JCSAT-4 (original) (raw)

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JCSAT-4

Names JCSAT-4 (1995–1997)JCSAT-R (1997–2009)Intelsat 26 (2009–present)
Mission type Communications
Operator JSAT / Intelsat
COSPAR ID 1997-007A[1]
SATCAT no. 24732[2]
Mission duration 12 years (planned)
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft JCSAT-4
Spacecraft type JCSAT
Bus HS-601
Manufacturer Hughes
Launch mass 3,105 kg (6,845 lb)
Dry mass 1,841 kg (4,059 lb)
Dimensions 26.2 m × 7.5 m (86 ft × 25 ft) with solar panels and antennas deployed
Power 5 kW
Start of mission
Launch date 17 February 1997, 01:42:02 UTC[1]
Rocket Atlas IIAS
Launch site Cape Canaveral, LC-36B
Contractor International Launch Services (ILS)
Orbital parameters
Reference system Geocentric orbit[3]
Regime Geostationary orbit
Longitude 124° East
Transponders
Band Ku-band:12 × 36 Mhz + 16 × 27 MHzC-band:12 x 36 MHz
Bandwidth 1296 MHz
Coverage area Japan, East Asia, South Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii
TWTA power Ku-band:4 × 36 MHz 95 watts8 × 36 MHz 63 watts16 × 27 MHz 63 wattsC-band:12 x 36 MHz 34 watts
JCSAT constellation← JCSAT-3JCSAT-1B →

JCSAT-4 was known as JCSAT-R until it was sold to Intelsat in 2009 (Intelsat 26). It is a geostationary communications satellite designed and manufactured by Hughes (now Boeing) on the HS-601 satellite bus. It was originally ordered by JSAT Corporation, which later merged into the SKY Perfect JSAT Group. It has a mixed Ku-band and C-band payload and was used as an on orbit spare.[4][2]

Satellite description

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The spacecraft was designed and manufactured by Hughes on the HS-601 satellite bus. It had a launch mass of 3,105 kg (6,845 lb), a dry mass of 1,841 kg (4,059 lb) and a 12-year design life. When stowed for launch, its dimensions were 2.8 m × 4.9 m × 3.8 m (9 ft 2 in × 16 ft 1 in × 12 ft 6 in). With its solar panels fully extended it spanned 26.2 m (86 ft), and its width when its antennas were fully deployed was 7.5 m (25 ft).[4] Its power system generated approximately 5 kW of power due to two wings with four solar panels each.[5][4] It also had a single NiH2 battery composed of 30 cells and a 200 Ah charge.[4] It would serve as on orbit backup for the JSAT fleet.[4]

Its propulsion system was composed of an R-4D-11-300 liquid apogee engine (LAE) with a thrust of 490 N (110 lbf). It also used had 12 22 N (4.9 lbf) bipropellant thrusters for station keeping and attitude control. It included enough propellant for orbit circularization and 12 years of operation.[4] Its payload is composed of four octagonal antenna fed by twelve 36 MHz and sixteen 27 MHz Ku-band plus twelve 27 MHz C-band transponders for a total bandwidth of 1296 MHz.[5][4] Eight of the 36 MHz and the sixteen 27 MHz Ku-band transponders have a TWTA output power of 63 watts, the other four 36 MHz ones have 95 watts. It can configure four 27 MHz transponders into a single 54 MHz with an effective 125 watts.[4] The twelve C-band transponders have 36 MHz bandwidth and 34 watts of power.[4]

In December 1995, JSAT ordered its fourth satellite from Hughes, and second of the HS-601 platform, the JCSAT-4. It was an almost copy of the JCSAT-3, also based on the HS-601, but with more powerful transponders. It would have a mixed Ku-band and C-band payload, a power generation capability of 5000 watts and a 12 year of design life. It was expected to be delivered by early 1997 and be positioned at the 124° East longitude. It would provide telecommunications and television services to Japan, all of Asia, Hawaii and Australia and New Zealand.[4][6]

On 25 March 1996, International Launch Services (ILS) announced a contract with JSAT for the launch of JCSAT-4 aboard an Atlas IIAS. At the time it was expected to launch in January 1997 from Cape Canaveral at LC-36A launch pad. This was the second contract of ILS with JSAT after the successful launch of JCSAT-3 in August 1995.[7]

On 18 February 1997 at 01:42:02 UTC, and Atlas IIAS launched from Cape Canaveral LC-36B with JCSAT-4 towards a geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO).[8] After the successful launch, it was renamed JCSAT-R. During its tenure as JCSAT-R it operated on the 124° East longitude.[4] In August, 2008, JSAT was merged into the SKY Perfect JSAT Group.[9]

In late 2009, Intelsat bought JCSAT-R and rechristened it Intelsat 26.[10][4] In March 2010, Intelsat announced an agreement with Türksat for loaning Intelsat 26 so the latter could keep its orbital rights until a new satellite could be launched.[10] In July 2010, it was positioned at the 50° East longitude with a 3.4° inclination.[11] In January 2013, the inclination had increased to 4.6°.[12] In August 2016, the satellite was positioned at 64.1° East with a 6.97° inclination.[13][3]

  1. ^ a b "Trajectory: JCSAT 4 1997-007A". NASA. 10 February 2021. Retrieved 20 March 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Intelsat 26". Satbeams. Retrieved 26 July 2016.
  3. ^ a b "Detailed satellite data for INTELSAT 26 (IS-26) 64.1°E". satellite-calculations.com. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Krebs, Gunter (21 April 2016). "JCSat 3, 4 (JCSat R) → Intelsat 26". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
  5. ^ a b "Hughes Built JCSAT-4 To Boost Services In Pacific Rim". warunasat.com. 14 February 1997. Archived from the original on 22 August 2016. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  6. ^ "JSAT Orders New Communications Satellite From Hughes". warunasat.com. 2 February 1996. Archived from the original on 22 August 2016. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  7. ^ "Japan Satellite Systems, Inc. Selects Atlas For Launch Of JCSAT 4". warunasat.com. 25 March 1996. Archived from the original on 22 August 2016. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  8. ^ "Atlas Successfully Launches Japanese Comm Satellite". warunasat.com. 16 February 1997. Archived from the original on 22 August 2016. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  9. ^ "Notice of Merger of Consolidated Subsidiaries" (PDF). SKY Perfect JSAT. 6 August 2008. Retrieved 3 August 2016.
  10. ^ a b de Selding, Peter B. (18 March 2010). "Turksat To Use Borrowed Intelsat Craft as Placeholder". SpaceNews. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  11. ^ "Intelsat 26 (50.0E)". warunasat.com. 21 July 2010. Archived from the original on 22 August 2016. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  12. ^ "Intelsat 26 (50.0E)". warunasat.com. 27 January 2013. Archived from the original on 22 August 2016. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  13. ^ "INTELSAT 26 (JCSAT 4)". N2YO.com. Retrieved 11 August 2016.