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JCSAT-RA

Mission type	Communication
Operator	SKY Perfect JSAT Group
COSPAR ID	2009-044A
SATCAT no.	35755
Mission duration	15 years
Spacecraft properties
Bus	A2100AXS
Manufacturer	Lockheed Martin
Launch mass	4,000 kilograms (8,800 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date	21 August 2009, 22:09 (2009-08-21UTC22:09Z) UTC
Rocket	Ariane 5ECA
Launch site	Kourou ELA-3
Contractor	Arianespace
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric
Regime	Geostationary
Perigee altitude	35,787 kilometres (22,237 mi)
Apogee altitude	35,798 kilometres (22,244 mi)
Inclination	0.04 degrees
Period	1436.11 minutes
Epoch	24 January 2015, 13:19:57 UTC
JSAT← JCSAT-11JCSAT-13 →

JCSAT-RA, previously known as JCSAT-12, is a Japanese geostationary communications satellite, which is operated by SKY Perfect JSAT Group.

Details

It was ordered to replace the JCSAT-11 satellite which was lost in a launch failure on a Proton-M/Briz-M rocket in 2007, and is currently used as an on-orbit spare satellite; a role in which it replaced the older JCSAT-R spacecraft, providing a reserve for if one of the company's other satellites fails. It is a 4,000-kilogram (8,800 lb) satellite, which was constructed by Lockheed Martin based on the A2100AX satellite bus, with the same configuration as JCSAT-10 and JCSAT-11. The contract to build JCSAT-12 was awarded on 6 September 2007, the day after JCSAT-11 failed to reach orbit.

It was launched, along with the Australian Optus D3 satellite, by Arianespace. An Ariane 5ECA rocket was used for the launch, which occurred from ELA-3 at the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, French Guiana. The launch took place at 22:09 GMT on 21 August 2009, at the start of a 60-minute launch window.

JCSAT-12 separated from its carrier rocket into a geosynchronous transfer orbit, from which raise itself to geostationary orbit using a LEROS-1C apogee motor. It has a design life of fifteen years, and carries forty two transponders; twelve G/H band, and thirty J band (US IEEE C and Ku bands respectively).

See also

• 2009 in spaceflight

References

1. ^ "JCSAT 12 Satellite details 2009-044A NORAD 35755". N2YO. 24 January 2015. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
2. ^ Krebs, Gunter. "JCSat 10, 11, 12 (JCSat 3A, RA)". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 31 July 2010.
3. "Order of the Replacement Satellite of JCSAT-11 Backup Satellite Following Launch Failure" (PDF). JSAT Corporation. 6 September 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 21 August 2009.
4. "Arianespace & JSAT Culminate Contract For JCSAT-12". Satnews Daily. Archived from the original on 5 October 2007. Retrieved 21 August 2009.
5. "Preparations continue with the JCSAT-12 and Optus D3 payloads for Ariane 5's next launch". Mission Update. Arianespace. 12 August 2009. Retrieved 21 August 2009.

• Spacecraft launched in 2009
• Satellites using the A2100 bus
• Communications satellites of Japan
• Satellites of Japan