The shuttles were used to launch over thirty long duration satellites into orbit. Short duration satellites for research purposes were also deployed on various missions. These are covered in other pages.

After being deployed into Low Earth Orbit (LEO) ^🔗 by the shuttle, long duration satellites used their own engines to reach their operational orbit. The shuttles were also used to repair failed satellites in orbit or return them to Earth.

A general communications satellite is an artificial satellite that relays and amplifies radio telecommunications signals via a transponder; it creates a communication channel between a source transmitter and a receiver at different locations on Earth. Communications satellites are used for television, telephone, radio, internet, and military applications.

The general communication satellites deployed by the Shuttle are shown in the table below and the following paragraphs.

(Ref: Wikipedia Payload Assist Module,  Geosynchronous Orbit)

U.S. Satellite Business Systems company. Designed to provide all-digital communications. Deployed from the shuttle and subsequently propelled into operational geosynchronous orbit by McDonnell Douglas PAM-D kick motor.

[STS-5, 41D] (1982, 1984)
(Ref: Gunter's Space Page SBS 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 / HGS 5   Encyclopedia Astronautica SBS)

Canadian Telesat company. Providing rooftop-to-rooftop transmission of integrated voice, video and data communications for Canadian businesses as well as Canadian pay-TV and other broadcast services. Deployed from the shuttle and subsequently propelled into operational geosynchronous orbit by McDonnell Douglas PAM-D kick motor.

[STS-51D, 7, 5, 51A] (1985, 1983, 1982, 1984)
(Ref: Wikipedia Anik   Gunter's Space Page Anik C 1, 2, 3,  Anik D 2   Encyclopedia Astronautica Anik)

Built for PERUMTEL, Indonesia's state owned telecommunications company to deliver voice, video, telephone and high speed data services electronically linking Indonesia's many islands and bringing advanced telecommunications to the nation's 130 million inhabitants. Deployed from the shuttle and subsequently propelled into operational geosynchronous orbit by McDonnell Douglas PAM-D kick motor. The Palapa B2 PAM malfunctioned and the satellite was stranded in low orbit. It was retrieved during [STS-51A] and returned to Earth.

[STS-7, 41B] (1983, 1984)
(Ref: Wikipedia Palapa Satellites   Gunter's Space Page Palapa B1, B2   Encyclopedia Astronautica Palapa)

Multi-purpose Indian communications and weather satellite operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). Deployed from the shuttle and subsequently propelled into operational geosynchronous orbit by McDonnell Douglas PAM-D kick motor.

[STS-8] (1983)
(Ref: Wikipedia INSAT-1B   Gunter's Space Page Insat 1A, 1B   Encyclopedia Astronautica Insat)

An advanced U.S. Western Union communications satellite, part of a four-satellite Westar system, providing continuous video, facsimile, data and voice communications service throughout the U.S., Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. This particular satellite was committed to business communications. The McDonnell Douglas Payload Assist Module (PAM) malfunctioned and the satellite was stranded in low orbit. It was retrieved during [STS-51A] and returned to Earth.

[STS-41B] (1984)
(Ref: Wikipedia Westar Satellites   Gunter's Space Page Westar 4, 5, 6   Encyclopedia Astronautica Westar)

U.S. Hughes-built satellites leased to the U.S. Navy (Syncom IV-2) and U.S. Dept. of Defence (Syncom IV-1, IV-3, IV-4). They were large communications satellite designed specifically to be deployed from the Space Shuttle. They contain their own unique upper stage to transfer from the shuttle deploy orbit into operational geosynchronous orbit. Syncom IV-3 failed to reach operational orbit. It was repaired on mission

[STS-51I]. Syncom IV-4 failed to operate after reaching geosynchronous orbit.

[STS-41B, 51A, 51D, 51I, 32] (1984, 1984, 1985, 1985, 1990)
(Ref: Wikipedia Syncom   Gunter's Space Page Leasat 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (Syncom-4 1, 2, 3, 4, 5))

A tracking and data relay satellite (TDRS) is a type of communications satellite used by NASA and other U.S. government agencies. It forms part of the TDRS System (TDRSS) for communications to and from independent "User Platforms". These include satellites, balloons, aircraft, the International Space Station, and remote bases.

This system was designed to replace an existing worldwide network of ground stations that had supported all of NASA's missions in low-Earth orbits.

Its primary design goal was to increase the amount of time that spacecraft were in communication with the ground and improve the data transferred.

These TDRS satellites all function in geosynchronous orbit, 35,786 km above the Earth.