Website B-SAT (Japanese) Launch date 2017 Mission type Communications satellite | Spacecraft BSAT-4a Regime GEO Rocket Ariane 5 | |
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Launch mass 3.5 t (3.4 long tons; 3.9 short tons) Similar BulgariaSat‑1, Intelsat 36, GSAT‑17, JCSAT‑15, DirecTV‑14 | ||
BSAT-4a, is a geostationary communications satellite ordered by B-SAT and designed and manufactured by SSL on the SSL 1300 platform. It is expected to be stationed on the 110° East orbital slot for direct television broadcasting of 4K and 8K Ultra HD resolutions.
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Satellite description
BSAT-4a was designed and manufactured by SSL on the SSL 1300 satellite bus for B-SAT. It has an estimated launch mass of 3.5 t (3.9 tons) with a 15-year design life.
It will have a single Ku band payload with 24 transponders. It will cover Japan with 4K and 8K Ultra HD television satellite service.
History
On June 18, 2015, B-SAT ordered the first of its fourth generation satellites from SSL, BSAT-4a. It was expected to be weight around 3.5 t (3.9 tons), have 24 Ku band transponders with a 15-year design life. At the time it was expected for a late 2017 launch. It was planned, too, that commercial broadcasting of 4K and 8K signals would begin, and have full broadcast of Tokyo 2020 Olympics with that resolution.
On September 14 of the same year, B-SAT contracted Arianespace for an Ariane 5 ECA launch service. During the same month of September B-SAT received a preliminary license for broadcasting 4K and 8K Ultra HD.