The Broadcasting Satellite System Corporation (B-SAT) is a Japanese corporation established in April 1993 to procure, manage and lease transponders on
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 ...
s. 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.
Satellite fleet
The B-SAT fleet has an extensive history. This is an overview of the satellites.
Former satellites
These satellites were managed by Broadcasting Satellite System Corporation but are now decommissioned.
[
]
BSAT-1a
BSAT-1a was an HS-376 based satellite with 4 active plus 4 spares Ku-band transponders. It was successfully launched on 16 April 1997 aboard an Ariane 44LP along Thaicom 3.[
]
BSAT-1b
BSAT-1b was an HS-376 based satellite with 4 active plus 4 spares Ku-band transponders. It was successfully launched on 28 April 1998 aboard an Ariane 44P
The Ariane 4 was a European expendable space launch system, developed by the '' Centre national d'études spatiales'' (CNES), the French space agency, for the European Space Agency (ESA). It was manufactured by ArianeGroup and marketed by A ...
along Nilesat 101.[
]
BSAT-2a
BSAT-2a was manufactured by Orbital Sciences Corporation
Orbital Sciences Corporation (commonly referred to as Orbital) was an American company specializing in the design, manufacture, and launch of small- and medium- class space and launch vehicle systems for commercial, military and other governmen ...
based on the Star Bus
Star Bus is a satellite bus family of Orbital ATK. It was originally developed by Thomas van der Heyden, co-founder of CTAI, and later sold to and manufactured by Orbital Sciences Corporation.
History
The first satellite program based on the Sta ...
platform. It was launched aboard an Ariane 5G rocket on 8 March 2001. BSAT-2a serves as an on orbit backup to BSAT-2c. BSAT-2a was decommissioned in January 2013.[
]
BSAT-2b
BSAT-2b was a twin of BSAT-2a, also based on the Star Bus
Star Bus is a satellite bus family of Orbital ATK. It was originally developed by Thomas van der Heyden, co-founder of CTAI, and later sold to and manufactured by Orbital Sciences Corporation.
History
The first satellite program based on the Sta ...
platform. Launched along Artemis
In ancient Greek mythology and Ancient Greek religion, religion, Artemis (; grc-gre, Ἄρτεμις) is the goddess of the hunt, the wilderness, wild animals, nature, vegetation, childbirth, Kourotrophos, care of children, and chastity. ...
aboard an Ariane 5G, it was left on an unusable orbit and that it couldn't compensate for. The electric propulsion Artemis, could use its higher efficiency ion drives, to reach operational orbit.[
]
BSAT-2c
BSAT-2c was manufactured by Orbital Sciences Corporation
Orbital Sciences Corporation (commonly referred to as Orbital) was an American company specializing in the design, manufacture, and launch of small- and medium- class space and launch vehicle systems for commercial, military and other governmen ...
Based on the Star Bus
Star Bus is a satellite bus family of Orbital ATK. It was originally developed by Thomas van der Heyden, co-founder of CTAI, and later sold to and manufactured by Orbital Sciences Corporation.
History
The first satellite program based on the Sta ...
platform. It was launched aboard an Ariane 5
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 in ...
rocket on 11 June 2003. In-orbit delivery to B-SAT took place 15 July 2003. BSAT-2c was decommissioned in August 2013.[
]
Current satellites
The current fleet of Broadcasting Satellite System Corporation as of August 2020 is composed of five spacecraft.[
]
BSAT-3a
Launched on 14 August 2007 by 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 ...
launch vehicle
A launch vehicle or carrier rocket is a rocket designed to carry a payload (spacecraft or satellites) from the Earth's surface to outer space. Most launch vehicles operate from a launch pads, supported by a launch control center and syste ...
. It was manufactured by Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems based on the A2100A
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 satel ...
platform design, with a communications payload containing 12 Ku-band channels, eight of which operate at one time. Located in geostationary orbit at 110.0° East longitude, it replaced BSAT-1a and BSAT-1b.[
]
BSAT-3b
B-SAT awarded Lockheed Martin the contract to build its next geostationary telecommunications satellite, BSAT-3b, which was launched by 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- ...
aboard an Ariane 5 ECA (along with the Eutelsat W3B) on 28 October 2010.
BSAT-3c
BSAT-3c, also known as JCSAT-110R, is a satellite co-owned with SKY Perfect JSAT with each operator owning a separate payload. It was built by Lockheed Martin on its A2100A
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 satel ...
platform. It has two separate payloads with 12 Ku-band transponders each. It was successfully launched on 7 August 2011 on 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 ...
along Astra 1N
Astra 1N is one of the Astra communications satellites owned and operated by SES and is positioned at the Astra 19.2°E orbital position. It was launched in 2011 and is the fourth satellite to be built for Astra by Astrium (now Airbus Defence a ...
.[
]
BSAT-4a
The first satellite of the fourth generation BSAT was built by SSL SSL may refer to:
Entertainment
* RoboCup Small Size League, robotics football competition
* ''Sesame Street Live'', a touring version of the children's television show
* StarCraft II StarLeague, a Korean league in the video game
Natural language ...
on its SSL 1300 platform. It has 24 Ku-band transponders and mass of . BSAT-4a launched on 29 September 2017 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 ...
.[
]
BSAT-4b
The second satellite of the fourth generation BSAT was built by Maxar Technologies on its SSL 1300 platform. It has 24 Ku-band transponders and mass around . BSAT-4b was launched 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 ...
on 15 August 2020.B-SAT corporation
/ref>
Satellite list
References
{{Telecommunications
Communications satellite operators