N-STAR a

N-STAR a
Mission type Communication
Operator SKY Perfect JSAT Group
COSPAR ID 1995-044A[1]
SATCAT no. 23651
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft N-STAR a
Bus SSL 1300
Manufacturer Space Systems/Loral
Launch mass 3,400 kg (7,500 lb)[2]
BOL mass 2,050 kg (4,520 lb)
Dry mass 1,617 kg (3,565 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date 06:41:00, August 29, 1995 (1995-08-29T06:41:00)[3]
Rocket Ariane 44P
Launch site Kourou ELA-2
Contractor Arianespace
Orbital parameters
Reference system Geocentric
Regime Inclined geosynchronous
Semi-major axis 42,458 km
Perigee 36,064 km
Apogee 36,156 km
Inclination 8.86°
Period 1452.66 minutes
Epoch 2016-08-21 00:00:00 UTC[4]
Transponders
Band C band: 6
Ka band: 11
Ku band: 8
S band: 1[5]

N-STAR a, was a geostationary communications satellite originally ordered by a consortium including NTT DoCoMo and JSAT Corporation, and later fully acquired by JSAT, which was merged into SKY Perfect JSAT Group. It was designed and manufactured by Space Systems/Loral on the SSL 1300 platform.[2] It had a launch weight of approximately 3,400 kg (7,500 lb), and a 10-year design life.[2] Its payload is composed of 6 C band, 11 Ka band, 8 Ku band and 1 S band transponders.

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.[6] JSAT would handle the satellite side of business and NTT DoCoMo would operate the payload.[7][8]

Two identical satellites were ordered on 1992 from Space Systems Loral, N-STAR a and N-STAR b, for 1995 and 1996 on orbit delivery.[9][10] They would be "switchboards in the sky" having S band, C band, Ka band and Ku band payload.[11]

N-STAR a was successfully launched aboard an Ariane 44P on August 29, 1995. Its twin, N-STAR b, launched on February 5, 1996, also aboard an Ariane 44P.[2][11] The satellite telephone service was operational in March 1996. On March 2000, the packet communications service was introduced.[12] On March 2000, JSAT received the NTT Communications interest in the N-STAR a and N-STAR b.[13][14]

On August 2003 the JSAT acquired the NTT DoCoMo interest on N-STAR a and N-STAR b, whom then leased them back.[15][16]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "N-STAR-A". NASA Space Science Data Coordinated Archive. 27 April 2016. Retrieved 2016-08-19.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Krebs, Gunter Dirk (2016-08-19). "N-Star a, b". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
  3. ↑ "N-STAR-A". NASA Space Science Data Coordinated Archive. 27 April 2016. Retrieved 2016-08-19.
  4. ↑ "NSTAR A". n2yo.com. Retrieved 2016-08-19.
  5. ↑ "Communications in Japan 1999" (PDF). General Planning and Policy Division, Minister’s Secretariat (Whitepaper). Communications in Japan (1999 ed.). Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications of Japan. 1999: 132. Retrieved 2016-08-20.
  6. ↑ "FORM 20-F/A AMENDMENT NO.1 TO FORM 20-F" (PDF). NTT DoCoMo. February 8, 2002. Retrieved 2016-08-02.
  7. ↑ "FORM 20-F/A AMENDMENT NO.1 TO FORM 20-F" (PDF). NTT DoCoMo. July 10, 2002. Retrieved 2016-08-02.
  8. ↑ "FORM 20-F/A AMENDMENT NO.1 TO FORM 20-F" (PDF). NTT DoCoMo. July 3, 2003. Retrieved 2016-08-02.
  9. ↑ "N-Star". Global Security. Retrieved 2016-08-02.
  10. ↑ "Awards & Launch History - 1300 Bus Satellites". SSL. Retrieved 2016-08-20.
  11. 1 2 "N-Star a and b". SSL. Retrieved 2016-08-18.
  12. ↑ 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.
  13. ↑ "Who we are" (PDF). SKY Perfect JSAT Group. 2012-08-03. Retrieved 2016-08-02.
  14. ↑ "History". SKY Perfect JSAT Holdings Inc. Retrieved 2016-07-28.
  15. ↑ "NTT DoCoMo to Transfer Satellite Assets to JSAT and Acquire JSAT Common Stock". NTT DoCoMo. July 31, 2003. Retrieved 2016-08-02.
  16. ↑ "FORM 20-F/A AMENDMENT NO.1 TO FORM 20-F" (PDF). NTT DoCoMo. June 28, 2004. Retrieved 2016-08-02.
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