MBSAT 1

Launch data: Designation  28184 / 04007A Launch date  13 Mar 2004 - 05:40 UT Launch site  CC, SLC36B Launch vehicle  Atlas-3A (AC-202) #144 Mission  Commercail: Communications Geostationary orbit on 25 Mar: Perigee / Apogee  35781 x 35792 km Eccentricity  1,54E-04 Inclination  0,01° Period  1436,07 min

Description:

• The satellite would be owned by SK Telecom (South Korea, 34.66%) and MBC (Japan, 65.34%). MBC (Mobile Broadcasting Corporation) is a partnership of 42 Japanese companies - including Fujitsu Ltd., Matsushita Electric/Panasonic, Nippon TV, Toshiba Corp. and Toyota Motor.
• The Loral-built MBSAT will relay digital audio and multimedia to mobile users in Japan using a large deployable S-band mesh antenna. The Atlas Centaur AC-202 reached a 166 x 940 km orbit 12 min after launch, and then restarted to enter a 183 x 35939 km x 24.8 deg transfer orbit. MBSAT will use an R-4D liquid engine to raise its orbit to geostationary over longitude 144 deg E.
• MBSat 1 (Mobile Broadcasting Satellite) will provide 2.400 kW RF power over 25 MHz of S-band spectrum to run more than 50 channels of audio and video from 16 S-band transmitters operating at 120 W. In addition, the satellite will provide a 25 MHz Ku-band service link to transmit the broadcast signal to terrestrial repeaters. The satellite will generate more than 7.400 kW of DC power continuously throughout its 12 year life. The satellite will deploy a 12 meter antenna reflector to transmit the MBC programming. The system will be able to broadcast more than 50 programs simultaneously.

Mission details:

• After a clockwork countdown, the 170-foot tall rocket zoomed off Cape Canaveral's pad 36B at 12:40 a.m. EST (0540 GMT).
• Three minutes after liftoff, the spent first stage was jettisoned and the single-engine Centaur upper stage ignited for a 9-minute firing to achieve a temporary orbit. After coasting across the ocean, the Centaur performed a second burn as it neared Africa to reach an elliptical geosynchronous transfer orbit with a high point 22,332 statute miles, a perigee of 114 statute miles and inclination of 24.82 degrees to the equator.
• The MSAT satellite was safely released from its launcher 29 minutes into flight, capping the 70th consecutive successful Atlas launch. The remarkable string encompasses Atlas 1, 2, 3 and 5-families of rockets dating back to 1993.

S-band:

Ku-band: