Comparison of satellite buses

Last updated

This page includes a list of satellite buses, of which multiple similar artificial satellites have been, or are being, built to the same model of structural frame, propulsion, spacecraft power and intra-spacecraft communication. Only commercially available (in present or past) buses are included, thus excluding series-produced proprietary satellites operated only by their makers.

Contents

Satellite buses

Satellite busOriginManufacturerMaximum
Satellite Payload Mass
(kg)
Total Mass (fueled bus
plus sat payload)
(kg)
Price
(Mil US$)
LaunchedStatusFirst flightLast flightComment
A2100 United States Lockheed Martin 56 [1] Operational19962019GEO
Alphabus France Thales Alenia [2] and EADS Astrium 6,550 kg[ citation needed ]1Operational2013Alphabus
AMOS (original) Israel IAI 2,0003Retired2008GEO
AMOS-4000 Israel IAI 5,5001Operational2013GEO
Aprize United States SpaceQuest, Ltd. 13 kg1.25 [3] 2Operational20022014
ARSAT-3K Argentina INVAP 350 kg (770 lb)3,000 kg (6,600 lb)1902Operational20142015GEO
ATK 100United States ATK Space Systems and Services 15 kg [4] 77 kg5 [5] Operational20072007used in THEMIS constellation only
ATK 200United States ATK Space Systems and Services 200 kg [4] 573 kg3 [5] Operational20002012Formerly named, "Responsive Space Modular Bus";scaled-down ATK 150 option is also available
ATK 500United States ATK Space Systems and Services 500 kg [4] 0Development2015MEO/GEO/HEO/GSO; formerly named, "High End Modular Bus"; planned for DARPA Phoenix [4]
ATK 700United States ATK Space Systems and Services 1,700 kg [4] 0DevelopmentGEO/LEO/MEO/HEO/GTO; ViviSat [6]
Ball Configurable Platform 100United States Ball Aerospace 70 kg180 kg3 [7] Operational1994 [7] BCP 100 [8]
Ball Configurable Platform 300United States Ball Aerospace 750 kg3 [9] Operational19992009
Ball Configurable Platform 2000United States Ball Aerospace 2,200 kg5 [9] Operational19992011
Ball Configurable Platform 5000United States Ball Aerospace 2,800 kg3Operational20072014Used by all WorldView satellites
Boeing 601 United States Boeing Satellite Development Center 75Operational199320144.8 kW standard, 10 kW for Boeing 601HP
Boeing 702 United States Boeing Satellite Development Center 47 [10] Operational19992019power range 3–18 kW in four sub-models
TubeSat Kit [11] United States Interorbital Systems 0.5 kg0.75 kg0.008 [12] 0DevelopmentLEO
CubeSat Kit [4] United States Pumpkin Inc. 1.65 kg3 kg0.194 [13] 23Operational20072012LEO;
CubeSat GOMX [14] Denmark GomSpace 1.50 kg3 kg1Operational20132013LEO;
DFH-3 China China Academy of Space Technology 230 kg – 450 kg2,320 kg – 3,800 kg47Operational19942020
DFH-4 China China Academy of Space Technology 800 kg – 1,000 kg5,100 kg – 5,300 kg41Operational20062022
DFH-5 China China Academy of Space Technology 1,200 kg – 2,200 kg6,500 kg – 9,000 kg41Operational20172022
DS2000 Japan MELCO 5,800 kg9Operational2015GEO
Eurostar France, United Kingdom, Airbus (former EADS Astrium) 6,400 kg76Operational19902019GEO, models E1000,E2000,E2000+,E3000
HS-333 United States Hughes Space and Communications 54 kg [15] 560 kg [16] 8 [16] Retired19721979 [16] GEO; first satellite series; 300 watt, 12-channel, single-antenna
HS-376 United States Hughes Space and Communications 1,450 kg [17] 58 [17] Retired19782003 [17] GEO
HS-393 United States Hughes Space and Communications 2,478 kg [18] 3 [18] Retired19851990 [18] GEO
I-1K India ISRO 1,425 kg [19] 4Operational20022014
