Superbird-B

Last updated

Superbird-2
NamesSuperbird-B
Mission type Communications
Operator Space Communications Corporation
COSPAR ID 1990-F01 [1]
Mission duration10 years (planned)
Failed to orbit
Spacecraft properties
SpacecraftSuperbird-2
Spacecraft type Superbird
Bus SSL 1300
Manufacturer Ford Aerospace
Launch mass2,492 kg (5,494 lb)
DimensionsStowed: 2.41 m × 2.58 m × 2.20 m (7 ft 11 in × 8 ft 6 in × 7 ft 3 in)
Solar panels extended: 20.3 m (67 ft)
Power4 kW
Start of mission
Launch date22 February 1990, 23:17:00 UTC [1]
Rocket Ariane-44L
Launch site Centre Spatial Guyanais, ELA-2
Contractor Arianespace
Entered serviceFailed to orbit
Orbital parameters
Reference system Geocentric orbit (planned)
Regime Geostationary orbit
Longitude162° East
Transponders
Band23 Ku-band
3 Ka-band
2 X-band
Coverage areaJapan
 

Superbird-2, also identified as Superbird-B after launch if successful, was a geostationary communications satellite designed and manufactured by Ford Aerospace on the SSL 1300 satellite bus. It was originally ordered by Space Communications Corporation (SCC), which later merged into the SKY Perfect JSAT Group. [2] It had a mixed Ku-band, Ka-band and X-band payload and was lost at launch. [3]

Contents

It was ordered in 1985 along Superbird-A, Superbird-A1 and Superbird-B1 on the very first order of the SSL 1300 platform. [4] [5] [6] [3] It was to be the second satellite of SCC. [3] It was supposed to be used for video distribution, news gathering, remote publishing and high definition TV service to the main islands of Japan and Okinawa from the 162° East position. [2]

Satellite description

The spacecraft was the second satellite designed and manufactured by Ford Aerospace on the SSL 1300 satellite bus. It was based on the design of the Intelsat V series and offered a three-axis stabilized platform. [4] [5] [6] [3]

It had a launch mass of 2,492 kg (5,494 lb) and a 10-year design life. [1] When stowed for launch, its dimensions were 2.41 m × 2.58 m × 2.20 m (7 ft 11 in × 8 ft 6 in × 7 ft 3 in). With its solar panels fully extended it spanned 20.3 m (67 ft). Its power system generated approximately 4 kW of power due to two wings with three solar panels each. [3] It also had dual NiH2 battery to survive the solar eclipses. It was supposed to serve as the main satellite on the 162° East position of the Superbird fleet. [3]

Its propulsion system included an R-4D-11 liquid apogee engine (LAE) with a thrust of 490 N (110 lbf). [3] It included enough propellant for orbit circularization and 10 years of operation. [3]

History

Space Communications Corporation (SCC) was founded in 1985, the same year as the original companies that later formed JSAT. [7] In 1986, SCC ordered four spacecraft from Space Systems/Loral: Superbird-1, Superbird-2, Superbird-A1 and Superbird-B1. [5]

On 22 February 1990, at 23:17:00 UTC, Superbird-2 was launched aboard an Ariane 44L along with BS-2X. [3] At 100 seconds into the flight, the flight failed due to a red handkerchief that blocked a water line in one of the Viking engines of the first stage. [8] Both satellites were lost, and Superbird-B1 was rushed into launch. [1] [3] [9]

Related Research Articles

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.

Superbird-C2, known as Superbird-7 before launch, is a geostationary communications satellite operated by JSAT Corporation and designed and manufactured by Mitsubishi Electric on the DS2000 satellite bus. It had a launch weight of 4,820 kg (10,630 lb), a 15-year design life and was the first commercial communications satellite built in Japan. Its payload is composed of 28 Ku-band transponders with a total bandwidth of 828 MHz.

Superbird-B2, also known by its pre-launch designation Superbird-4, is a Japanese communications satellite which is operated by SKY Perfect JSAT Group. It was originally built and launched for the Space Communications Corporation (SCC), which merged with JSAT Corporation (JSAT) in October 2008. It was constructed by Hughes Space and Communications and is based on the HS-601 HP satellite bus.

Superbird-A, also identified as Superbird-1 before launch, was a geostationary communications satellite designed and manufactured by Ford Aerospace) on the SSL 1300 satellite bus. It was originally ordered by Space Communications Corporation (SCC), which later merged into the SKY Perfect JSAT Group. It had a mixed Ku-band, Ka-band and X-band payload and operated on the 158° East longitude.

