Superbird-C

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Superbird-C
NamesSuperbird-3
Superbird-A3
Mission type Communications
Operator SKY Perfect JSAT Group
COSPAR ID 1997-036A [1]
SATCAT no. 24880 [2]
Mission duration13 years (planned)
18 years (achieved)
Spacecraft properties
SpacecraftSuperbird-3
Spacecraft type Superbird
Bus BBS-601
Manufacturer Hughes
Launch mass3,130 kg (6,900 lb)
Dry mass1,416 kg (3,122 lb)
Dimensions26.2 m × 7.5 m × 4.9 m (86 ft × 25 ft × 16 ft) with solar panels and antennas deployed.
Power4.5 kW
Start of mission
Launch date28 July 1997, 01:15:01 UTC [1] [3]
Rocket Atlas IIAS (s/n AC-133)
Launch site Cape Canaveral, LC-36B
Contractor International Launch Services (ILS)
End of mission
Disposal Graveyard orbit
Deactivated2015
Last contact2015
Orbital parameters
Reference system Geocentric orbit [4]
Regime Geostationary orbit
Longitude144° East
Transponders
Band4 Ku-band × 54 Mhz
4 × 36 MHz and 16 × 27 MHz
Coverage areaJapan, South Asia, East Asia, Hawaii
TWTA power90 watts
 

Superbird-C, also known as Superbird-3 [5] or Superbird-A3, [2] was a geostationary communications satellite ordered and operated by Space Communications Corporation (SCC) that was designed and manufactured by Hughes Space and Communications Company (now Boeing Satellite Systems) on the HS-601 satellite bus. It has a pure Ku-band payload and was used to fill the position at 144° East longitude. It provided television signals and business communications services throughout Japan, South Asia, East Asia, and Hawaii. [2] [6] [7]

Contents

Satellite description

The spacecraft was designed and manufactured by then Hughes Space and Communications Company (now Boeing Satellite Development Center) on the HS-601 satellite bus. It had a launch mass of 3,150 kg (6,940 lb), a dry mass of 1,416 kg (3,122 lb) and a 13-year design life. When stowed for launch, it measured 4 m × 3.8 m × 2.4 m (13.1 ft × 12.5 ft × 7.9 ft). It had two wings with four solar panels each, that generated 4.5 kW at the end of its design life. When fully deployed, the solar panels spanned 26.2 m (86 ft), with its antennas in fully extended configuration it was 7.5 m (25 ft) wide. [6] [7] It had a 29-cell NiH2 battery with a power charge of 200 Ah. [7]

Its propulsion system was composed of an R-4D-11-300 liquid apogee engine (LAE) with a thrust of 490 N (110 lbf). It also used had 12 22 N (4.9 lbf) bipropellant thrusters for station keeping and attitude control. It included enough propellant for orbit circularization and 13 years of operation. [7]

Its payload is composed of two 2.2 m (7 ft 3 in) dual-gridded reflectors and twenty four Ku-band transponders powered by a traveling-wave-tube amplifier (TWTA) with and output power of 90 watts. It can configure two 54 MHz transponders into one 114 MHz with an effective 180 watts. [6] [7]

The Ku-band footprint covered Japan, southern and eastern Asia, and Hawaii. [7]

History

Space Communications Corporation (SCC) was founded in 1985, the same year as the original companies that later formed JSAT. [8] SCC switched satellite suppliers and on 1995 ordered a satellite from Boeing, Superbird-C. [6]

On 28 July 1997 at 01:15:01 UTC, Superbird-C was put into orbit by an Atlas IIAS launched from Cape Canaveral LC-36B. [6]

Superbird-C was replaced by Superbird-C2 during 2008, in 2015 it was decommissioned. [9]

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References

  1. 1 2 "Display: Superbird-C 1997-036A". NASA. 10 February 2021. Retrieved 19 March 2021.PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  2. 1 2 3 "Subperbird 3". SATBEAMS. 21 March 2021. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  3. ↑ "Trajectory: Superbird-C 1997-036A". NASA. 10 February 2021. Retrieved 19 March 2021.PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  4. ↑ "SUPERBIRD C". N2YO.com. 21 March 2021. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  5. ↑ "Superbird-3" (PDF). JSAT. 21 March 2021. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Krebs, Gunter (11 December 2017). "Superbird C". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Superbird C". Boeing. Archived from the original on 30 December 2009. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  8. ↑ "History". SKY Perfect JSAT. 21 March 2021. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  9. ↑ "Superbird". Global Security. 21 March 2021. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
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