I-2K India ISRO 1,400 kg2,800 kg [20] 20Operational19922014DC power up to 3KW
I-3K India ISRO 3,460 kg [21] 5Operational20052012DC power up to 6.5KW
I-4K India ISRO 4,000 kg – 5,000 kg [22] [23] 0Development2014DC power up to 13KW
I-6K India ISRO 5,000 kg – 6,500 kg [24] [25] 1Operational20182018DC power up to 15KW
IMS 1 India ISRO 30 kg100 kg2Operational20082011220 W power
IMS 2 India ISRO 200 kg450 kg [26] [27] [28] 1Operational20132013800 W power
PSLV Orbital Experiment Module India ISRO 30 kg930 kg3Operational20222023200 - 500 W power
SSL 1300 United States SSL (company) 3,000–6,700 kg (approx.) [29] 118Operational1984 [29] 2017GEO; previously named the LS-1300
Modular Common Spacecraft Bus United States NASA Ames Research Center 50 kg383+ kg [30] 4.01Operational2013 LADEE Low-cost interplanetary bus. [31]
Photon United States Rocket Lab 170 kg2Development2020LEO, SSO and interplanetary versions. First operational mission, NASA's CAPSTONE mission occurred in June 2022.
RS-300 United States Ball Aerospace 125+ kg [32] 2Operational
(as of 2009)
RS-300
SI-100 Korea Satrec 100 kg [33] 0DevelopmentSI-100
SI-200 KoreaSatrec200 kg [34] 1Operational20092009copy of RazakSAT, used in DubaiSat-1
SI-300 KoreaSatrec300 kg [35] 2Operational20132014 SI-200 with larger battery, used for Deimos-2 and DubaiSat-2
SNC-100United States SNC Space Systems 100 kg [36] –172 kg [37] 116 kg-277 kg9Operational2006SNC-100A (OG2), SNC-100B, SNC-100C, Trailblazer was lost in launch failure
SNC-100-L1United States SNC Space Systems 100 kg [38] 0DevelopmentOptimized for LauncherOne [38]
Spacebus 100 France Aerospatiale 1,170 kg [39] 3Unknown [40] 1981 [39] 1981GEO
Spacebus 300 France Aerospatiale 2,100 kg (approx.)[ citation needed ]5Retired19871990GEO
Spacebus 2000 France Aerospatiale 1,900 kg (approx.)[ citation needed ]11Retired19901998GEO
Spacebus 3000 France Aerospatiale 2,800-3200 kg (approx.)[ citation needed ]27Operational[ citation needed ]19962010GEO
Spacebus 4000 France Alcatel SpaceThales Alenia Space 3,000-5700 kg (approx.)[ citation needed ]33Operational[ citation needed ]20052019GEO
STAR-1 United States Orbital Sciences 1Retired1997 [41] 2001GEO
STAR-2 (GEOStar-2)United States Orbital Sciences 500 kg3,325 kg33 [42] Operational2002 [41] 2013GEO, 5550 W
GEOStar-3 United States Orbital Sciences 800 kg5,000 kg0DevelopmentGEO, 8000 W
SSTL-70 (Microsat-70)United Kingdom Surrey Satellite Technology 30 kg70 kg16Retired19922001
SSTL-100 United Kingdom Surrey Satellite Technology 15 kg100 kg10.08Operational20032012
SSTL-100LO United Kingdom Surrey Satellite Technology 100 kg [38] 0DevelopmentOptimized for LauncherOne [38]
SSTL-150 United Kingdom Surrey Satellite Technology 50 kg177 kg16.511Operational20052014
SSTL-300 United Kingdom Surrey Satellite Technology 150 kg300 kg23.51Operational20112011
SSTL-400 (Minisat-400)United Kingdom Surrey Satellite Technology 400 kg1Retired19991999
SSTL-600 Satellite Platform United Kingdom Surrey Satellite Technology 200 kg600 kg36.01Operational20052005

Legend for abbreviations in the table:


See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boeing 702</span>

Boeing 702 is a communication satellite bus family designed and manufactured by the Boeing Satellite Development Center, and flown from the late-1990s into the 2020s. It covers satellites massing from 1,500 kg (3,300 lb) to 6,100 kg (13,400 lb) with power outputs from 3 to 18 kW and can carry up to approximately 100 high-power transponders.

