| Names | Superbird-B |
|---|---|
| Mission type | Communications |
| Operator | Space Communications Corporation |
| COSPAR ID | 1990-F01 [1] |
| Mission duration | 10 years (planned) Failed to orbit |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft | Superbird-2 |
| Spacecraft type | Superbird |
| Bus | SSL 1300 |
| Manufacturer | Ford Aerospace |
| Launch mass | 2,492 kg (5,494 lb) |
| Dimensions | Stowed: 2.41 m × 2.58 m × 2.20 m (7 ft 11 in × 8 ft 6 in × 7 ft 3 in) Solar panels extended: 20.3 m (67 ft) |
| Power | 4 kW |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 22 February 1990, 23:17:00 UTC[1] |
| Rocket | Ariane-44L |
| Launch site | Centre Spatial Guyanais, ELA-2 |
| Contractor | Arianespace |
| Entered service | Failed to orbit |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric orbit (planned) |
| Regime | Geostationary orbit |
| Longitude | 162° East |
| Transponders | |
| Band | 23 Ku-band 3 Ka-band 2 X-band |
| Coverage area | Japan |
Superbird-2, also identified as Superbird-B after launch if successful, was a geostationary communications satellite designed and manufactured by Ford Aerospace on the SSL 1300 satellite bus. It was originally ordered by Space Communications Corporation (SCC), which later merged into the SKY Perfect JSAT Group.[2] It had a mixed Ku-band, Ka-band and X-band payload and was lost at launch.[3]
It was ordered in 1985 along Superbird-A, Superbird-A1 and Superbird-B1 on the very first order of the SSL 1300 platform.[4][5][6][3] It was to be the second satellite of SCC.[3] It was supposed to be used for video distribution, news gathering, remote publishing and high definition TV service to the main islands of Japan and Okinawa from the 162° East position.[2]
astronautix-ariane44l was invoked but never defined (see the help page).sslmda-superbird was invoked but never defined (see the help page).gsp-superbirda was invoked but never defined (see the help page).sslmda-pr20070717 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).sslmda-1300history was invoked but never defined (see the help page).sslmda-timeline was invoked but never defined (see the help page).