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BSAT-2a, was a geostationary communications satellite operated by B-SAT which was designed and manufactured by Orbital Sciences Corporation on the STAR-1 platform. It was stationed on the 110° East orbital slot along its companion BSAT-2c from where they provided redundant high definition direct television broadcasting across Japan.

Satellite description

BSAT-2a was designed and manufactured by Orbital Sciences Corporation on the STAR-1 satellite bus for B-SAT. It had a launch mass of 1,317 kg (2,903 lb), a dry mass of 535 kg (1,179 lb), and a 10-year design life. As all four STAR-1 satellites, it had a solid rocket Star 30CBP apogee kick motor for orbit raising, plus 200 kg (440 lb) of propellant for its liquid propellant station keeping thrusters.

It measured 3.76 m × 2.49 m × 2.03 m (12.3 ft × 8.2 ft × 6.7 ft) when stowed for launch. Its dual wing solar panels can generate 2.6 kW of power at the beginning of its design life, and span 16.10 m (52.8 ft) when fully deployed.

It has a single K_u band payload with four active transponders plus four spares with a TWTA output power of 130 Watts.

History

In March 1999, B-SAT ordered from Orbital Sciences Corporation two satellites based on the STAR-1 platform: BSAT-2a and BSAT-2b. This was the second order of the bus and the first since Orbital had acquired CTA Space Systems, the original developer.

BSAT-2a was launched aboard an Ariane 5G at 22:51 UTC, March 8, 2001, from Guiana Space Center ELA-3. It rode on the lower berth below Eurobird. On April 26, BSAT-2a was commissioned into service starting the broadcast of digital signals.

B-SAT ended the broadcast of analog television in July 2011. During January 2013, BSAT-2a was sent to a graveyard orbit and decommissioned.

References

1. ^ "BSAT 2A". NASA Space Science Data Coordinated Archive. April 27, 2016. Retrieved September 7, 2016.
2. ^ Richmond, Christopher W. (2008). "The Growth of Orbital Sciences and the Market for Small GEO Satellites" (PDF). Space Japan Review (English Version) (55). AIAA JFSC. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 6, 2016. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
3. "BSAT-2A". n2yo.com. Retrieved September 7, 2016.
4. ^ "BSAT-2 Series" (PDF). Orbital ATK. 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 6, 2016. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
5. ^ Krebs, Gunter Dirk (April 17, 2016). "BSat 2a, 2b". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved August 29, 2016.
6. "BSat 2A". Satbeams. Retrieved September 7, 2016.
7. ^ "Launch Kit V-140" (PDF). Arianespace. May 22, 2001. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 6, 2001. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
8. Wade, Mark. "Star Bus". Astronautix.com. Encyclopaedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on August 20, 2016. Retrieved September 7, 2016.
9. ^ "沿革" [History]. Broadcasting Satellite System Corporation. Retrieved September 7, 2016.
10. Ray, Justin (March 8, 2001). "Arianespace launches first Ariane 5 rocket of 2001". Space Flight Now. Retrieved September 8, 2016.

• Communications satellites in geostationary orbit
• Satellites using the GEOStar bus
• Spacecraft launched in 2001
• Communications satellites of Japan
• Satellites of Japan