JSAT Corporation

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JSAT Corporation (JSAT) is satellite operator with a fleet of 8 satellites in orbit. According to a 2004 report, JSAT was the fifth largest satellite operator in the world, ranked by 2003 fiscal year revenue.^[1] JSAT was the first private-sector satellite communications operator in Japan, beginning its operations following the enactment of Japan's Telecommunications Business Law in 1985.^[2]

[edit] JCSAT-11

On February 6, 2006 JSAT announced it had contracted with International Launch Services (ILS) to launch its JCSAT-11 satellite on a Proton-M.^[3] The satellite was based on the Lockheed-Martin A2100 design.^[4] Launch occurred at 22:43 GMT, on 5 September 2007, from LC-200/39 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome. Due to a mulfunction of the second stage of the rocket the spacecraft failed to reach orbit. Instead, the spacecraft and rocket debris impacted about 40 km (25 mi) from the city of Zhezqazghan, in the central Karaganda region of Kazakhstan.^[5]

JCSAT-11 was intended as a backup to JSAT's existing eight spacecraft. After the launch failure,JSAT Corporation announced plans to purchase an identical replacement satellite.^[6] On September 19, 2007, launch service provider Arianespace announced that JSAT had chosen the Ariane 5 as the launch vehicle for JCSAT-12.^[7]

[edit] Horizons Satellite LLC

JSAT is a 50% equity owner of Horizons Satellite LLC, a joint venture with Intelsat. On December 21, 2007, Arianespace used an Ariane 5 rocket to launch the Horizons-2 satellite.

[edit] References