JCSAT-2A, known as JCSAT-8 before launch, 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 altitud ...

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 ...

operated by SKY Perfect JSAT Group (JSAT) which was designed and manufactured by

Boeing Satellite Systems The Boeing Satellite Development Center is a major business unit of Boeing Defense, Space & Security. It brought together Boeing satellite operations with that of GM Hughes Electronics' Space and Communications division in El Segundo, Calif ...

on the BSS-601 platform. It has Ku-band and C-band payload and was used to replace JCSAT-2 at the 154° East longitude. It covers Japan,

East Asia East Asia is the eastern region of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The modern states of East Asia include China, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan. China, North Korea, South Korea ...

, Australia and

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...

Satellite description

The spacecraft was designed and manufactured by

on the BSS-601

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- ...

. It had a launch mass of a power production of 3.7 kW and an 11-year design life. Stowed for launch it measured , with its

solar panels A solar cell panel, solar electric panel, photo-voltaic (PV) module, PV panel or solar panel is an assembly of photovoltaic solar cells mounted in a (usually rectangular) frame, and a neatly organised collection of PV panels is called a photo ...

and antennas deployed it measured . Its payload is composed of sixteen 57 MHz Ku-band plus eleven 36 MHz and five 54 MHz C-band

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 tra ...

, for a total bandwidth of 1,578 MHz. Its high-power amplifiers had an output power of 120

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 ...

s on Ku-band and 34 watts on C-band. The Ku-band footprint covers only Japan, while the C-band beams cover Japan, East Asia, Australia and Hawaii.

History

In April 2000, JSAT ordered JCSAT-8 from

Boeing The Boeing Company () is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, telecommunications equipment, and missiles worldwide. The company also provides leasing and ...

(which had acquired the HS-601 business from

Hughes Hughes may refer to: People * Hughes (surname) * Hughes (given name) Places Antarctica * Hughes Range (Antarctica), Ross Dependency * Mount Hughes, Oates Land * Hughes Basin, Oates Land * Hughes Bay, Graham Land * Hughes Bluff, Victoria La ...

), to replace JCSAT-2 at the 154° East slot. It would provide coverage to Japan, East Asia, Australia and Hawaii. An Ariane 44L successfully launched JCSAT-8 on 29 March 2002 at 01:29 UTC 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 approximat ...

. Once successfully deployed, it was renamed JCSAT-2A.

References

{{Orbital launches in 2002 Communications satellites in geostationary orbit Satellites using the BSS-601 bus Spacecraft launched in 2002 Communications satellites of Japan Satellites of Japan