This is a list of the satellites operated by Optus, an Australian telecommunications company. The satellite communications facility is located at Belrose on Sydney's Northern Beaches. Optus' satellites are divided into 4 classes A, B, C and D. As of April 2014 it owns and operates Optus B3, Optus C1, Optus D1, Optus D2 and Optus D3. Optus A1, Optus A2, Optus A3 and Optus B1 satellites have been retired. Optus has the largest network of satellites in Australia and New Zealand. On February 2, 2014 NBN Co of Australia chose Optus for a five-year contract to operate two purpose-built satellites (the Sky Muster satellites) to deliver high speed broadband across rural and remote Australia. A-Class Satellite Type: Hughes HS-376 Design Life: 7 Years for A1 & A2 - 10 Years for A3 Equipment: 15 Ku band transponders (including four 30W transponders and eleven 12W transponders) Diameter: 2.2m Height: 2.9m (stowed), 6.3m (deployed) The Aussat A-Class satellites were funded by the Government for Aussat Pty Ltd. When Optus was granted a telecommunications carrier licence in 1991, it was bundled with the purchase of Aussat Pty Limited as part of the carrier licence deal. Aussat (Optus) A1 Operational Location: 160° east (1985–1993) Launch Date: 27 August 1985 (Out of service; not deorbited) Aussat 1 was deployed by during the first day of the STS-51-I mission. Aussat (Optus) A2 Operational Locations: 156° east (1985–1993), 164° east (1993–1999) Launch Date: 27 November 1985 (Out of service; not deorbited) Aussat 2 was deployed by during the STS-61-B mission. Aussat (Optus) A3 Operational Locations: 164° east (1987–1993), 156° east (1993–1995), 152° east (1995–1999) On retirement from Optus service, Optus A3 was transferred to the 31.5°E orbital position which belongs to SES. Launch Date: 16 September 1987 Moved to graveyard orbit and shutdown: April 2008 Watch The shutdown on Youtube.com Was the oldest HS-376 still in active operation Aussat 3 was launched from Guiana Space Centre by an Ariane 3. B-Class Satellite Type: Hughes HS-601 Design Life: 10 Years Equipment: 15 Ku band transponders, 1 L band transponder, Ka band beacon, laser retroreflector The B-Class satellites were manufactured by Hughes and launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center by Long March rockets. The two satellites were the first U.S.-built satellites to be approved by the Reagan administration for launch on Chinese rockets. To break into the commercial launch market, the Chinese offered to launch for less