US space systems developer Orbital Sciences has opened up its new medium-class GEOStar-3 satellite platform to orders after securing its first contract.
The group said it is now ready to start offering the spacecraft, an extension to the smaller…
US space systems developer Orbital Sciences has opened up its new medium-class GEOStar-3 satellite platform to orders after securing its first contract.
The group said it is now ready to start offering the spacecraft, an extension to the smaller GEOStar-2 bus it has provided for the last decade, to address a broader market for fixed satellite services, DTH and high throughput applications.
GEOStar-3 has a production schedule of 24 to 27 months and its undisclosed first mission is slated for a launch in early 2016. GEOStar-2, used as a basis for Hispasat’s upcoming bird Amazonas 4A, also has a relatively speedy turnaround of between 22 and 24 months.
But as well as being larger to support payloads weighing up to 800kg at 8kw in power capability, compared with around 500kg and 5kw, the new platform also includes a hybrid electrical propulsion (EP) option, which uses chemical propellants to reach orbit faster than all-electric models.
The company said it is in active negotiations with several other customers for additional GEOStar-3 orders, including for its hybrid EP platform.
Christopher Richmond, Orbital’s senior vice president of its communications satellite business unit, said: “The enhanced capacity, flexibility and scalability of the GEOStar-3 platform enables us to address the requirements of the medium-size satellite market, offering customers more payload power, higher throughput and better overall value.”
GEOStar-3 has also been designed to enable stacked dual-launch configurations, promising to lower overall project costs when placed with another satellite.
ILS forges dual launch partnership
Eager to serve an anticipated surge in demand for dual-launches across the wider market, Russia’s International Launch Services today signed a partnership with local manufacturer ISS Reshetnev to hunt for such opportunities on its Proton rocket.
The companies aim to position Proton to meet the growing need for dual-launches that they see coming from the advent of lighter electric and hybrid satellites.
Under their partnership, ILS will search for non-Russian spacecraft that could be paired with satellites built by ISS Reshetnev, and together they will assess the technical feasibility.
ILS CEO Phil Slack said: “This agreement puts in place a solid foundation for our cooperation with ISS Reshetnev – one of the most prolific spacecraft manufacturers – in meeting the commercial demand for a cost effective solution to launching lighter spacecraft.
“This is an innovative approach that will certainly be of great benefit to our existing customers and new entrants alike.”
An ILS spokeswoman said it would be possible to pair a GEOStar-3 satellite with an ISS Reshetnev bird on a Proton.
