Spainsat Operational X-band and Ka-band Service for the Spanish Ministry of Defense and other Allied Governments
- Paper number
IAC-06-B3.3.03
- Author
Mr. Larry Rubin, Space Systems/Loral, United States
- Coauthor
Mr. Miguel Angel Garcia Primo, Spain
- Year
2006
- Abstract
The Spainsat spacecraft was launched in March, 2006. Service is to be initiated in April, 2006 after completion of system verification testing. Spainsat will provide X-band and Ka-band communications services for the Spanish Ministry of Defense, as well as services to the U.S. and other allied governments. Spainsat incorporates high-power, wideband, transponders with theater and Earth coverage to enable high bandwidth use to small terminals, with flexible coverage, from its geostationary orbital location at 30.0 degrees west longitude. The X-band Payload provides voice and data for land and maritime applications. The Ka-band Payload provides broadcast quality TV services to deployed platforms and operational theatres. The spacecraft was designed and manufactured by Space Systems/Loral and is based on the SS/L 1300 satellite bus. It has a Mission Design Life of 15 years. The spacecraft mass is 1480 kilograms dry; 3700 kilograms with full propellant load at launch. The satellite generates 4700 watts of power (at end of life), using two four-panel, all silicon, high efficiency Solar Arrays. One 34-cell 178 Amp-hour Nickel-Hydrogen Battery is used during the Earth eclipses. On orbit, the Solar Array spans over 31.5 m; the satellite body is 3.2 m wide; and 5.5 m high (to the TCR antenna). The communications payload consumes 2400 watts and weighs 300 kilograms. It is comprised primarily of thirteen X-band channels. Six 0.6-meter reflector antennas provide spot beams – five steerable over the visible Earth, plus one fixed on Spain; one 0.9-meter reflector provides a fixed spot beam on the eastern United States. Two global horns provide Earth communications coverage. Steerable uplink coverage is provided using an innovative phased-array In-orbit Reconfigurable Multibeam Antenna (IRMA), developed and provided by Spanish industry. The satellite also has one Ka-band channel. One 0.9-meter reflector (shared with X-band) provides a fixed spot beam on Spain; one 0.9-meter reflector provides a steerable spot beam. One transmit horn provides a left-hand circularly polarized beacon. Telemetry, Command and Ranging (TCR) for orbit raising and contingency operations uses an S-band system, with wide angle antennas. For normal on-station operations the TCR is provided by an X-band system, using a fixed spot beam antenna for uplink and a global horn for downlink. This paper presents the unique aspects of the Spainsat mission and of the newly deployed satellite system design and development, on-orbit performance, and operational system services.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-06-B3.3.03.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
To get the manuscript, please contact IAF Secretariat.