BSAT-3a, is a geostationary

communications satellite A communications satellite is an artificial satellite that relays and amplifies radio telecommunication signals via a transponder; it creates a communication channel between a source transmitter and a receiver at different locations on Ear ...

operated by Broadcasting Satellite System Corporation (B-SAT) which was designed and manufactured by Lockheed Martin on the

A2100 The A2100 is a model of communications satellite spacecraft made by Lockheed Martin Space Systems. It is used as the foundation for telecommunications payloads in geosynchronous orbit, as well as GOES-R weather satellites and GPS Block IIIA satelli ...

platform. It is stationed on the 110,0° East orbital slot with its companion

BSAT-3b BSAT-3b, is a geostationary communications satellite operated by Broadcasting Satellite System Corporation (B-SAT) which was designed and manufactured by Lockheed Martin on the A2100 platform. It is stationed on the 110.0° East orbital slot al ...

and BSAT-3c from where they provide redundant

high definition High definition or HD may refer to: Visual technologies *HD DVD, discontinued optical disc format *HD Photo, former name for the JPEG XR image file format *HDV, format for recording high-definition video onto magnetic tape * HiDef, 24 frames-pe ...

direct television broadcasting across Japan.

History

On 27 April 2005, Lockheed Martin announced that it had been granted by B-SAT an authorisation to proceed to the construction of its first third generation broadcasting satellite, BSAT-3a. On 18 May 2005, both companies announced the signature of the definitive contract for the satellite. It would be based on the

platform, sport eight 130 watts K_u-band transponders (plus 4 spares), have a design life of 13 years and have a 1.8 kW power generation capability. It was expected launch in the second quarter of 2007 to be co-located at the 110.0° East orbital position. On 15 June 2005,

Arianespace Arianespace SA is a French company founded in 1980 as the world's first commercial launch service provider. It undertakes the operation and marketing of the Ariane programme. The company offers a number of different launch vehicles: the heavy- ...

announced that it had been awarded the launch contract for BSAT-3a.

Satellite description

BSAT-3a was designed and manufactured by Lockheed Martin on the

satellite bus A satellite bus (or spacecraft bus) is the main body and structural component of a satellite or spacecraft, in which the payload and all scientific instruments are held. Bus-derived satellites are opposed to specially produced satellites. Bus- ...

for B-SAT. It had a launch mass of , a dry mass of , and a 13-year design life. As most satellites based on the A2100 platform, it uses a LEROS-1C LAE for

orbit raising In celestial mechanics, an orbit is the curved trajectory of an object such as the trajectory of a planet around a star, or of a natural satellite around a planet, or of an artificial satellite around an object or position in space such as a p ...

. It measured when stowed for launch. Its dual wing solar panels can generate 2.8 kW of power at the end of its design life, and span when fully deployed. It has a single K_u-band payload with 8 active transponders plus four spares with a TWTA output power of 130

watt The watt (symbol: W) is the unit of power or radiant flux in the International System of Units (SI), equal to 1 joule per second or 1 kg⋅m2⋅s−3. It is used to quantify the rate of energy transfer. The watt is named after James Wa ...

Launch

On 19 June 2007, Lockheed announced that it was poised to deliver BSAT-3a on the third quarter of 2007, with another Japanese spacecraft, JCSAT-11. BSAT-3a was the sixth broadcasting satellite procured by B-SAT. On 10 August 2007, Lockheed announced that BSAT-3a was mated to the launcher and ready for its ride to orbit. It launched at 23:44 UTC, on 14 August 2007 aboard an

Ariane 5 ECA Ariane 5 is a European heavy-lift space launch vehicle developed and operated by Arianespace for the European Space Agency (ESA). It is launched from the Centre Spatial Guyanais (CSG) in French Guiana. It has been used to deliver payloads into ...

from

Centre Spatial Guyanais The Guiana Space Centre (french: links=no, Centre spatial guyanais; CSG), also called Europe's Spaceport, is a European spaceport to the northwest of Kourou in French Guiana, a region of France in South America. Kourou is located approximatel ...

ELA-3 launch pad. It rode on the lower berth under the SYLDA with Spaceway-3. The first signals from the satellite were received one hour later, at 00:46 UTC on 15 August 2007. It also marked the 33rd launch of the A2100 platform. It was entered into service on 1 October 2007 after successfully passing the on-orbit deployment and checkout phase.

References

{{Orbital launches in 2007 Communications satellites in geostationary orbit Satellites using the A2100 bus Spacecraft launched in 2007 Communications satellites of Japan Satellites of Japan