JCSAT-4

Last updated

JCSAT-4
NamesJCSAT-4 (Dec 1995 to Feb 1997)
JCSAT-R (Feb 1997 to 2009)
Intelsat 26 (2009 onward)
Mission type Communications
Operator JSAT / INTELSAT
COSPAR ID 1997-007A [1]
SATCAT no. 24732 [2]
Mission duration12 years (planned)
Spacecraft properties
SpacecraftJCSAT-4
Spacecraft type JCSAT
Bus HS-601
Manufacturer Hughes
Launch mass3,105 kg (6,845 lb)
Dry mass1,841 kg (4,059 lb)
Dimensions26.2 m × 7.5 m (86 ft × 25 ft) with solar panels and antennas deployed
Power5 kW
Start of mission
Launch date17 February 1997, 01:42:02 UTC [1]
Rocket Atlas IIAS
Launch site Cape Canaveral, LC-36B
Contractor International Launch Services (ILS)
Orbital parameters
Reference system Geocentric orbit [3]
Regime Geostationary orbit
Longitude124° East
Transponders
Band Ku-band:
12 × 36 Mhz + 16 × 27 Mhz
C-band:
12 x 36 MHz
Bandwidth1296 MHz
Coverage areaJapan, East Asia, South Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii
TWTA powerKu-band:
4 × 36 Mhz 95 watts
8 × 36 Mhz 63 watts
16 × 27 Mhz 63 watts
C-band:
12 x 36 MHz 34 watts
←  JCSAT-3
JCSAT-1B  →
 

JCSAT-4 was known as JCSAT-R until it was sold to INTELSAT in 2009 (Intelsat 26). It is a geostationary communications satellite designed and manufactured by Hughes (now Boeing) on the HS-601 satellite bus. It was originally ordered by JSAT Corporation, which later merged into the SKY Perfect JSAT Group. It has a mixed Ku-band and C-band payload and was used as an on orbit spare. [4] [2]

Contents

Satellite description

The spacecraft was designed and manufactured by Hughes on the HS-601 satellite bus. It had a launch mass of 3,105 kg (6,845 lb), a dry mass of 1,841 kg (4,059 lb) and a 12-year design life. When stowed for launch, its dimensions were 2.8 m × 4.9 m × 3.8 m (9 ft 2 in × 16 ft 1 in × 12 ft 6 in). With its solar panels fully extended it spanned 26.2 m (86 ft), and its width when its antennas were fully deployed was 7.5 m (25 ft). [4] Its power system generated approximately 5 kW of power due to two wings with four solar panels each. [5] [4] It also had a single NiH2 battery composed of 30 cells and a 200 Ah charge. [4] It would serve as on orbit backup for the JSAT fleet. [4]

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 12 years of operation. [4] Its payload is composed of four octagonal antenna fed by twelve 36 MHz and sixteen 27 MHz Ku-band plus twelve 27 MHz C-band transponders for a total bandwidth of 1296 MHz. [5] [4] Eight of the 36 MHz and the sixteen 27 MHz Ku-band transponders have a TWTA output power of 63 watts, the other four 36 MHz ones have 95 watts. It can configure four 27 MHz transponders into a single 54 MHz with an effective 125 watts. [4] The twelve C-band transponders have 36 MHz bandwidth and 34 watts of power. [4]

History

In December 1995, JSAT ordered its fourth satellite from Hughes, and second of the HS-601 platform, the JCSAT-4. It was an almost copy of the JCSAT-3, also based on the HS-601, but with more powerful transponders. It would have a mixed Ku-band and C-band payload, a power generation capability of 5000 watts and a 12 year of design life. It was expected to be delivered by early 1997 and be positioned at the 124° East longitude. It would provide telecommunications and television services to Japan, all of Asia, Hawaii and Australia and New Zealand. [4] [6]

On 25 March 1996, International Launch Services (ILS) announced a contract with JSAT for the launch of JCSAT-4 aboard an Atlas IIAS. At the time it was expected to launch in January 1997 from Cape Canaveral at LC-36A launch pad. This was the second contract of ILS with JSAT after the successful launch of JCSAT-3 in August 1995. [7]

On 18 February 1997 at 01:42:02 UTC, and Atlas IIAS launched from Cape Canaveral LC-36B with JCSAT-4 towards a geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO). [8] After the successful launch, it was renamed JCSAT-R. During its tenure as JCSAT-R it operated on the 124° East longitude. [4] In August, 2008, JSAT was merged into the SKY Perfect JSAT Group. [9]

Intelsat 26

In late 2009, Intelsat bought JCSAT-R and rechristened it Intelsat 26. [10] [4] In March 2010, Intelsat announced an agreement with Türksat for loaning Intelsat 26 so the latter could keep its orbital rights until a new satellite could be launched. [10] In July 2010, it was positioned at the 50° East longitude with a 3.4° inclination. [11] In January 2013, the inclination had increased to 4.6°. [12] In August 2016, the satellite was positioned at 64.1° East with a 6.97° inclination. [13] [3]

Related Research Articles

JCSAT-5A or N-STAR d, known as JCSAT-9 before launch, is a geostationary communications satellite operated by SKY Perfect JSAT Group (JSAT) which was designed and manufactured by Lockheed Martin on the A2100 platform.

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.

JCSAT-11, was a geostationary communications satellite ordered by JSAT Corporation which was designed and manufactured by Lockheed Martin on the A2100 platform. The satellite was designated to be used as an on-orbit, but was lost on launch failure.

