MSAT
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
MSAT, short for Mobile Satellite, is a satellite-based mobile telephony service developed by the National Research Council of Canada. Supported by a number of companies in the US and Canada, MSAT hosts a number of services, including the broadcast of CDGPS signals. The MSAT satellites were built by Hughes (now owned by Boeing) with a 3 kilowatt solar array power capacity, sufficient fuel for a design life of twelve years. TMI of Canada referred to its MSAT satellite as MSAT-1, while American Mobile Satellite Consortium (now SkyTerra) referred to its MSAT as AMSC-1, with each satellite providing backup for the other.
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[edit] History
- April 7, 1995 - MSAT-2 (aka AMSC-1) launched from Cape Canaveral, Launch Complex 36, Pad A, aboard Atlas IIA[1]
- May 1995 - testing causes overheating and damage to one of eight hybrid matrix amplifier output ports aboard MSAT-2[2]
- April 20, 1996 - MSAT-1 launched from Kourou, French Guiana aboard Ariane 42P[3][4]
- May 15, 1996 - Reported failures of two solid state power amplifiers (SSPAs) and one L-band receiver on separate occasions aboard MSAT-2.[2]
- May 4, 2003 - MSAT-1 loses two power amplifiers.[5]
[edit] Phaseout
MSAT-1 and MSAT-2 have had their share of problems. Mobile Satellite Ventures placed the AMSC-1 satellite into a 2.5 degree inclined orbit operations mode in November 2004, reducing station keeping fuel usage and extending the satellite's useful life.[6]
On January 11, 2006, Mobile Satellite Ventures (MSVLP) (now SkyTerra) announced plans to launch a new generation of satellites (in a 3 satellite configuration) to replace the MSAT satellites by 2010. MSV has said that all old MSAT gear would be compatible with the new satellites.[7][8]
- MSV-1 (U.S.)
- MSV-2 (Canada)
- MSV-SA (South America)
[edit] Services Delivered via MSAT
The following services are singularly dependent upon the continued operation of the MSAT satellite:
- CDGPS - a differential correction signal system for improved GPS navigation accuracy
- Mobile Telephony - by Mobile Satellite Ventures
- Fleet Dispatch and Trailer Tracking - by Geologic
- Trailer Tracking - by Vistar (now owned by Transcore and operated as Globalwave)
- Trailer Tracking - by SkyBitz
- Fleet Dispatch - by Wireless Matrix
- Fleet Management and Asset Tracking - by CES Wireless Technologies Corp., [1]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ "Florida Today Space and Missile Launch Database". http://www.floridatoday.com/maps/launches/LC36Launches.htm. Retrieved 2006-11-26.
- ^ a b "AMERICAN MOBILE SATELLITE CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES: Form 10-Q". 2006-05-14. http://yahoo.brand.edgar-online.com/fetchFilingFrameset.aspx?FilingID=503983&Type=HTML. Retrieved 2006-11-27.
- ^ "MSAT-1 TO LAUNCH APRIL 20TH". http://www.conveyor.com/space/news/can-space-5-96.html. Retrieved 2006-11-26.
- ^ "Boeing: Chronology of Launches". http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/space/bss/launch/launched2.html. Retrieved 2006-11-26.
- ^ "Service Outage - November 30, 2003". http://www.cdgps.com/e/cdgps_documents/Service%20Outage-2003-11-30.pdf. Retrieved 2006-11-26.
- ^ "MOTIENT CORP: Form S-1". 2005-11-03. http://sec.edgar-online.com/2005/11/03/0001214659-05-001601/Section58.asp. Retrieved 2006-11-27.
- ^ "Mobile Satellite Ventures Engages Boeing To Develop Next Generation Satellites". http://www.msvlp.com/media/press-releases-view.cfm?id=84&yr=2006. Retrieved 2006-11-26.
- ^ "Company Fact Sheet: Investor/Financial". http://www.msvlp.com/investor/fact-sheet.cfm. Retrieved 2006-11-26.
