Broadcasting Satellite System
The Broadcasting Satellite System Corporation (B-SAT; Jap. 株式会社放送衛星システム , kabushiki kaisha Hoso Eisei shisutemu ) is a Japanese company for satellite communications services based in Shibuya , Tokyo .
B satellite was established on 13 April 1993 with the aim to communications satellites to procure and maintain, and their transponder capacity to lease . The largest shareholder (49.9%) is the NHK (the Japanese broadcasting company). In 2007 the company had an operating income of 7.44 billion yen.
Satellites
BSAT 1
BSAT-1a was ordered from Hughes Space and Communications International in June 1994 and launched on April 17, 1997 together with Thaicom 3 with an Ariane 44LP rocket. On April 28, 1998 the backup satellite BSAT-1b followed together with Nilesat 101 and an Ariane-44P. Both satellites were placed in geostationary orbit at a position of 110 ° East. They replace the two BS-3 satellites from NHK. After receiving the license to broadcast digital services (e.g. for Japanese television ) by the Japanese authorities, BSAT-1b began its service in July 1998. The spin-stabilized and cylindrical satellites are based on the Hughes satellite bus Hughes 376 (now Boeing 376) and weigh 723 kg in orbit and with fuel. They have a diameter of 2.17 m and a height of 3.15 m with the antenna folded in at take-off and 7.97 m with the antenna extended and the solar cell body extended. The satellite consists of two sections, a rotating satellite bus section with a Star 30BP propulsion system and a non-rotating payload section. The solar cells , supported by nickel-cadmium batteries , provide 1200 watts of power for the 106 watt (TWTA) transmitter and the on-board electronics. Commands are received on the frequency of 17 GHz and telemetry data are sent on a frequency of 12 GHz. The satellites carry eight (four of them reserve) Ku-band transponders as their payload . The planned lifespan was ten years.
BSAT 2
BSAT-2a was ordered from Orbital Sciences Corporation in March 1999 and, after some delays, launched on March 8, 2001 by an Ariane 5G rocket together with Eurobird 1 into geostationary orbit to the 110 ° East position. The backup satellite BSAT-2b did not reach its orbit on July 12, 2001 due to an error in the Ariane 5G rocket, whereby the second satellite Artemis was able to reach its orbit with the help of its ion thruster. As a result, Orbital Sciences was commissioned in October 2001 with the construction of the replacement satellite BSAT-2c, which was also launched on June 11, 2003 with an Ariane 5G rocket together with Optus C1 and went into operation a month later. The satellites are based on Orbital Sciences' light Star-1 satellite bus . The cube-shaped, three-axis stabilized satellites with two solar cell panels (made of silicon with a power of 2000 watts (BOL)) have a size of 3.8 × 2.8 m with a span of 15.7 m in orbit. At take-off they weigh 1317 kg (1292 kg in orbit) and carry eight (four of them reserve) Ku-band transponders (17 GHz reception, 12 GHz transmission) with an output power of 130 watts each, which are 2.2 m - Operate the antenna. A solid kick stage and a hydrazine engine are used as the drive. The planned service life is 10 years.
BSAT 3a / 3b
In May 2005, the contract to build BSAT-3a followed, this time at Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems (LMCSS) to replace BSAT-1a and 1b. It was built in Newtown , Pennsylvania and was the 38th Lockheed Martin satellite based on the A2100A satellite bus. The launch into geostationary orbit at a position of 110 ° East took place on August 14, 2007 together with Spaceway-3 with an Ariane-5-ECA rocket. In November 2007, the cube-shaped satellite with two solar cell panels with a 14.65 span began regular operations with the transmission of analog and digital television programs. The satellite, which weighs 1.98 t and is based on the A2100A satellite bus (launch mass 1967 kg, 927 kg in orbit), carries twelve Ku-band transponders (four of them reserve) with an output power of 130 watts. Its solar cells deliver 1800 watts and the service life is specified as 13 years. In April 2008 Lockheed Martin was commissioned to build BSAT-3b, which is intended for HD broadcasts. The launch of the 2060 kg satellite took place on October 28, 2010 together with Eutelsat W3B on an "Ariane 5 ECA" rocket.
BSAT 3c
At the beginning of 2009, the contract to build the further developed BSat 3c with 24 transponders followed, which was started in August 2011 with an Ariane 5.
BSAT 4a
The launch of BSAT 4a took place on 29 September 2017. The satellite is based on the satellite platform SSL 1300 , has 24 Ku-band transponders and went into operation in November 2017th
BSAT 4b
The BSAT 4b satellite is identical to BSAT 4a and was launched on August 15, 2020. It is supposed to supply Japan with HD television programs from position 110 ° East.
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d B-Sat website ( Memento from July 7, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) (English)
- ↑ Gunter's Space Page: BSAT-1
- ↑ Boeing: BSAT-1 factsheet ( Memento from January 20, 2009 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ Orbital Sciences: BSAT ( Memento from July 12, 2008 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ Geo-Orbit: BSAT-2 ( Memento of October 17, 2008 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ The Orion: Ariane 5 transports a double charge ( Memento from March 25, 2014 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ NASA: BSAT-3a
- ↑ Lockheed-Martin: B-SAT AWARDS LOCKHEED MARTIN CONTRACT FOR BSAT-3b SATELLITE ( Memento from May 21, 2008 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ Ariane 5 ECA brings BSAT 3b and W3B into space
- ^ Gunter Krebs: BSat 4a, 4b. In: Gunter's Space Page. August 9, 2020, accessed on August 14, 2020 .
- ^ B-Sat: Milestones. Retrieved on August 14, 2020 .
- ↑ Stephen Clark: Debuting upgrades, Ariane 5 rocket deploys three US-built satellites in orbit. Spaceflight Now, August 15, 2020, accessed on August 16, 2020 .
- ^ Arianespace: BSAT-4b Satellite. (PDF) In: VA 253 Launch Kit. P. 6 , accessed on August 14, 2020 (English).