The record holder appears to be ATS-3 still nominally operational after an amazing 41 years!
_http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-satellites1-2008dec01,0,2501895.story
Its been used as a comms link during the 1985 Mexico City earthquake and the 1980 Mount St Helens eruption.
Meanwhile another oldtime - Marisat-F2 has just been retired by Intelsat after 32 years - and it was providing internet traffic to the south pole right up until the end.
......scientists at the South Pole, who were using it for internet access in more recent years, since it had actually proven to be more capable than the two other more recent satellites serving the area. |
_http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/03/intelsat-retires-marisat-f2-satellite-after-32-years-of-service/
03-12-2008
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