An artist's concept of Superbird 6 in orbit. Credit: Boeing Satellite Systems

Space Communications Corporation (SCC), a Japanese satellite communications service company, ordered Superbird 6, a Boeing 601 communications satellite, from Boeing Satellite Systems in September 2001. It is the third Boeing satellite to be built for SCC. Superbird 6 is scheduled to launch in the spring of 2004 on an Atlas 2AS launch vehicle from Cape Canaveral AFS, Florida.

Superbird 6, slated for an orbital slot at 158.0 degrees East longitude, will provide business telecommunication services to Japan in Ku-Band and Ka-Band and will provide additional Ka-Band services using a Steerable Spot Beam. The satellite has a payload of 23 active Ku-Band transponders and four Ka-Band transponders.

The first Superbird spacecraft built by Boeing Satellite Systems, Superbird C, was launched in July 1997. Then, Superbird 4(B2) was launched in February 2000.

Mitsubishi Corporation (MC), Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (MELCO), and other Mitsubishi Group Companies established Space Communications Corporation of Tokyo, Japan in 1985.

Superbird is the name of the series of high-performance communications satellites owned and operated by SCC. SCC now operates four communications satellites named Superbird A, B2, C, and D at four orbital slots, by which SCC is providing stable and high quality telecommunication services to a wide range of customers.

Boeing Satellite Systems is major provider of space systems, communications satellites, and payloads for national defense, science, environmental and commercial applications.