Fleet Satellite Communications System
FLTSATCOM (also FLTSAT ) was a satellite communication system of the U.S. Navy, which was used for UHF radio communications between ships, submarines, aircraft and ground stations of the American Navy.
A total of eight satellites ( six of which were successful) were launched in the years 1978 to 1989 by Atlas Centaur rocket in the geostationary orbit. The system was ready for use in 1981. The satellites were manufactured by TRW. The mass was in the first six satellites 1884 kg, 2310 kg in the remaining three. About the solar cells, the satellites had a span of 13.2 m. A special feature was a deployable antenna reflector of 4.9 m diameter.
The satellite had 12 transponders, who worked at 300 MHz in the UHF frequency range. In addition FLTSATCOM had 6 and 7 to test also an experimental transponder in the EHF frequency range technologies for the future Milstar satellites.
Most of the transponders were simple repeater that re-radiate all signals without authentication. This led specially in Brazil rise to a subculture of radio pirates who use the still functioning FLTSATCOM satellite unlawfully converted with amateur radio equipment for its own purposes.
Since the late 1990s, the FLTSATCOM satellites were gradually replaced by UFO satellites.