Editing Communications Technology Satellite (section)

== Launch ==
It was launched on 17 January 1976, from [[Cape Canaveral]] in [[Florida]] by a [[Delta 2000|Delta 2914]] rocket. Designed for a two-year mission it was the basis of experiments past its intended lifetime until October 1979 when a system failure broke all contacts with it. Unlike most communications satellites of the period, which had spin-stabilized bodies covered with [[solar cell]]s, the Hermes CTS was [[Spacecraft attitude control|three-axis stabilized]] and had its [[Solar panels on spacecraft|solar panels]] spread out on two huge "wings".