SPOT 3 was the third to use the Matra Spot Mk 1 bus.
In addition to the HRV cameras and the DORIS location system, SPOT 3 carried a US Navy polar ozone measurement experiment flown as part of the USAF Space Test Program. Dry mass was 1749 kg, with launch mass 1907 kg (a further 211 kg of secondary payloads were carried by the Ariane). The SPOT 3 satellite had an 8.1m span with its solar panel deployed.
The SPOT 3 satellite unexpectedly failed in Nov 1996 due to a faulty gyroscope. Transmissions ceased and the spacecraft was found tumbling in a somewhat higher orbit [6], possibly indicating an erroneous automated orbit correction.
| SPOT 3 | |||
| Date | Time | Event | Orbit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 Sep 26 | 0145 | Launch by Ariane 40 (V59) | CSG |
| 0147 | Stage 1 L220 sep (T+2:39) | ||
| 0148 | Fairing 01 sep (T+3:48) | ||
| 0149 | Stage 2 L33 sep (T+4:48) | ||
| 0150 | Stage 3 ignite (T+4:53) | ||
| 0201 | Stage 3 cutoff (T+16:44) | ||
| 0202 | SPOT 3 sep from H10 (T+17:17) | ||
| 0205 | STELLA sep from H10 (T+20:39) | ||
| 0207 | KITSAT, POSAT, HEALTHSAT sep from H10/ASAP (T+22:56) | ||
| 0209 | EYESAT, ITAMSAT sep from H10/ASAP (T+24:27) | ||
| 0211 | H10/ASAP sep burn (T+26:34) | ||
| 0214 | End of V59 mission (T+29:00) | ||
| 2200 | 100.97 803 x 805 x 98.7 | ||
| 1993 Sep 28 | 0600 | 101.23 816 x 818 x 98.7 | |
| 1996 Nov 14 | 0550 | Spacecraft failed | 101.4 824 x 826 x 98.7 |
| 1996 Nov | Spacecraft tumbling | 101.68 823 x 848 x 98.7 | |