GEO
Satellite Bus
GEOStar™-2 Bus
A Fully Redundant, Flight-Proven, Spacecraft Bus Designed for Geosynchronous Missions
FACTS AT A GLANCE
Advantages of the GEOStar-2 Bus
Orbital's GEOStar-2 Bus design is unique within the satellite industry. Orbital’s GEOStar-2 Bus provides
an affordable low-to-medium power satellite platform that is ideal for missions of this size. Rather than
being a less efcient version of a larger, heavier product, Orbital’s GEOStar-2 Bus is designed specically
for the 1,000 to 5,550 watts payload class. The GEOStar-2 Bus is ight-proven with excellent operational
performance among the 29 currently in-orbit. With two more GEOStar-2 satellites now in production
or awaiting launch, Orbital has established its class of GEO satellite products as the unquestioned
market leader.
Design
The GEOStar-2 Bus satellite is a modular, mass efcient structure, designed for simplied integration to
reduce manufacturing cycle times. The structure is supported by a composite thrust cylinder, to which the
bus, payload, nadir and base panels are connected. Energy from two multi-panel solar wings and lithium
ion batteries is electronically processed to provide 36 volts regulated power to the satellite throughout
the mission. All active units aboard the satellite are connected through a 1553 data bus. Commands
and telemetry are processed through the ight software resident on the ight processor, which provides
robust autonomous control to all GEOStar-2 satellites. The modularity of the structure and the standard
1553 interfaces allow parallel assembly and test of the bus and payload systems, reducing manufacturing
schedule risk by minimizing the time spent in serial satellite integration and test ow.
Payload Support
While primary applications are Fixed Satellite Services (FSS) and Broadcast Satellite Services (BSS), the
GEOStar-2 Bus can be adapted for MSS, Earth and space science applications, as well as for technology
demonstration or risk reduction programs. Depending on mission duration requirements, the GEOStar-2
Bus can accommodate payloads in excess of 500 kilograms, and provide up to 5,550 watts of power.
Instrument data can be provided in standard format such as CCSDS or through secured encryption, as
approved by the National Security Agency (NSA).
• Orbital is the world’s leading
provider of small- to medium-class
geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO)
communications satellites
• 33 GEO communications satellites
delivered since 1997
• Two GEO communications satellites
on order or in production for delivery
through 2015
• Average delivery of 24 months
• GEOStar-2 leads the industry with
in-orbit reliability
Intelsat 15 in Orbital’s satellite manufacturing
facility
GEOStar™-2 Bus
GEOSTAR BUS HERITAGE
SKYM-1
Mission: Ku- and R-band
Launch: TBD
Amazonas 4A
Mission: Ku-band
Launch: 3/22/14
Thaicom-6
Mission: Ku- and C-band
Launch: 1/6/14
SES-8
Mission: Ku- and Ka-band
Launch: 12/3/13
Azerspace/Africasat-1a
Mission: C- and Ku-band FSS
Launch: 2/7/13
Mexsat Bicentenario
Mission: C- and Ku-band FSS
Launch: 12/19/12
Star One C3
Mission: C- and Ku-band FSS
Launch: 11/10/12
Intelsat 23
Mission: Ku- and C-band
Launch: 10/14/12
HYLAS 2
Mission: Two-way Ka-band
Communications
Launch: 8/2/12
Intelsat 18
Mission: Ku- and C-band
Launch: 10/5/11
Intelsat 28
Mission: Ku- and C-band FSS
Launch: 4/22/11
KOREASAT 6
Mission: Ku-band DBS and FSS
Launch: 12/29/10
SES-1, SES-2 and SES-3
Mission: Ku-band BSS, C-band
FSS and Ka-band
Launch: SES-1: 4/24/10;
SES-2: 2011;
SES-3: 2011
NSS-9
Mission: C-band FSS