JSAT Corporation (JSAT) was the first private Japanese satellite operator, which owned the JSAT satellites, as well as operated and partially owned the N-Star with NTT DoCoMo. Its origins can be traced to the funding of Japan Communications Satellite Company (JCSAT) and Satellite Japan Corporation in 1985. Both companies merged into Japan Satellite Systems Inc. in 1993. In 2000 the company was renamed as JSAT Corporation and was listed in the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange. On September 1, 2008, the company was merged into the SKY Perfect JSAT Group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Comparison of orbital launch systems</span>

This comparison of orbital launch systems lists the attributes of all individual rocket configurations designed to reach orbit. A first list contains rockets that are operational or in development as of 2023; a second list includes all upcoming rockets and a third list includes all retired rockets For the simple list of all conventional launcher families, see: Comparison of orbital launchers families. For the list of predominantly solid-fueled orbital launch systems, see: Comparison of solid-fueled orbital launch systems.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Satellite bus</span> Main body and structural component of the satellite

A satellite bus is the main body and structural component of a satellite or spacecraft, in which the payload and all scientific instruments are held.

The Broadcasting Satellite System Corporation (B-SAT) is a Japanese corporation established in April 1993 to procure, manage and lease transponders on communications satellites. Its largest stockholder, owning 49.9%, is NHK, the Japan Broadcasting Corporation. In 1994, it was ranked by Space News as the world's 19th largest fixed satellite operator.

In 1970, Hughes Aircraft Company (HAC) Space and Communications Group offered the first standardized satellite: the HS 333 design. A spinning satellite, it was based on previous one-design satellites like Intelsat I. HAC built eight of these 300 watt, 12 channel single antenna satellites between 1970 and 1977.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">GOES 4</span> NOAA weather satellite

GOES-4, known as GOES-D before becoming operational, was a geostationary weather satellite which was operated by the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration as part of the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite system. Launched in 1980, it was used for weather forecasting in the United States, and later in Europe. Following its retirement it became the first satellite to be sent into a graveyard orbit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">INSAT-3C</span> Indian telecommunications satellite

INSAT-3C is a multipurpose satellite built by ISRO and launched by Arianespace in Jan 2002. INSAT-3C is the second satellite of the INSAT-3 series. All the transponders provide coverage over India. Insat-3C is controlled from the Master Control Facility at Hassan in Karnataka. It will provide voice, video and digital data services to India and neighboring countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boeing 601</span> Satellite bus

The Boeing 601 is a communications satellite bus designed in 1985 and introduced in 1987 by Hughes Space and Communications Company. The series was extremely popular in the 1990s, with more than 84 purchased by customers globally. The more advanced 601HP derivative was introduced in 1995. Hughes, and the 601 platforms, were acquired by Boeing in 2000.

I-1K is a satellite bus developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and marketed by Antrix Corporation. The I-1K bus is designed to be compatible with lightweight geostationary satellites and is commonly used for meteorological satellites.

I-3K or the INSAT 3000 is a satellite bus developed by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), and marketed by Antrix Corporation and New Space India Ltd. It is the standard bus for 3,000-kg class satellites; the 'I' in I-3K stands for INSAT, a group of communication satellites developed and launched by ISRO. The I-3K bus can supply DC power up to 6500 watts, and is suitable for satellites with lift-off mass in range of 3,000-3,400 kg.

BSAT-1b was a geostationary communications satellite designed and manufactured by Hughes on the HS-376 platform. It was originally ordered and operated by the Broadcasting Satellite System Corporation (B-SAT). It was used as backup of BSAT-1a to broadcast television channels for NHK and WOWOW over Japan. It had a pure Ku band payload and operated on the 110°E longitude until it was replaced, along its twin BSAT-1a, by BSAT-3a.

