Japanese-Korean venture
accepts advanced satellite
LORAL NEWS RELEASE
Posted: April 27, 2004
The MBSAT broadcast communications satellite, built by Space
Systems/Loral (SS/L) for Mobile Broadcasting Corporation
(MBCO) of Japan and SK Telecom of Korea, has successfully
completed its in-orbit testing and was officially delivered on-orbit
Tuesday. The satellite was formally accepted during a signing
ceremony at MBCO's Tokyo headquarters.
An artist's concept of the MBSAT spacecraft in orbit. Credit: MBSAT
After its successful launch on March 13, 2004, SS/L engineers put
the MBSAT satellite through a rigorous test and check out program
and maneuvered the spacecraft to its final orbital location at 144
degrees East longitude. Engineers also successfully demonstrated
the transmission of broadcast signals through the satellite to small
handheld user terminals.
The MBSAT platform incorporates a number of innovative
technology applications with SS/L's highly reliable and space-proven
1300 bus:
A state-of-the-art electric propulsion system has been
incorporated for orbital stationkeeping maneuvers. This
system, using flight-proven Stationary Plasma Thrusters
(SPT), significantly extends the satellite's useful lifetime.
A 12-meter unfurlable reflector provides exceptional
coverage and quality of service. The reflector, built by
Northrop Grumman Astro Aerospace, is a key component of
SS/L's proprietary S-band antenna system. Signal verification
tests confirmed accurate deployment of the reflector with
excellent correlation between measured antenna
performance and pre-launch predictions.
Satellite pointing accuracy and overall performance has been
enhanced by an improved attitude control system based on
four active reaction wheels and Ring Laser Gyros for
three-axis body-stabilization.
Next generation triple junction gallium arsenide solar cells
provide an efficiency improvement of 50 percent over
previous generation silicon solar cells.
"The successful delivery of MBSAT has again demonstrated SS/L's
ability to combine innovation with flight-proven heritage to satisfy
our customer's unique requirements," said C. Patrick DeWitt,
president, Space Systems/Loral. "The MBSAT satellite will serve as
a model platform for similar direct-to-user services around the
world."
The MBSAT payload consists of four high power transponders for
direct broadcast services and terrestrial repeater networks covering
Japan and Korea. The satellite will deliver high-quality music, video
and data to mobile users in Japan and Korea through a variety of
mobile terminals, including those in cars, ships, trains as well as
handheld terminals, personal digital assistants, cellular phones and
home portables.
A very small antenna will be sufficient to receive these broadcast
signals even inside buildings and in vehicles moving at high speeds.
Mobile Broadcasting Corporation was established to provide cars
and mobile terminals with digital satellite broadcasting for audio,
video and data services throughout Japan. MBCO's new
broadcasting system was authorized by the Japanese Government
and registered with the ITU. MBCO's major shareholders are
Toshiba, SK Telecom, Sharp, Toyota, Yokogawa, Matsushita, NTT
Data, Yusen, Nippon TV, Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance, Fujitsu, and
Panasonic. So far 77 Japanese companies are MBCO partners.
Several foreign companies own significant interests in the MBCO
business venture, while many others are currently considering
investment.
SK Telecom Co., Ltd. is Korea's leading wireless
telecommunications services provider and a pioneer in the
commercial development and provision of high-speed wireless data
and Internet services. The company serves nearly 18 million
subscribers throughout Korea, the majority of whom own
data-capable handsets. SK Telecom has established a new
company, TU Media Corp. with more than 150 investor companies.
TU Media Corp. will provide mobile digital multimedia broadcasting
services throughout the Korean Peninsula.
Space Systems/Loral, a subsidiary of Loral Space &
Communications (OTCBB: LRLSQ), is a premier designer,
manufacturer, and integrator of powerful satellites and satellite
systems. SS/L also provides a range of related services that include
mission control operations and procurement of launch services.
Based in Palo Alto, Calif., the company has an international base of
commercial and governmental customers whose applications include
broadband digital communications, direct-to-home broadcast,
defense communications, environmental monitoring, and air traffic
control. SS/L satellites have amassed more than 1000 years of
reliable on-orbit service. SS/L is ISO 9001:2000 certified.
Loral Space & Communications is a satellite communications
company. In addition to Space Systems/Loral, Loral, through its
Skynet subsidiary, owns and operates a fleet of telecommunications
satellites used to broadcast video entertainment programming, and
for broadband data transmission, Internet services and other
value-added communications services. |
