BSAT-3b, 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 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 Earth. C ...

operated by

Broadcasting Satellite System Corporation The Broadcasting Satellite System Corporation (B-SAT) is a Japanese corporation established in April 1993 to procure, manage and lease transponders on communications satellites. Its largest stockholder, owning 49.9%, is NHK, the Japan Broadcasting ...

(B-SAT) which was designed and manufactured by

Lockheed Martin The Lockheed Martin Corporation is an American aerospace, arms, defense, information security, and technology corporation with worldwide interests. It was formed by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta in March 1995. It ...

on the A2100 platform. It is stationed on the 110.0° East orbital slot along its companion BSAT-3a and BSAT-3c from where they provide redundant high definition direct television broadcasting across Japan.

Satellite description

BSAT-3b was designed and manufactured by

on the A2100

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 ...

for B-SAT. It had a launch mass of , a dry mass of , and a 15-year design life. As most satellites based on the A2100 platform, it uses a

LEROS-1C Leros ( el, Λέρος) is a Greek island and municipality in the Dodecanese in the southern Aegean Sea. It lies (171 nautical miles) from Athens's port of Piraeus, from which it can be reached by an 9-hour ferry ride or by a 45-minute flight fr ...

LAE Lae () is the capital of Morobe Province and is the second-largest city in Papua New Guinea. It is located near the delta of the Markham River and at the start of the Highlands Highway, which is the main land transport corridor between the Highl ...

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 ...

. It measured when stowed for launch. Its dual wing solar panels can generate 3 kW of power at the end of its design life, and span when fully deployed. It has a single K_u-band payload with eight active

transponders 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 tran ...

plus four spares with a

TWTA A traveling-wave tube (TWT, pronounced "twit") or traveling-wave tube amplifier (TWTA, pronounced "tweeta") is a specialized vacuum tube that is used in electronics to amplify radio frequency (RF) signals in the microwave range. The TWT belongs t ...

output power of 130 watts.

History

On 15 April 2008,

announced that it had also been awarded the second contract of the B-SAT third generation broadcast satellite fleet for BSAT-3b. It had already produced BSAT-3a, which launched on 2007, and would eventually also produce BSAT-3c. BSAT-3b would be based on the A2100 platform, sport 8 K_u-band

(plus 4 spares) and have a design life of 15 years. It was going to be located at the 110.0° East orbital position. It was to be launched aboard an Ariane 5 ECA in the second half of 2010. On 26 October 2010, Lockheed announced that BSAT-3b was mated to the launcher and ready for its ride to orbit. It launch at 21:51 UTC, on 28 October 2010 aboard an Ariane 5 ECA from Centre Spatial Guyanais

ELA-3 ELA-3 (french: Ensemble de Lancement Ariane 3, lit=Ariane Launch Complex 3), is a launch pad and associated facilities at the Centre Spatial Guyanais in French Guiana. ELA-3 is operated by Arianespace as part of the expendable launch system f ...

launch pad. It rode on the lower berth under the

SYLDA Sylda is a village and a former municipality in the Mansfeld-Südharz district, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Since 1 January 2010, it is part of the town Arnstein.Eutelsat W3B Eutelsat S.A. is a French satellite operator. Providing coverage over the entire European continent, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and the Americas, it is the world's third-largest satellite operator in terms of revenues. Eutelsat's satellit ...

. The first signals from the satellite were received one hour later, at 22:52 UTC. On 4 November 2010, Lockheed Martin announced that BSAT-3b had successfully deployed its reflector antennas and solar panels, and also had successfully performed all orbital maneuvers. After some further check outs, it would be put into operative service. It was entered into service on 8 December 2010 after successfully passing the on-orbit deployment and checkout phase.

References

{{Orbital launches in 2010 Communications satellites in geostationary orbit Satellites using the A2100 bus Spacecraft launched in 2010 Communications satellites of Japan Satellites of Japan