Orbital N-STAR User Manual
GEO
Communications
N-STAR c
S-band Commercial Communications Satellite
FACTS AT A GLANCE
Mission Description
Built for NTT DoCoMo, N-STAR c is furthering NTT’s vision of providing wireless service for a multitude
of applications including mobile telephony, data transfer and maritime communications. N-STAR c
provides an improved signal to users, allowing better voice quality and smaller mobile phones for the
Japanese users.
N-STAR c operates in the S-band with a C-band feeder link. The satellite is located at 136 degrees East
Longitude and was launched in early July 2002 on an Ariane 5 rocket. N-STAR c is optimized for a ten-
year minimum life on-orbit, and is augmenting service provided by the company’s existing satellites.
™
Lockheed Martin supplied the payload, which was integrated onto the Orbital GEOStar-2
Orbital’s Dulles, Virginia facility. Final integration and test was performed at the Lockheed Martin
Commercial Space Systems facilities in Newtown, Pennsylvania. In addition to the satellite bus, Orbital
provided the ground system and procured the launch vehicle.
bus in
Spacecraft
N-STAR c is based on Orbital’s highly successful Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) communications
satellites which are able to accommodate all types of commercial communications payloads and are
compatible with all major commercial launchers. The company’s GEOStar product line includes the
GEOStar-2 design, which is optimized for smaller satellite missions that can support up to 5.0 kilowatts
of payload power. Orbital has also developed the higher-power GEOStar-3 spacecraft design, delivering
the next increment of payload power for applications between 5.0 and 8.0 kilowatts, allowing Orbital to
offer its innovative and reliable satellite design to the medium-class of communications satellites.
Coverage:
Japan
Mission:
S-band mobile communications
Customer:
NTT Mobile Communications Network
N-STAR c mated to Ariane 5 prior to its
July 5, 2002 launch
N-STAR c
Specications
Spacecraft
Launch Mass: 1,625 kg (3,582 lb.)
Redundancy: Typically 2-for-1, minimum
Solar Arrays: Multi-junction Gallium Arsenide cells
Stabilization: Zero momentum; 3-axis stabilized
Pointing: <0.12
Payload Power: ~1.4 kW
Propulsion: Liquid bi-propellant transfer orbit system;
Mission Life: 10 year minimum, tank capacity for >12 years
Orbit: 136
Payload
Frequency: S-band mobile communications, C-band
Repeater: S-band: 288 W multiport amplier (three
C-band: 2-for-1 solid state power ampliers
Antenna: 5.1 m unfurlable
°
circular error
monopropellant (hydrazine) on-orbit
°
East Longitude
feeder link
5-for-4 groups of 24 W solid-state power
ampliers)
(13 W)
Mission Partners
NTT DoCoMo
NTT DoCoMo is Japan’s premier mobile communications
company, which provides wireless voice and data communications
to tens of millions of subscribers. NTT DoCoMo is the creator of
W-CDMA air interface technology, as well as the groundbreaking
mobile i-mode service.
Orbital Sciences Corporation
Orbital provided the system design and was responsible for the
assembly, integration and test of the spacecraft bus. Orbital also
provided the ground station and procured the launch services.
Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems
Lockheed Martin, as the prime contractor, participated in
integration and test, and provided the communications payload.
Arianespace
Launch provider
Launch
Launch Vehicle: Ariane 5
Site: Kourou, French Guiana
Date: July 5, 2002
N-STAR c Mission Prole
N-STAR c was launched
aboard an Ariane 5 rocket.
Orbital Sciences Corporation
45101 Warp Drive
©2014 Orbital Sciences Corporation FS013_01_2998
•
Dulles, Virginia 20166
•
www.orbital.com
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