N-STAR c

N-STAR c, is a geostationary communications satellite originally ordered by NTT DoCoMo and later fully acquired by SKY Perfect JSAT Group.[6][7] It was designed and manufactured by Lockheed Martin, which acted as prime, developed the payload and did the final integration and testing, and Orbital Sciences Corporation, which supplied the satellite bus on the GEOStar-2 platform and procured the launch services.[2] It had a launch weight of approximately 1,625 kg (3,583 lb), and a 10-year design life.[2][8] Its payload is composed of 1 C band, and 20 S band transponders and its stationed in the 136°East longitude.[9][10]

N-STAR c

Mission type	Communication
Operator	SKY Perfect JSAT Group
COSPAR ID	2002-035B[1]
SATCAT no.	27461
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft	N-STAR c
Bus	GEOStar-2
Manufacturer	Lockheed Martin/Orbital Sciences Corporation
Launch mass	1,625 kg (3,583 lb)[2]
Dimensions	3.3 m × 1.9 m × 1.5 m (10.8 ft × 6.2 ft × 4.9 ft)
Power	2.6 kW
Start of mission
Launch date	23:22:00, July 5, 2002 (UTC)[3]
Rocket	Ariane 5G V-153
Launch site	Kourou ELA-3
Contractor	Arianespace
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric
Regime	Geosynchronous orbit
Longitude	136°E[4]
Epoch	2016-08-22 00:00:00 UTC[5]
Transponders
Band	C band: 1 S band: 20[2]
N-Star

Satellite description

N-STAR c is a 3 axis stabilized geostationary communications satellite based on the GEOStar-2 satellite bus. While its payload was developed by Lockheed Martin, who also did final integration, the satellite bus was supplied by Orbital Sciences Corporation (now Orbital ATK). N-STAR c was the first order for the GEOStar-2 (then called STAR-2) platform, and Orbital supplied it fully integrated and tested to LM.[11]

It weighted 1,625 kg (3,583 lb) at launch, and while the design life was of 10 years.[8] Stowed for launch it measured 3.3 m × 1.9 m × 1.5 m (10.8 ft × 6.2 ft × 4.9 ft).[12] It had a power availability dedicated to the payload of 1.4 kW, thanks to its Multi-junction GaAs solar cells that produced 2.6 kW at the beginning of its operative life and spanned 12.6 m (41 ft) when deployed.[12][8] The satellite used a bipropellant propulsion system for orbit circularization, station keeping and attitude control, with enough propellant for 12 years.[8]

Its payload was designed and manufactured by Lokheed Martin. It is composed of an unfurlable 5.1 m (17 ft) antenna fed by 20 S band and 1 C band transponders. With the S band part supplying end user mobile communication services and the C band acting as the feeder channel. The S band transponders have a solid-state amplifiers power of 288 Watts. It is arranged in three groups of four plus one spare amplifiers of 24 Watts each.[8] The transponders work on the 2.5 GHz to 2.6 GHz frequency.[13] The C band transponder is powered by one plus one spare 13 Watt solid state amplifier and works on the 4 GHz and 6 GHz frequency band.[8][13][14]

History

N-Star was created as a joint venture between JSAT, NTT, NTT Communications and NTT DoCoMo for the supply of these latter two WIDESTAR satellite telephone and data packet service.[15] JSAT would handle the satellite side of business and NTT DoCoMo would operate the payload.[16][17]

On October 1999, N-STAR c was ordered by NTT DoCoMo from Lockheed Martin and Orbital Sciences Corporation.[11] Orbital would supply the spacecraft and procure launch services and Lockheed would deliver the payload an act a main contractor.[2] It was the first satellite ordered to use the GEOStar-2 satellite bus from Orbital.[11]

On July 5, 2002 at 23:22:00 UTC and Ariane 5G successfully launched N-STAR c along Stellat 5.[3] On September 12, 2002, Orbital announced the successful on-orbit delivery of N-STAR c to its client, NTT DoCoMo, during late August.[18]

During 2010, SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation acquires N-STAR c, completing the transfer of NTT orbital assets and management to JSAT.[7] The same year the WIDESTAR II service was enabled for all of Japan, using N-STAR c and JCSAT-5A, also known as N-STAR d.[14]

See also

• JCSAT-5A – Also known as N-STAR d, was the follow on satellite.

References

1. "N-STAR 3". NASA Space Science Data Coordinated Archive. 27 April 2016. Retrieved 2016-08-22.
2. Krebs, Gunter Dirk (2016-08-19). "N-Star a, b". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
3. "N-STAR 3". NASA Space Science Data Coordinated Archive/Orbital Information. 27 April 2016. Retrieved 2016-08-22.
4. "Satellite Fleet JSAT". SKY Perfect JSAT Group. Retrieved 2016-08-22.
5. "NSTAR B". n2yo.com. Retrieved 2016-08-22.
6. "N-Star". Global Security. Retrieved 2016-08-02.
7. "History". SKY Perfect JSAT Holdings Inc. Retrieved 2016-08-22.
8. "N-STAR c" (PDF). Orbital ATK. 2015. Retrieved 2016-08-22.
9. "N-Star-C". satbeams.com. Retrieved 2016-08-22.
10. "N-STAR c". SKY Perfect JSAT Group. Retrieved 2016-08-22.
11. "Lockheed Martin/Orbital Team Selected by Japan's NTT Mobile Communications Network to Negotiate N-Star c Geosynchronous Communications Satellite Contract". prnewswire.com. Orbital Sciences Corporation. Oct 20, 1999. Retrieved 2016-08-22.
12. "Launch Kit V-153" (PDF) (in French). Arianespace. June 27, 2003. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2004-04-11. Retrieved 2016-09-08.
13. "Who we are" (PDF). SKY Perfect JSAT Group. 2012-08-03. Retrieved 2016-08-02.
14. Yamamoto, Kazuichi; Furukawa, Makoto; Satoh, Hijin; Nishi, Yasuki; Kouji, Horikawa (September 2010). "Overview of WIDESTAR II Mobile Satellite Communications System and Service" (PDF). NTT DoCoMo Technical Journal. NTT DoCoMo. 12 (2): 37–42. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
15. "FORM 20-F/A AMENDMENT NO.1 TO FORM 20-F" (PDF). NTT DoCoMo. February 8, 2002. Retrieved 2016-08-02.
16. "FORM 20-F/A AMENDMENT NO.1 TO FORM 20-F" (PDF). NTT DoCoMo. July 10, 2002. Retrieved 2016-08-02.
17. "FORM 20-F/A AMENDMENT NO.1 TO FORM 20-F" (PDF). NTT DoCoMo. July 3, 2003. Retrieved 2016-08-02.
18. "Lockheed Martin/Orbital Team Makes Final On-Orbit Delivery Of N-STAR c Satellite to NTT DoCoMo". prnewswire.com. Orbital Sciences Corporation. Sep 12, 2002. Retrieved 2016-08-22.

External links

• JSAT Fleet Status