Article Posted on : - Dec 09, 2010

An artistic rendition of BSAT-3b

NEWTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA (BNS): The BSAT-3b broadcasting satellite is now operational following successful on-orbit deployment and checkout of all spacecraft systems.

The spacecraft is located at orbital location 110 degrees east and is expected to provide more than 15 years of service for the Broadcasting Satellite System Corporation (B-SAT) of Japan.

BSAT-3b features 12 130 W Ku-band channels, eight operating simultaneously and is based on the A2100A platform manufactured by Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems (LMCSS).

The satellite broadcasts high-definition television to homes and businesses throughout Japan and links ground stations with 90 million HDTV terminals across the country.

Lockheed Martin successfully built and launched BSAT-3a for B-SAT in August 2007 and is currently constructing BSAT-3c/JCSAT-110R, which is scheduled for launch in the second quarter of 2011.

The A2100 spacecraft can also be configured for missions other than communication. It has been adapted for Lockheed Martin’s Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite Series-R earth observing mission and serves as the spacecraft platform for Lockheed Martin’s GPS III program, a Lockheed Martin release said.