CMA Presents "The HGS-1 Lunar Rescue Mission"

In June 1998, Hughes engineers completed an unprecedented mission using the moon's gravity to reposition a stranded communications satellite into a geosynchronous orbit around the Earth. This was the first known commercial use of the moon and the first lunar mission by a non-government entity.

The satellite, originally launched as AsiaSat 3 and now known as HGS-1, was left in a useless orbit by a booster failure in December 1997. On April 10, 1998, Hughes controllers began a sequence of liquid apogee motor burns, sending the spacecraft toward the moon. On May 13, HGS-1 passed around the moon and returned to Earth three days later. On May 16, the satellite's motor was again fired, putting the spacecraft on target for a second lunar encounter. HGS-1 passed the moon again on June 6. It arrived in geosynchronous orbit on June 17.

Come hear how this was done from the people who led the effort. Mark Skidmore is the Director of Advanced Programs at Hughes Global Services and was the HGS Project Manager for the lunar salvage mission. Jerry Salvatore, a Chief Technologist at Hughes Space and Communications, has directed or participated in the launch of over 100 spacecraft.