## Key Facts  
- **Launch date:** 7 February 2001 (23:05:10 UTC).  
- **Launch vehicle:** Ariane 44L (V139) from ELA‑2.  
- **Operator:** Ministry of Defence of Italy.  
- **Mass:** 2596 kg at launch; 1253 kg dry mass.  
- **Spacecraft bus:** GeoBus, built by Alenia Spazio (Italy).  
- **Power system:** Two solar arrays delivering 3300 W, plus an S400 propulsion system.  
- **Orbit:** Geostationary orbit (COSPAR ID 2001‑005A).  
- **Design service life:** 10 years (design life).  
- **Retirement:** 2021, after which it became a derelict satellite.  
- **Successor:** SICRAL 1B (Italian military communications satellite).  

## FAQs  
### Q: What was the primary purpose of SICRAL 1?  
A: SICRAL 1 served as a secure communications platform for the Italian military, transmitting voice, data, and video links from a geostationary position.  

### Q: When and how was SICRAL 1 launched?  
A: It was launched on 7 February 2001 aboard an Ariane 44L rocket (flight V139) from the ELA‑2 launch complex at the Guiana Space Centre.  

### Q: When did SICRAL 1 stop operating?  
A: The satellite was retired from service in 2021 and is now classified as a derelict satellite in geostationary orbit.  

## Why It Matters  
SICRAL 1 represented a critical step in Italy’s development of autonomous, secure space‑based communications for its armed forces. By placing a dedicated military communications payload in geostationary orbit, Italy reduced reliance on foreign satellite networks, enhancing operational sovereignty and resilience. The satellite’s ten‑year design life and subsequent service beyond that period demonstrated the robustness of the GeoBus platform and Alenia Spazio’s engineering. Its retirement and replacement by SICRAL 1B illustrate the ongoing modernization of Italy’s space capabilities, ensuring that military communications keep pace with evolving security requirements and technological advances. The mission also contributed to broader European launch experience, utilizing the Ariane 44L vehicle and reinforcing collaborative space infrastructure.  

## Notable For  
- First Italian military communications satellite built on the GeoBus platform.  
- Launched on the Ariane 44L (V139), one of the later variants of the Ariane 4 family.  
- Equipped with a high‑power (3300 W) dual‑solar‑array system and S400 propulsion.  
- Served well beyond its 10‑year design life, remaining operational until 2021.  
- Part of the SICRAL constellation, paving the way for its successor, SICRAL 1B.  

## Body  

### Overview  
SICRAL 1 (also known as SICRAL 1A or simply Sicral 1) is classified as a communications satellite, a military satellite, a geostationary satellite, and currently a derelict satellite. It belongs to the SICRAL series, a family of Italian military communication satellites.

### Launch and Deployment  
- **Date & Time:** 7 Feb 2001, 23:05:10 UTC.  
- **Vehicle:** Ariane 44L, flight V139, launched from the ELA‑2 pad at the Guiana Space Centre.  
- **Space Tug:** H10‑3 (identifier L4103) assisted in orbit insertion.  

### Technical Specifications  
- **Manufacturer:** Alenia Spazio (Italy).  
- **Spacecraft Bus:** GeoBus.  
- **Mass:** 2596 kg (launch mass); 1253 kg (dry mass).  
- **Power:** Two solar arrays delivering 3300 W; propulsion via S400 system.  
- **Orbit:** Geostationary orbit (COSPAR 2001‑005A).  

### Mission and Operations  
- **Operator:** Ministry of Defence of Italy.  
- **Purpose:** Provide secure, high‑capacity communications for Italian armed forces.  
- **Design Service Life:** 10 years, though the satellite remained functional until its retirement in 2021.  

### End of Service  
- **Retirement:** Officially retired in 2021, after which it entered a derelict status while remaining in geostationary orbit.  
- **Successor:** SICRAL 1B, continuing the mission of secure military communications for Italy.  

## Schema Markup  
```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Thing",
  "name": "SICRAL 1",
  "description": "Decommissioned Italian military communication satellite launched in 2001 and retired in 2021.",
  "sameAs": [
    "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q26694",
    "https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/SICRAL_1"
  ],
  "additionalType": "CommunicationsSatellite"
}

## References

1. [Source](https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/sicral.htm)
2. Jonathan's Space Report
3. [Source](https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=2001-005A)
4. [Source](https://en.difesaonline.it/news-forze-armate/spazio/avvicendamento-del-comandante-delle-operazioni-spaziali)
5. [Source](http://www.astronautix.com/a/adi.html)