JCSAT-RA, previously known as JCSAT-12,
is a Japanese geostationary
communications satellite
A communications satellite is an artificial satellite that relays and amplifies radio telecommunication signals via a Transponder (satellite communications), transponder; it creates a communication channel between a source transmitter and a Rad ...
, which is operated by
SKY Perfect JSAT Group.
Details
It was ordered to replace the
JCSAT-11 satellite which was lost in a launch failure on a
Proton-M
The Proton-M, (Протон-М) GRAU index 8K82M or , is an Expendable launch system, expendable Russian heavy-lift launch vehicle derived from the Soviet Union, Soviet-developed Proton (rocket family), Proton. It is built by Khrunichev State R ...
/
Briz-M
The Briz-K, Briz-KM and Briz-M ( meaning ''Breeze-K, KM and M'') are Russian liquid-propellant rocket orbit insertion upper stages manufactured by Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center and used on the Proton-M and Angara A5. T ...
rocket in 2007, and is currently used as an
on-orbit spare satellite; a role in which it replaced the older
JCSAT-R spacecraft, providing a reserve for if one of the company's other satellites fails. It is a satellite, which was constructed by
Lockheed Martin
The Lockheed Martin Corporation is an American Arms industry, defense and aerospace manufacturer with worldwide interests. It was formed by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta on March 15, 1995. It is headquartered in North ...
based on the
A2100AX 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 less customized than specially-produced satelli ...
, with the same configuration as
JCSAT-10 and JCSAT-11.
The contract to build JCSAT-12 was awarded on 6 September 2007, the day after JCSAT-11 failed to reach orbit.
It was launched, along with the Australian
Optus D3 satellite, by
Arianespace
Arianespace SA is a French company founded in March 1980 as the world's first commercial launch service provider. It operates two launch vehicles: Vega C, a Small-lift launch vehicle, small-lift rocket, and Ariane 6, a Medium-lift launch vehicl ...
.
An
Ariane 5ECA rocket was used for the launch, which occurred from
ELA-3
ELA-3 () is a launch complex at the Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana. The complex was first used in June 1996 in support of the now retired Ariane 5
Ariane 5 is a retired European heavy-lift space launch vehicle operated by Arianespac ...
at the
Guiana Space Centre
The Guiana Space Centre (; CSG), also called Europe's Spaceport, is a spaceport to the northwest of Kourou in French Guiana, an Overseas departments and regions of France, overseas region of France in South America. Kourou is located approxim ...
in
Kourou
Kourou (; ) is a commune in French Guiana, an overseas region and department of France in South America. Kourou is famous for being the location of the Guiana Space Centre, the main spaceport of France and the European Space Agency (ESA). It ...
,
French Guiana
French Guiana, or Guyane in French, is an Overseas departments and regions of France, overseas department and region of France located on the northern coast of South America in the Guianas and the West Indies. Bordered by Suriname to the west ...
. The launch took place at 22:09 GMT on 21 August 2009, at the start of a 60-minute
launch window
In the context of spaceflight, launch period is the collection of days, and launch window is the time period on a given day, during which a particular rocket
A rocket (from , and so named for its shape) is a vehicle that uses jet propulsio ...
.
JCSAT-12 separated from its carrier rocket into a
geosynchronous transfer orbit
In space mission design, a geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) or geosynchronous transfer orbit is a highly elliptical type of geocentric orbit, usually with a perigee as low as low Earth orbit (LEO) and an apogee as high as geostationary orbit ...
, from which raise itself to
geostationary orbit
A geostationary orbit, also referred to as a geosynchronous equatorial orbit''Geostationary orbit'' and ''Geosynchronous (equatorial) orbit'' are used somewhat interchangeably in sources. (GEO), is a circular orbit, circular geosynchronous or ...
using a
LEROS-1C apogee motor
An apogee kick motor (AKM) is a rocket motor that is regularly employed on artificial satellites to provide the final impulse to change the trajectory from the transfer orbit into its final orbit (most commonly circular orbit, circular). For a ...
. It has a design life of fifteen years, and carries forty two
transponder
In telecommunications, a transponder is a device that, upon receiving a signal, emits a different signal in response. The term is a blend of ''transmitter'' and ''responder''.
In air navigation or radio frequency identification, a flight trans ...
s; twelve G/H band, and thirty J band (US IEEE C and Ku bands respectively).
See also
*
2009 in spaceflight
Several significant events in spaceflight occurred in 2009, including Iran conducting its first indigenous orbital launch, the first Switzerland, Swiss satellite being launched and New Zealand launching its first sounding rocket. The H-IIB ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jcsat-12
Spacecraft launched in 2009
Satellites using the A2100 bus
Communications satellites of Japan
Satellites of Japan