ARSAT-3K is a

geostationary 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 geosynchronous orbit in altitude ...

communications Communication (from la, communicare, meaning "to share" or "to be in relation with") is usually defined as the transmission of information. The term may also refer to the message communicated through such transmissions or the field of inquir ...

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-d ...

designed and manufactured by

INVAP INVAP S.E. is an Argentine company that provides design, integration, construction and delivery of equipment, plants and devices. The company operates in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa, and delivers p ...

Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...

for the local telecommunication company ARSAT S.A. It is a small (4.2 kW of power generation and of launch mass) three axis stabilized platform designed, manufactured and tested completely in Argentina. It is capable of carrying up to of payload with a maximum power consumption of 3.4 kW at the end of life. It currently uses only chemical propulsion, but a hybrid solution which would use bi-propellant propulsion for

orbit raising In celestial mechanics, an orbit is the curved trajectory of an physical body, object such as the trajectory of a planet around a star, or of a natural satellite around a planet, or of an satellite, artificial satellite around an object or pos ...

and

electric propulsion Spacecraft electric propulsion (or just electric propulsion) is a type of spacecraft propulsion technique that uses electrostatic or electromagnetic fields to accelerate mass to high speed and thus generate thrust to modify the velocity of a sp ...

for station keeping is being developed. A purely electric propulsion version is planned.

Platform Versions

ARSAT-3K

The ARSAT-3K is the initial version of this bus. It is comparable to the

Thales Alenia Space Thales Alenia Space () is a Franco-Italian aerospace manufacturer. A joint venture between the French technology corporation Thales Group (67%) and Italian defense conglomerate Leonardo (33%), the company is the largest satellite manufacture ...

Spacebus 3000B2. It uses an integrated chemical propulsion system supplied by EADS Astrium for both

and station keeping.

ARSAT-3H

The ARSAT-3H is the second version of this bus, which initiated its development during 2015. It will use an hybrid approach with bi-propellant propulsion for

and

for station keeping. It will keep the launch mass of , but have enhanced capabilities, being able to carry a of payload with a maximum power consumption of 7 kW at the end of its design life.

ARSAT-3E

The ARSAT-3E will be the third version of the platform. It will use

exclusively. It will keep the payload and power envelope of the ARSAT-3H while applying the improvements to cost and weight reduction.

List of satellites

The Argentine Geostationary Satellite Plan 2015-2035 ( Spanish: ) establishes a roadmap for the platform development until 2035.

References