Horizons Satellite is a joint venture between Intelsat and SKY Perfect JSAT Group. Originally formed in 2001, pursuant to a memorandum of understanding between JSAT Corporation and PanAmSat for the launch of Horizons-1, it was renewed for Horizons-2. JSAT later merged into the SKY Perfect JSAT Group and PanAmSat was acquired by Intelsat, but the companies continued with the relationship, with the order for Horizons-3e. Both companies also launched a joint satellite, Intelsat 15/JCSAT-85, but instead of the equal share agreement of this joint venture, JSAT owns a specific payload of 5 transponders out of the 22 Ku band transponders of the spacecraft.

JCSAT-4A, designated JCSAT-6 before launch, is a Japanese geostationary communications satellite which is operated by JSAT Corporation. It is positioned in geostationary orbit at a longitude of 124° East, from where it is used to provide broadcasting and corporate network communications to Japan.

JCSAT-110, also known as N-SAT 110, JCSAT-7, Superbird-5 and Superbird-D, is a Japanese geostationary communications satellite which was operated by JSAT Corporation and Space Communications Corporation until both companies merged into SKY Perfect JSAT Group in 2008. It is positioned in geostationary orbit at a longitude of 110° East, from where it is used to provide communications services to Japan.

Intelsat 15, also known as IS-15, is a communications satellite owned by Intelsat. Intelsat 15 was built by Orbital Sciences Corporation, on a Star-2.4. It is located at 85° E longitude on the geostationary orbit. It was launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome to a geosynchronous transfer orbit on 30 November 2009 by a Zenit-3SLB launch vehicle. It has 22 active Ku band transponders, plus eight spares. Five of those transponders are owned and operated by SKY Perfect JSAT Group under the name JCSAT-85.

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Superbird-A2, known as Superbird-6 before launch, was a geostationary communications satellite ordered and operated by Space Communications Corporation (SCC) that was designed and manufactured by Hughes on the BSS-601 satellite bus. It had a mixed Ku-band and Ka-band payload and was expected replace Superbird-A at the position at 158° East longitude. It was expected to provided television signals and business communications services throughout Japan, South Asia, East Asia, and Hawaii.

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JCSAT-3A, known as JCSAT-10 before launch, is a geostationary communications satellite operated by SKY Perfect JSAT Group (JSAT) which was designed and manufactured by Lockheed Martin on the A2100 platform.

JCSAT-2A, known as JCSAT-8 before launch, is a geostationary communications satellite operated by SKY Perfect JSAT Group (JSAT) which was designed and manufactured by Boeing Satellite Systems on the BSS-601 platform. It has Ku-band and C-band payload and was used to replace JCSAT-2 at the 154° East longitude. It covers Japan, East Asia, Australia and Hawaii.

JCSAT-1B, known as JCSAT-5 before launch, is a geostationary communications satellite operated by SKY Perfect JSAT Group (JSAT) which was designed and manufactured by Hughes on the HS-601 satellite bus. It has a pure Ku-band payload and was used to replace JCSAT-1 at the 150° East longitude. It covers Japan, Korea, most of China, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, part of Indonesia, part of Malaysia and Hawaii.

JCSAT-3 was a geostationary communications satellite designed and manufactured by Hughes on the HS-601 satellite bus. It was originally ordered by JSAT Corporation, which later merged into the SKY Perfect JSAT Group. It has a mixed Ku-band and C-band payload and operated on the 128° East longitude until it was replaced by JCSAT-3A.

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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.

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.

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

References

  1. 1 2 "Trajectory: JCSAT 4 1997-007A". NASA. 10 February 2021. Retrieved 20 March 2021.
  2. 1 2 "Intelsat 26". Satbeams. Retrieved 26 July 2016.
  3. 1 2 "Detailed satellite data for INTELSAT 26 (IS-26) 64.1°E". satellite-calculations.com. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Krebs, Gunter (21 April 2016). "JCSat 3, 4 (JCSat R) → Intelsat 26". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
  5. 1 2 "Hughes Built JCSAT-4 To Boost Services In Pacific Rim". warunasat.com. 14 February 1997. Archived from the original on 22 August 2016. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  6. ↑ "JSAT Orders New Communications Satellite From Hughes". warunasat.com. 2 February 1996. Archived from the original on 22 August 2016. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  7. ↑ "Japan Satellite Systems, Inc. Selects Atlas For Launch Of JCSAT 4". warunasat.com. 25 March 1996. Archived from the original on 22 August 2016. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  8. ↑ "Atlas Successfully Launches Japanese Comm Satellite". warunasat.com. 16 February 1997. Archived from the original on 22 August 2016. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  9. ↑ "Notice of Merger of Consolidated Subsidiaries" (PDF). SKY Perfect JSAT. 6 August 2008. Retrieved 3 August 2016.
  10. 1 2 de Selding, Peter B. (18 March 2010). "Turksat To Use Borrowed Intelsat Craft as Placeholder". SpaceNews. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  11. ↑ "Intelsat 26 (50.0E)". warunasat.com. 21 July 2010. Archived from the original on 22 August 2016. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  12. ↑ "Intelsat 26 (50.0E)". warunasat.com. 27 January 2013. Archived from the original on 22 August 2016. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  13. ↑ "INTELSAT 26 (JCSAT 4)". N2YO.com. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
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