science

Intelsat IV F-3

Intelsat IV F-3 is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Intelsat IV F-3 rather than just read about it. In short: Intelsat IV F-3 was a geostationary communication satellite built by Hughes and owned by Intelsat. The satellite was based on the HS-353 platform and its estimated useful life was 7 years.

Key takeaways

Intelsat IV F-3 belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Intelsat IV F-3 to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Intelsat IV F-3 from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Intelsat IV F-3 was a geostationary communication satellite built by Hughes and owned by Intelsat. The satellite was based on the HS-353 platform and its estimated useful life was 7 years.

History The Intelsat IV F-3 was part of the Intelsat IV series which consisted of 6 satellites, of which five were successfully placed into orbit. All five satellites in the series were retired and operated an average of almost 4 years beyond their life expectancies. The satellite antenna allowed coverage from the land masses on both sides of the Atlantic basin with four point beams and had sufficient insulation between the east beams and the western beams that used the same frequencies in the east and west. The separation of the beam by directional antenna allowed this dual use of the frequency, significantly increasing the capacity of satellite communication within an assigned frequency range. Although the initial requirement Intelsat VAT series was only for the Atlantic service, but also was given special attention during the project to provide service on the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean. The satellite had 20 transponders (individual radio transmitters) compared to 12 on board each Intelsat IV satellite. It had a total height of 22 feet 11 inches (6.99 meters) and a diameter of 7 feet 9 inches (2.36 meters). The solar panels, covered with about 17,000 solar cells, provided primary energy of 600 watts. The weight of the satellite, which had an orbiting life project of 7 years, was about 3,335 pounds (1,513 kg). The satellite was successfully launched into space on December 21, 1971, by means of an Atlas-Centaur vehicle from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, United States. It had a launch mass of 1,515 kg.

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Intelsat IV F-3

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Intelsat IV F-3 claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Intelsat IV F-3 before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Intelsat IV F-3 ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Intelsat IV F-3

In research: Intelsat IV F-3 appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Intelsat IV F-3 in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Intelsat IV F-3 is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 1971 in spaceflight, American spacecraft stubs, Intelsat satellites, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Intelsat IV F-3 outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Intelsat IV F-3 in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Intelsat IV F-3 means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Intelsat IV F-3 out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Intelsat IV F-3 in simple terms?

Intelsat IV F-3 was a geostationary communication satellite built by Hughes and owned by Intelsat. The satellite was based on the HS-353 platform and its estimated useful life was 7 years.

Why does Intelsat IV F-3 matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Intelsat IV F-3?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Intelsat IV F-3.