M-Sat 1

Canada

International Sat. n°:

Canadian satellite n°: 19

Also called: AMSC 2 (American Mobile Satellite Corporation 2)

Launch data:

Designation	23846 / 96022A
Launch date	20 Apr 1996 - 22:36 UT
Launch site	Ko, ELA2
Launch vehicle	Ariane-42P (V85)
Mission	Communication
Geostationary orbit:
Perigee / Apogee	km
Eccentricity
Inclination	°
Period	min
Location	106.5°W

This satellite is a twin of AMSC 1. Both satellites were ordered at the same time (with separate contracts). Both operators will provide complementary mobile telephone, radio, data, and positioning service to land, aviation, and maritime users. Each operator also will provide the other with backup and restoration capacity.

Should move to 101°W and be jointly operated by AMSC and TMI in mid-1998

Specifications

Prime contractor	Hughes (bus) and SPAR Aerospace (payload)
Platform	HS-601
Operator	AMSC / Mobile Satellite Ventures (MSV)
Mass at launch	2830 kg
Mass in orbit	1700 kg
Basic shape
Dimension (m)	2.5 m x 3.5 m x 7.9 m
Equipment	6 (+4) active L-band transponders
Solar array	2 deployable solar arrays (20.96 m span
Stabilization	3-axis
Propulsion	R-4D-11-300
DC power	BOL: 4000 W
Design lifetime	12 years

Mission details:

The MSAT spacecraft are the first to use Hughes' innovative Springback antennas. Weighing 20 kg each, they are made of graphite in a 6.8-meter-by-5.25-meter elliptical shape. The unique design not only provides a lightweight antenna, it also takes advantage of normally unused space in the top of the rocket fairing. Instead of being folded against the spacecraft body for launch as conventional antennas are, two Springback antennas are rolled together into a 4.9 m high cone shape atop the satellite. The cone is about 1.5 m in diameter at the top and about 3 m in diameter at the bottom.

For launch, the solar arrays fold accordion-style against the sides of the spacecraft. A flight-proven bipropellant propulsion system with an integral 110-lbf liquid apogee motor and 12 5-lbf thrusters afford a minimum 10-year service life. At the beginning of life in orbit, the spacecraft will weigh approximately 3783 pounds (1716 kilograms).

M-Sat 1 has lost two power amplifiers. Mobile Satellite Ventures (MSV) has moved all customers to AMSC-1 but hopes to use the remaining capacity on MSAT-1 for coverage of eastern North America.

L-band (1545-1559/1646.5-1660.5 MHz)

Main transponders	16
Backup transponders	4
Power	38 W (SSPA)
Bandwidth
Coverage	North America (4 spot beams) Alaska and Hawaii (1 beam) Carribean (1 beam)
EIRP max	57 dBW

Total bandwith: 3200 x 5 KHz

Each beam transponder is equipped with eight surface acoustic wave filters covering the 29 MHz L-band allocation, allowing selection of filters to math traffic needs and to coordinate with other international users. Frequency reuse is incorporated between the North American east and west beams. The beams are combined into two L-band power pools, one covering the east and central beams, and the other covering the remaining service areas. Each power pool is generated by a hybrid matrix amplifier assembly.

Ku-band

Main transponders	2
Backup transponders	2
Power	100 W (TWTA)
Bandwidth	24 MHz
Coverage	CONUS, Carribean, Canada, Alaska and Hawaii
EIRP max	36 dBW
Polarization	linear V
Frequencies	10.760-10.910 GHz

The downlink frenquencies can be mapped to: 10.760, 10.790, 10.820, 10.850, 10.880 or 10.910 GHz.

Beacon: 11.70275 MHz

Ref: #7, #14, #15 - update: 19.09.11