Spaceflight Now | Breaking News | Lockheed Martin set to deliver BSAT-3a and JCSAT-11

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Lockheed Martin set to deliver BSAT-3a and JCSAT-11
LOCKHEED MARTIN NEWS RELEASE
Posted: June 18, 2007

PARIS -- Lockheed Martin is poised to deliver two spacecraft in the third quarter of 2007 for two premiere customers, the Broadcasting Satellite System Corporation (B-SAT) and the JSAT Corporation (JSAT), both based in Japan.

BSAT-3a, designed and built for B-SAT, recently completed its Pre-Shipment Review and is in preparation for shipment to the Arianespace launch site in French Guiana. The BSAT-3a communications payload contains 12 130-W Ku-band channels (eight operating at one time) and will be located at 110 degrees east longitude. With a design life of more than 13 years, BSAT-3a is based on the A2100A platform manufactured by Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems (LMCSS), Newtown, Pa. BSAT-3a marks the 12th Lockheed Martin satellite contract awarded in the 1- to 4-kW class satellite range.

BSAT-3a is the sixth Direct Broadcasting Satellite in the 12GHz BSS band procured by B-SAT. Satellite broadcasting in Japan has a long history, which began in 1984. Broadcast penetration is currently in excess of 23 million households.

JCSAT-11 is scheduled to launch in autumn on a Proton launch vehicle provided by International Launch Services. JCSAT-11 is a high-power hybrid satellite consisting of 30 active Ku-band transponders and 12 active C-band transponders that will provide coverage to Japan, the Asia-Pacific region and Hawaii. JCSAT-11 is designed for a minimum service life of 15 years and will serve as a back up satellite for other JSAT satellites following its scheduled launch.

LMCSS successfully launched JCSAT-9 and JCSAT-10 in 2006, both also based on the A2100AX satellite platform. JCSAT-11 is the third consecutive satellite order that JSAT has contracted to Lockheed Martin in the last four years.

BSAT-3a and JCSAT-11 mark the 33rd and 34th A2100 spacecraft designed and built by Lockheed Martin.

The Lockheed Martin A2100 geosynchronous spacecraft series is designed to meet a wide variety of telecommunications needs including Ka-band broadband and broadcast services, fixed satellite services in C-band and Ku-band, high-power direct broadcast services using the Ku-band frequency spectrum and mobile satellite services using UHF, L-band, and S-band payloads.

The A2100's modular design features a reduction in parts, simplified construction, increased on-orbit reliability and reduced weight and cost.

The A2100 spacecraft's design accommodates a large range of communication payloads as demonstrated by the 32 spacecraft successfully flown to date. This design modularity also enables the A2100 spacecraft to be configured for missions other than communication. The A2100 design is currently being adapted for geostationary earth orbit (GEO)-based earth observing missions and is currently the baselined platform for Lockheed Martin's Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite Series-R (GOES-R) proposal.

About B-SAT

B-SAT is a unique operator of broadcasting satellites in 12GHz BSS band in Japan. The company was established in April 1994 and is located in Tokyo, Japan. Since then, B-SAT has worked toward providing stable satellite operations and continuity of broadcast services. B-SAT currently owns and manages five satellites, BSAT-1a and-1b for analogue services, BSAT-2a and -2c for digital services and BS-3N, built by Lockheed Martin, as a spare.

About JSAT Corporation

JSAT Corporation is a leading satellite operator in the Asia-Pacific region. The company owns and operates eight satellites, covering North America, Hawaii, Asia and Oceania. JSAT provides a range of services, including digital communication satellite broadcasting service SKY PerfecTV! satellite TV broadcasting, video and data broadcasting services for corporate and inter-company networks, international telecommunications services.

About Lockheed Martin

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin employs about 140,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation reported 2006 sales of $39.6 billion.