Founded 1993 | ||
 | ||
The Broadcasting Satellite System Corporation (B-SAT) is a Japanese corporation established in April 1993 to procure, manage and lease transponders on communications satellites. Its largest stockholder, owning 49.9%, is NHK, the Japan Broadcasting Corporation. In 1994 it was ranked by Space News as the world's 19th largest fixed satellite operator.
Contents
Satellite fleet
The B-SAT fleet has an extensive history. This is an overview of the satellites.
Former Satellites
These satellites were managed by Broadcasting Satellite System Corporation but are now decommissioned.
BSAT-1a
BSAT-1a was an HS-376 based satellite with 4 active plus 4 spare Ku band transponders. It was successfully launched on April 16, 1997 aboard an Ariane 44LP along Thaicom 3.
BSAT-1b
BSAT-1b was an HS-376 based satellite with 4 active plus 4 spare Ku band transponders. It was successfully launched on April 28, 1998 aboard an Ariane 44P along Nilesat 101.
BSAT-2a
BSAT-2a was manufactured by Orbital Sciences Corporation based on the Star bus platform. It was launched aboard an Ariane 5G rocket on March 8, 2001. BSAT-2a serves as an on orbit backup to BSAT-2c.BSAT-2a was deorbited in January 2013.
BSAT-2b
BSAT-2b was a twin of BSAT-2a, also based on the Star bus platform. Launched along Artemis aboard an Ariane 5G, it was left on an unusable orbit and that it couldn't compensate for. The electric propulsion Artemis, could use its higher efficiency ion drives, to reach operational orbit.
BSAT-2c
BSAT-2c was manufactured by Orbital Sciences Corporation Based on the Star Bus platform. It was launched aboard an Ariane 5 rocket 2003-06-11. In-orbit delivery to B-SAT took place 2003-07-15. BSAT-2c was deorbited in August 2013.
Current Satellites
The current fleet of Broadcasting Satellite System Corporation as of July 2016 is composed a three spacecrafts.
BSAT-3a
Launched 2007-08-14 by an Ariane 5 ECA expendable launch vehicle. It was manufactured by Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems based on the A2100A platform design, with a communications payload containing 12 Ku-band channels, eight of which operate at one time. Located in geostationary orbit at 110 degrees East longitude, it replaced BSAT-1a and BSAT-1b.
BSAT-3b
B-SAT awarded Lockheed Martin the contract to build its next geostationary telecommunications satellite, BSAT-3b, which was launched by Arianespace aboard an Ariane 5 ECA (along with the Eutelsat W3B satellite) on 2010-10-28.
BSAT-3c
BSAT-3c, also known as JCSAT-110R, is a satellite co-owned with SKY Perfect JSAT Group with each operator owning a separate payload. It was built by Lockheed Martin on its A2100A platform. It has two separate payloads with 12 Ku band transponders each. It was successfully launched on August 7, 2011 on an Ariane 5 ECA along Astra 1N.
Future Satellites
The B-SAT network will enter its new generation on 2017. All third generation satellite will be replaced with the fourth generation.
BSAT-4a
The first satellite of the fourth generation B-SAT will be built by SSL (company) on its SSL 1300 platform. It will have 24 Ku band transponders and mass around 3.5 t (3.9 tons). It is expected to be launched on 2017 aboard an Ariane 5 ECA.