N-STAR b

N-STAR b, 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.

N-STAR b
Mission typeCommunication
OperatorSKY Perfect JSAT Group
COSPAR ID1996-007A[1]
SATCAT no.23781
Spacecraft properties
SpacecraftN-STAR b
BusSSL 1300
ManufacturerSpace Systems/Loral
Launch mass3,400 kg (7,500 lb)[2]
BOL mass2,050 kg (4,520 lb)
Dry mass1,617 kg (3,565 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date07:19:38, February 5, 1996 (UTC) (1996-02-05T07:19:38Z)[3]
RocketAriane 44P
Launch siteKourou ELA-2
ContractorArianespace
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeInclined geosynchronous
Semi-major axis42,451 km
Perigee altitude36,037.74 km
Apogee altitude36,123.3 km
Inclination7.9°
Period1,450.8 minutes
Epoch2016-08-21 00:00:00 UTC[4]
Transponders
BandC band: 6
Ka band: 11
Ku band: 8
S band: 1[5]
 

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
  • JCSAT-5A – Also known as N-STAR d, was the follow on satellite.

References
  1. "N-STAR-B". NASA Space Science Data Coordinated Archive. 27 April 2016. Retrieved 2016-08-19.
  2. Krebs, Gunter Dirk (2016-08-19). "N-Star a, b". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
  3. "N-STAR-B". NASA Space Science Data Coordinated Archive. 27 April 2016. Retrieved 2016-08-19.
  4. "NSTAR B". n2yo.com. Retrieved 2016-08-21.
  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. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  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. Archived from the original on 2015-08-12. Retrieved 2016-08-20.
  11. "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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