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Arianespace To Launch Australian Commercial Military Satellite
Paris - May 08, 2003 One of the two satellites to be launched by the next Ariane 5 mission is the product of a close cooperation between Australia's civil and defense sectors. With a liftoff mass of approximately 4,700 kg., the Optus and Defence C1 satellite carries a mixed payload that will serve the needs of Singtel Optus Pty. Limited - a large Australian integrated telecommunications provider, and the Australian Department of Defence. The Optus and Defence C1 relay platform will operate in four different frequency bands: commercial services in Ku-band for Singtel Optus; and military communications at UHF, X and Ka-bands for the Australian Department of Defence. This cooperative effort began in 1997 as the result of an unsolicited invitation from Optus to the Australian Department of Defence for a sharing arrangement on Australia's next generation commercial communications satellite. Contracts were signed by the Australian Department of Defence and Optus in October 1999, with participants agreeing to share the costs, benefits and risks of acquiring, launching and operating the spacecraft. Optus and Defence C1 is one of the most advanced communications satellites ever built, carrying a total of 16 antennas that will provide 18 beams across Australia, New Zealand and the Asia-Pacific region, as well as global beams covering from India to Hawaii. It is to operate from an orbital slot of 156 degrees East Longitude. Singtel Optus has the prime contractor role to the Australian Department of Defence for the military communications payload, and the satellite was built under the responsibility of Japan's Mitsubishi Electric. The spacecraft uses a FS 1300 satellite bus from California's Space Systems/Loral, which handled its assembly, integration and testing, as well as the supply of the commercial Ku-band payload subsystem. Raytheon from the U.S. was the military UHF payload subsystem contractor. Australian military officials said the benefits of this shared program are substantial - providing a large satellite communications capability, delivered years ahead and at a fraction of the cost than if the Australian Department of Defence had acquired a telecom satellite alone. In addition, lessons learned from the program will assist the country's defense forces in its acquisition of satellite communications capabilities in the future. The military Ka-band payload has four 33-MHz active transponders and one spare. It will provide medium to high data rate defense theatre coverage and duplex video, along with voice and data communications. This Ka-band communications service is a new capability for the Australian Department of Defence. X-band telecommunications links provided via the satellite will be used by the military for medium to high data rate one- and two-way video, as well as voice and data communications. Service will be provided by four 60-MHz active transponders, with an additional transponder serving as a spare. The X-band communications links also are new for the country's defense network. UHF links via the relay satellite will enhance UHF capabilities already employed by the Australian Department of Defence, and will be used for low data rate two-way voice and data communications. There are five 5-kHz channels and one 25-kHz channel provided via the satellite. Optus and Defence C1 will share the Ariane 5 ride on Flight 161 with BSAT-2c, which will be orbited for the Broadcasting Satellite System Corporation (B-SAT) of Japan. Liftoff of Flight 161 is set for early June from the ELA-3 launch complex at the Spaceport in French Guiana. Community Email This Article Comment On This Article Related Links Optus Australian Department of Defence Mitsubishi Electric Space Broadcasting Satellite System Corp Orbital Sciences SpaceDaily Search SpaceDaily Subscribe To SpaceDaily Express Military Space News at SpaceWar.com
Space Group To Activate New Unit
Colorado Springs CO (SPX) Jan 6, 2006Air Force Reserve Command's 310th Space Group will travel deeper into the space program when it activates a new unit Jan. 7. Headquarters Reserve National Security Space Institute will be a Reserve associate unit to the National Security Space Institute in Colorado Springs, Colo. The institute is the Department of Defense's focal point for providing education about space power in joint warfighting. |
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