Engineering:MSAT

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Short description: Mobile telephony service

MSAT (Mobile Satellite) is a satellite-based mobile telephony service developed by the National Research Council Canada (NRC). Supported by a number of companies in the United States 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 and sufficient fuel for a design life of twelve years. TMI Communications of Canada referred to its MSAT satellite as MSAT-1, while American Mobile Satellite Consortium (now Ligado Networks) referred to its MSAT as AMSC-1, with each satellite providing backup for the other.

History

[1]

  • April 7, 1995 - MSAT-2 (a.k.a. AMSC-1, COSPAR 1995-019A, SATCAT 23553) launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station , Launch Complex 36, Pad A, aboard Atlas IIA[2]
  • May 1995 - testing causes overheating and damage to one of eight hybrid matrix amplifier output ports aboard MSAT-2[3]
  • April 20, 1996 - MSAT-1 (sometimes AMSC 2, COSPAR 1996-022A, SATCAT 23846) launched from Kourou, French Guiana aboard Ariane 42P[4][5]
  • May 15, 1996 - Reported failures of two solid state power amplifiers (SSPAs) and one L-band receiver on separate occasions aboard MSAT-2.[3]
  • May 4, 2003 - MSAT-1 loses two power amplifiers.[6]

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.[7]

On January 11, 2006, Mobile Satellite Ventures (MSVLP) (changed name to SkyTerra, then became by acquisition LightSquared, then after bankruptcy Ligado Networks) 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.[8][9]

  • MSV-1 (U.S.)
  • MSV-2 (Canada)
  • MSV-SA (South America)

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
  • Trailer Tracking - by SkyWave Mobile Communications
  • Trailer Tracking - by SkyBitz
  • EMERGNET - by Glentel

See also

References

External links