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">JCSAT-16</span>

JCSAT-16 is a geostationary communications satellite operated by SKY Perfect JSAT Group and designed and manufactured by SSL on the SSL 1300 platform. It has a launch weight of 4,600 kg (10,100 lb), a power production capacity of 8.5 kW and a 15-year design life. Its payload is composed of Ku band and Ka band transponders. SKY Perfect JSAT Group plans to use JCSAT-16 as an in-orbit backup satellite for the Ku- and Ka-band satellites serving the Japanese market.

BSAT-3c, also known as JCSAT-110R, is a geostationary communications satellite operated by Broadcasting Satellite System Corporation (B-SAT) and SKY Perfect JSAT (JSAT) which was designed and manufactured by Lockheed Martin on the A2100 platform.

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.

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-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-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-1 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 150° East longitude until it was replaced by JCSAT-1B.

Superbird-B1, sometimes identified as Superbird-1B, was a geostationary communications satellite designed and manufactured by Ford Aerospace on the SSL 1300 satellite bus. It was originally ordered by Space Communications Corporation (SCC), which later merged into the SKY Perfect JSAT Group. It had a mixed Ku-band, Ka-band and X-band payload and was rushed into launch at the 162° East longitude due to the launch failure of Superbird-B.

Superbird-A1, also identified as Superbird-1A before launch, was a geostationary communications satellite designed and manufactured by Ford Aerospace on the SSL 1300 satellite bus. It was originally ordered by Space Communications Corporation (SCC), which later merged into the SKY Perfect JSAT Group. It had a mixed Ku-band and Ka-band payload and operated on the 158° East longitude.

N-STAR a, was a geostationary communications satellite originally ordered by a consortium including NTT DoCoMo and JSAT Corporation, and later fully acquired by JSAT, which was merged into SKY Perfect JSAT Group. It was designed and manufactured by Space Systems/Loral on the SSL 1300 platform. It had a launch weight of 3,400 kg (7,500 lb), and a 10-year design life. Its payload is composed of 6 C-band, 11 Ka-band, 8 Ku-band and 1 S-band transponders.

N-STAR b, was a geostationary communications satellite originally ordered by a consortium including NTT DoCoMo and JSAT Corporation, and later fully acquired by JSAT, which was merged into SKY Perfect JSAT Group. It was designed and manufactured by Space Systems/Loral on the SSL 1300 platform. It had a launch weight of 3,400 kg (7,500 lb), and a 10-year design life. Its payload is composed of 6 C-band, 11 Ka-band, 8 Ku-band and 1 S-band transponders.

Intelsat 36, also known as IS-36, is a geostationary communications satellite operated by Intelsat and designed and manufactured by Space Systems/Loral on the SSL 1300 satellite bus. It covers Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia from the 68.5° East longitude, providing media and content distribution with the South Africa MultiChoice company as anchor customer. It has a mixed C-band and Ku-band.

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.

Superbird-B3, known as Superbird-8 before launch, and DSN-1 (Kirameki-1) for its military payload, is a geostationary communications satellite operated by SKY Perfect JSAT Group and designed and manufactured by Mitsubishi Electric on the DS2000 satellite bus.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Wade, Mark. "Ariane 44L". Encyclopaedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 27 August 2016. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  2. 1 2 "Superbird-1, -2". SSL . Retrieved 18 August 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Krebs, Gunter Dirk (18 August 2016). "Superbird A, A1, B, B1". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  4. 1 2 "Industry Pioneer Marks Milestone, Continues to Lead in Providing High-Power Commercial Satellites, Helping Operators Meet Business Objectives". SSL. 17 July 2007. Retrieved 18 August 2016.
  5. 1 2 3 "Awards & Launch History - 1300 Bus Satellites". SSL. Archived from the original on 12 August 2015. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  6. 1 2 "Celebrating Fifty Years of Satellite Innovation". SSL. Archived from the original on 4 April 2016. Retrieved 18 August 2016.
  7. ↑ "History". SKY Perfect JSAT Holdings Inc. Retrieved 28 July 2016.
  8. ↑ Castanos, Francis (7 December 2020). "The cloth of doom: The weird, doomed ride of Ariane Flight 36". The Space Review . Retrieved 10 December 2020.
  9. ↑ "Superbird". Global Security. Retrieved 28 July 2016.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.