Operator B-SAT SATCAT № 26720 Launch mass 1,317 kg (2,903 lb) Launch date 8 March 2001 Mission type Communications satellite | COSPAR ID 2001-011B Spacecraft BSAT-2a Dry mass 535 kg (1,179 lb) Bus GEOStar | |
Manufacturer Orbital Sciences Corporation People also search for BSAT-2c, BSAT-1a, BSAT-1b, BSAT-3a | ||
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 broadcastin across Japan.
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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 Ku band payload with four active transponders plus four spares with a TWTA output power of 130 Watts.
History
On 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. In 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.