Launch: 2/12/09
MEASAT-3a
Mission: Ku-band DTH, C-band
FSS
Launch: 6/21/09
AMC-21
Mission: Ku-band FSS
Launch: 8/14/08
THOR 5
Mission: Ku-band FSS and BSS
Launch: 2/11/08
Horizons-2
Mission: Ku-band FSS
Launch: 12/21/07
Intelsat 16
Mission: Ku-band DTH
Launch: 2/11/10
Intelsat 15
Mission: Ku-band FSS and BSS
Launch: 11/30/09
Intelsat 11
Mission: Ku-band DTH, C-band
FSS
Launch: 10/5/07
Optus D-Series
Mission: Ku-band DTH and FSS
Launch: D1: 10/13/06; D2:
10/5/07; D3: 8/21/09
TELKOM-2
Mission: C-band FSS
Launch: 11/16/05
Galaxy 12, 14 and 15
Mission: C-band FSS (G-15:
C-band FSS and
L-band Navigation)
Launch: G-12: 4/9/03;
G-14: 8/14/05;
G-15: 10/13/05
N-STAR c
Mission: S-band MSS
Launch: 7/5/02
GEOStar™-2 Bus
Specications
Core Bus Features
Bus Dry Mass: 800-1,500 kg
Max. Launch Mass: 3,325 kg
Payload Mass Capability: 500 kg
Orbit: Geosynchronous
Typical Mission Lifetime: >15 years
Delivery: 24 months (typical) after
receipt of order
Launch Vehicle
Compatibility: Ariane, Soyuz, Land
Launch, Proton, H2A,
Falcon-9, Sea Launch
Structure
Bus Dimensions (HxWxL):
Construction: Composite/Al
Power Subsystem
Payload Power: Up to 5,550 W orbit
Bus Voltage: 24-36 VDC (nominal)
Solar Arrays: Multi-junction GaAs cells
Batteries: Li-Ion
Attitude Control Subsystem
Stability Mode: 3-axis; zero momentum
Propulsion Subsystem
Transfer Orbit System: Liquid bi-propellant
On Orbit: Monopropellant (hydrazine)
Command & Data Handling Subsystem
Flight Processor: MIL-STD-1750A
Interface Architecture: MIL-STD 1553B, CCSDS
1.75 m x 1.7 m x 1.8 m
average @ 15 years
Shared Launch Opportunities
Due to the size and mass envelope of the satellite, the GEOStar-2 Bus is
compatible with almost all commercially available launch vehicles, maximizing
opportunity for launch and access to space. While dedicated or single
launch services are more readily available, the GEOStar-2 Bus targets shared
launch opportunities, where launch cost and launch-sharing opportunities are
favorable.
Mission Services
Customers can purchase the GEOStar-2 Bus spacecraft bus alone, or as part
of a turn-key service that includes an integrated payload, network operations
center and launch vehicle. Orbital conducts spacecraft commissioning from its
own ground station prior to transferring spacecraft control to the customer’s
operations center.
Mission Life
The satellite is designed with conservative margin beyond 15 years, taking
into account for the severe geosynchronous radiation environment. The typical
limitation of mission duration is on-board fuel for orbit maintenance station-
keep. However, fuel life can be optimized and extended to more than 15 years,
based on launch vehicle selection.
Heritage
The GEOStar-2 Bus lls a market niche for small, high power geosynchronous
communications spacecraft. Orbital’s rst application of the GEOStar-2 Bus
design, N-STAR c, was successfully launched in July 2002 on an Ariane
rocket. Since then, Orbital has launched 27 GEOStar-2 Bus spacecraft with
three in production.
Versatility
Several available options augment the basic bus to provide improved pointing,
more payload power, secure communications, higher downlink data rates or
enhanced payload computing power.
More Information
Mr. Amer Khouri
Vice President of Marketing, Global Communications
(703) 948-8600, geomarketing@orbital.com
Orbital Sciences Corporation
45101 Warp Drive
©2014 Orbital Sciences Corporation FS004_06_2998
•
Dulles, Virginia 20166
•
Orbital’s Dulles, Virginia satellite manufacturing facility
www.orbital.com
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