The JSAT constellation is a communication and broadcasting satellite constellation formerly operated by JSAT Corporation and currently by SKY Perfect JSAT Group. It has become the most important commercial constellation in Japan, and fifth in the world. It has practically amalgamated all private satellite operators in Japan, with only B-SAT left as a local competitor.

JCSAT-2 was a geostationary communications satellite designed and manufactured by Hughes on the HS-393 satellite bus. It was originally ordered by Japan Communications Satellite Company (JCSAT), which later merged into the JSAT Corporation. It had a Ku-band payload and operated on the 154° East longitude until it was replaced by JCSAT-2A.

The Boeing 376 is a communications satellite bus introduced in 1978 by Hughes Space and Communications Company. It was a spin-stabilized bus that the manufacturer falsely claims was the first standardized platform. The Lockheed "Standard Agena" had been in use for more than two decades when the first HS-376 was launched.

SBS 2 was a geostationary communications satellite designed and manufactured by Hughes on the HS-376 platform. It was ordered by Satellite Business Systems, which later sold it to Hughes Communications. It had a Ku band payload and operated on the 117°W longitude.

SBS 6 was a geostationary communications satellite designed and manufactured by Hughes on the HS-393 platform. It was originally ordered by Satellite Business Systems, which later sold it to Hughes Communications and was last used by Intelsat. It had a Ku band payload and operated on the 95°W longitude.

The Hughes 393 is a communications satellite bus introduced in 1985 by Hughes Space and Communications Company. It was a spin-stabilized bus that had twice as much power as the HS-376 platform.

The BT-4 is a pressure-fed liquid rocket engine designed and manufactured by IHI Aerospace of Japan. It was originally developed for the LUNAR-A project, but it has been used as a liquid apogee engine in some geostationary communications satellite based on the Lockheed Martin A2100 and GEOStar-2 satellite buses. It has also been used on the HTV and Cygnus automated cargo spacecraft.

The GEOStar is a family of satellite buses designed and manufactured by Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems. The family started focused on small geostationary communications satellites. The first iterations focused on the sub-5 kW commercial segment that was left vacated after the retirement of the HS-376 satellite bus. It started with the STARBus on CTA Space Systems, which was later bought successively by Orbital Sciences, Orbital ATK, and most recently Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems.

