ITV

Tag: Space Systems

  • Intelsat announces successful launch of IA-8 satellite

    Intelsat announces successful launch of IA-8 satellite

    MUMBAI: Satellite communications provider Intelsat has announced that the IA-8 satellite has been successfully launched aboard Sea Launchs Zenit-3SL rocket. Intelsat states that the satellite, built by Space Systems/Loral is its most powerful to date. It will operate from 89ºW longitude and will offer prime, powerful landmass coverage to customers in the Americas, the Caribbean, Alaska and Hawaii. A substantial portion of the capacity on IA-8 was committed to customers prior to the satellite’s launch.

    IA-8, which will commence service from August, features C-, Ku- and Ka-band transponders. The Ka-band payload on the IA-8 satellite represents Intelsat’s first Ka-band capacity in orbit, and the IA-8 is just the second commercial satellite in North America to have such capacity. IA-8 is also the first satellite in Intelsats fleet to feature two high-powered zone beams specifically designed to provide complete zonal coverage of South America. Additionally, the 89ºW location falls in the valuable North American broadcast arc, offering broadcast customers an ideal distribution platform.

    All customers on IA-8 will have access to increased power and flexibility for all applications, including those used by the government, broadcasters, corporations, service providers and other businesses.

    Intelsat CEO David McGlade said, IA-8 represents a very important launch for Intelsat and North American customers as it offers high-powered Ku-Band coverage of all 50 states, relieving some of the current capacity constraints facing all operators serving the US market.

    Intelsat is better positioned than ever to serve the US, South American and Caribbean markets and to support the growth of emerging services such as DTH, distribution of high-definition cable programming and broadband data networks.

    Our customers across the region will benefit from the higher power, increased network flexibility and cost-effective capacity IA-8 offers, which will allow them to grow their businesses with greater efficiency.

    IA-8 is the fifth satellite in the Intelsat Americas fleet. The satellite was part of Intelsats acquisition of Lorals North American satellite assets in February 2004, which helped give Intelsat a significant presence in the North American video and data markets. The launch of IA-8 marks the completion of Intelsats planned launches to date.

  • Arianespace to launch BSat-3a for Japan in 2007

    Arianespace to launch BSat-3a for Japan in 2007

    MUMBAI: Arianespace CEO Jean-Yves Le Gall announced at the Paris Air Show that Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems had selected Arianespace to launch the BSat-3a spacecraft for the Broadcasting Satellite System Corporation (B-Sat) of Japan.

    BSat-3a will be launched on an Ariane 5 in the second quarter of 2007 from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.

    BSAT-3a will be the sixth satellite entrusted by the B-Sat Corporation to the European Ariane launcher and the 38th Lockheed Martin platform to be lofted by Arianespace. This is the 22nd satellite payload that Arianespace has won in Japan out of the 30 that have been open to commercial launch services competition.

    BSat-3a will be built by Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems at its facility in Newtown, Pennsylvania, using an A2100 A platform. Weighing approximately 2,000 kgs. at liftoff, it will be positioned at 110 degrees East longitude and will have a design life of more than 13 years.

    The BSat-3a’s payload of eight 130-Watt Ku-band transponders will provide direct-to-home broadcasts from a geostationary orbit to subscribers throughout Japan.

    “We are honored to work once again with Lockheed Martin’s satellite division. This contract underscores the strong relationship we have developed over the years with LMCSS. We are of course also very proud to serve a faithful customer like B-Sat Corporation,” said Le Gall.

    “We have chosen Arianespace because of the commitment to excellence they bring to satellite launch. We are pleased that once again we will be working with them,” said LMCSS president Ted Gavrilis.
     

  • Space Systems/Loral’s MBSat satellite launched

    Space Systems/Loral’s MBSat satellite launched

    MUMBAI: The MBSat broadcast communications satellite, built by Space Systems/Loral (SS/L) for Mobile Broadcasting Corporation (MBCO) of Japan and SK Telecom of Korea, was launched on Saturday.

    The satellite was sent into space on an International Launch Services (ILS) Atlas III rocket from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The MBSat satellite will be positioned at 144 degrees East longitude, where it will deliver music, video and data to mobile users in Japan and Korea through a variety of mobile terminals, including those in cars, ships, trains, hand held terminals, personal digital assistants, cellular phones and home portables. A very small antenna will be sufficient to receive these broadcast signals even inside buildings and in vehicles moving at high speeds.

    An official release informs that the satellite carries two high power transponders for direct broadcasting services, with one transponder providing coverage for Japan and the other for Korea. Two additional transponders provide links to terrestrial repeater networks, which augment the satellite broadcast signal. Each transponder has an operating bandwidth of 25 MHz. This allows for more than 50 channels of audio, video and data services.

    The release adds that the MBSat satellite will host one of the most cutting edge applications driving the satellite industry beyond basic broadcasting. SS/L stated that it built a reliable, powerful and flexible spacecraft that will provide numerous multimedia applications in Japan and Korea for years to come.