References

  1. Krebs, Gunter. "Lockheed Martin: A2100". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved June 12, 2017.
  2. "Alphabus development well under way". Thales Alenia Space. 2007-11-23. Archived from the original on 2007-12-08. Retrieved 2013-10-04.
  3. "AprizeSat". Archived from the original on 2009-08-05. Retrieved 2009-08-02.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Werner, Debra (2012-08-13). "Builder Packing More Capability into Small Satellites". Space News. p. 13.
  5. 1 2 "ATK's New Small Satellite Spacecraft Platforms". SpaceRef.com. July 30, 2012. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
  6. "ATK: Introducing the expanded product line of agile spacecraft buses". Space News. 2012-08-13. pp. 16–17. ATK A100 THEMIS; ATK A200 ORS-1, TacSat3, and EO-1; ATK A500 DARPA Phoenix; ATK A700 ViviSat
  7. 1 2 "Ball Aerospace Configurable Platforms" (PDF). Product Brochure. Ball Aerospace. January 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-09-23. Retrieved 2014-04-09.
  8. "Green Propellant Infusion Mission (GPIM)". Ball Aerospace. 2014. Archived from the original on 2013-04-24. Retrieved 2014-02-26.
  9. 1 2 "Ball Aerospace Configurable Platforms" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-09-23. Retrieved 2014-04-09.
  10. Krebs, Gunter. "Hughes / Boeing: HS-702 / BSS-702, HS-GEM / BSS-GEM (Geomobile)". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved June 12, 2017.
  11. "TubeSat_1". Archived from the original on 2014-06-23. Retrieved 2014-06-24.
  12. "Interorbital Systems TubeSat Satelite Kit" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-06-30. Retrieved 2014-06-24.
  13. "PL-1 Pumpkin Price List" (PDF). Pumpkin, Inc. April 9, 2022. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
  14. "Cubesat and nano-satellite solutions". Archived from the original on 2015-02-15. Retrieved 2015-01-14.
  15. Hughes Aircraft Corporation, Space and Communications Group, SBS F6 Prime sales brochure, 1985
  16. 1 2 3 Krebs, Gunter. "Hughes: HS-333 / HS-356". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 4 July 2012.
  17. 1 2 3 Krebs, Gunter. "Hughes / Boeing: HS-376 / BSS-376". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved August 26, 2016.
  18. 1 2 3 Krebs, Gunter. "Hughes: HS-333 / HS-356". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved August 26, 2016.
  19. "SPACECRAFT SYSTEMS AND SUB SYSTEMS" (PDF). Antrix Corporation. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-09-23. Retrieved 2013-02-02.
  20. "SPACECRAFT SYSTEMS AND SUB SYSTEMS" (PDF). Antrix Corporation. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-09-23. Retrieved 2013-02-02.
  21. "SPACECRAFT SYSTEMS AND SUB SYSTEMS" (PDF). Antrix Corporation. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-09-23. Retrieved 2013-02-02.
  22. "Gsat-11". Archived from the original on 2014-01-07. Retrieved 2014-01-07.
  23. "Welcome to Indian Space Research Organisation :: Current Programme". Archived from the original on 2010-11-25. Retrieved 2014-02-07.
  24. "GSAT-11 Mission – ISRO". www.isro.gov.in. Archived from the original on 2019-07-13. Retrieved 2018-12-19.
  25. "ISRO: I-6K (I-6000) Bus". space.skyrocket.de. Retrieved 2018-12-19.
  26. "Welcome to ISRO :: Satellites :: Earth Observation Satellite :: IMS-1". Archived from the original on 2013-12-06. Retrieved 2014-02-07.
  27. "Welcome to ISRO :: Satellites :: Earth Observation Satellite :: RISAT-2". Archived from the original on 2014-02-03. Retrieved 2014-02-07.
  28. "NNRMS Bulletin No. 37" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-03-08. Retrieved 2014-02-07.
  29. 1 2 "Space Service Loral (SSL): LS-1300". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2012-08-25.
  30. Graham, William (2013-09-06). "Orbital's Minotaur V launches LADEE mission to the Moon". NASAspaceflight.com. Retrieved 2013-09-07.
  31. NASA Lunar Science Institute, Common Spacecraft Bus for Lunar Explorer Missions, includes video.
  32. Krebs, Gunter. "Ball: RS-300". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 21 March 2011.
  33. Wade, Mark. "Satrec". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on November 29, 2010. Retrieved 2012-09-16.
  34. Krebs, Gunter (2012-02-09). "Satrec Initiative: SI-200". Skyrocket.de (Gunter's Space Page). Retrieved 2012-09-16.
  35. "Satellite System Products". Satrec Initiative. 2012. Archived from the original on 2011-07-16. Retrieved 2012-09-16.
  36. "SN-100 Small Satellite Production Line". Space News. 2012-08-13. p. 21. first 18 satellites [are] in production
  37. Graham, William (2014-07-14). "SpaceX's Falcon 9 set for fourth attempt to launch Orbcomm OG2 mission". NASAspaceflight.com. Retrieved 2014-07-14.
  38. 1 2 3 4 "Virgin Galactic relaunches its smallsat launch business". NewSpace Journal. 2012-07-12. Retrieved 2012-08-25. develop versions of their smallsat bus optimized to the design of LauncherOne.
  39. 1 2 Krebs, Gunter. "Arabsat 1A, 1B, 1C / Insat 2DT". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2012-08-25.
  40. Harland, David M; Lorenz, Ralph D. (2005). Space Systems Failures (2006 ed.). Chichester: Springer-Praxis. p. 221. ISBN   0-387-21519-0.
  41. 1 2 "GEOStar Brochure" (PDF). Orbital Sciences. 2012. Retrieved 2013-09-20.
  42. "Home" (PDF).

Notes

It is not clear from the sources if the Spacebus 100 satellite bus is still on offer.