JSAT Corporation
| Company type | Public (until 2008 merger) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Satellite communications |
| Predecessor | Japan Communications Satellite Company, Satellite Japan Corporation |
| Founded | 1985 |
| Defunct | 2008 |
| Fate | Merged into SKY Perfect JSAT Group |
| Successor | SKY Perfect JSAT Group |
| Headquarters | Japan |
Area served | Japan, Asia-Pacific region (regional operator) |
| Products | Satellite communications services |
JSAT Corporation (JSAT) holds the distinction of being Japan's inaugural private satellite operator, managing the JSAT satellite series and collaborating with NTT DoCoMo on the operation of the N-Star system. The company’s origins trace back to the 1985 founding of Japan Communications Satellite Company (JCSAT) alongside Satellite Japan Corporation. These two companies combined in 1993 to form Japan Satellite Systems Inc.. The entity was rebranded as JSAT Corporation in 2000 and subsequently listed on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange. On September 1, 2008, JSAT merged into the SKY Perfect JSAT Group.
History
The liberalization of Japan’s satellite communications sector for private investment led to the establishment of Japan Communications Satellite Company (JCSAT) and Satellite Japan Corporation in 1985. JCSAT commissioned two identical spin-stabilized HS-393 satellites—JCSAT-1 and JCSAT-2—which were launched in 1989 and 1990 respectively.
In 1992, the N-Star joint venture was created, involving JSAT, NTT, NTT Communications, and NTT DoCoMo, aiming to provide satellite-based telephone and data communications. While JSAT handled satellite operations, NTT DoCoMo managed the payload. Two satellites, N-STAR a and b, were procured from Space Systems Loral with planned deliveries in 1995 and 1996, equipped with multi-band payloads spanning S, C, Ka, and Ku frequency bands.
Following their merger in 1993, JCSAT and Satellite Japan Corporation formed Japan Satellite Systems Inc. (JCSAT), which ordered JCSAT-3 from Hughes utilizing the HS-601 platform. By 1995, JCSAT had secured an international service license and expanded its reach as a regional operator. That year saw the launches of JCSAT-3 and N-STAR a; additionally, JCSAT placed an order for JCSAT-4 using the same platform.
The early months of 1996 witnessed the launch of N-STAR b, enabling satellite telephone services by March. Later that year, JCSAT ordered two Hughes-built satellites: JCSAT-5 and its counterpart JCSAT-6. In 1997, both JCSAT and Space Communications Corporation (SCC) applied for the orbital position at 110°E; however, government authorities allocated them shared use of 100°E. Consequently, they jointly commissioned N-SAT-110 (also known as JCSAT-7/Superbird-5) from Lockheed Martin.
Between late 1998 and early 1999, JCSAT successfully launched JCSAT-5—later renamed JCSAT-1B—and repositioned JSAT-6 under the designation JCSAT-4A. In 2000, the company adopted the name JSAT Corporation and became publicly traded on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. That year also marked JSAT’s acquisition of NTT Communications’ shares in N-STAR a and b. The company ordered N-STAR c from Lockheed Martin and Orbital Sciences Corporation.
In 2000, JSAT contracted Boeing to build JCSAT-8 to replace JCSAT-2 at the orbital slot of 154° East. The joint venture Horizons Satellite, formed with PanAmSat, placed an order for Horizons-1/Galaxy 13 in 2001; this satellite launched successfully in 2003 carrying a payload that included 24 C band and 24 Ku band transponders.
The launch of JCSAT-8 occurred in 2002 under the new name JCSAT-2A; N-STAR c followed later that year. In 2003, JSAT transitioned to Lockheed Martin for manufacturing JCSAT-9 based on their A2100AXS platform. This satellite featured a hybrid payload including C band, Ku band, and S-band transponders assigned to the 132° East orbital position. Part of its transponder capacity was leased to NTT DoCoMo as N-STAR d. Later that year, JSAT acquired NTT DoCoMo’s stakes in N-STAR a and b.
In 2004, JSAT placed an order with Lockheed Martin for JCSAT-10 intended for deployment at 128° East. Meanwhile, Horizons Satellite commissioned Horizons-2 in 2005 using Orbital Sciences’ STAR-2 platform; it was launched aboard an Ariane 5 rocket in late 2007. The acquisition of PanAmSat by Intelsat did not affect this partnership.
JSAT ordered a backup satellite designated JCSAT-11 from Lockheed Martin in 2005 with a targeted launch date in 2007. The following year saw successful launches of both JCSAT-9 (renamed JCSAT 5A/N-STAR d) and JCSAT-10 (renamed JCSAT-3A). In addition, Intelsat contracted Orbital Sciences to construct Intelsat-15 in 2007; five Ku band transponders were sold to JSAT for use as JCSAT-85 positioned at 85°E.
After nearly twenty years without failure, JSAT experienced its first launch setback when Proton-M/Briz-M failed to deploy JCSAT-11 in September 2007; since it served as an on-orbit backup satellite, there was no disruption to operations. Promptly responding to this loss, JSAT ordered a replacement satellite named JCSAT-12 from Lockheed Martin with an anticipated launch via Ariane 5 scheduled for 2009.
Horizons Satellite successfully launched Horizons-2 on Ariane 5 in December 2007. In March 2008, Space Communications Corporation became a wholly owned subsidiary within SKY Perfect JSAT Group. By August that year, SKY Perfect Communications merged with JSAT Corporation and SCC under SKY Perfect JSAT Group’s umbrella—consolidating assets including the Superbird satellite fleet—establishing one of the world’s leading satellite operators at that time.
Satellites
From its establishment in 1985 until its merger into the SKY Perfect JSAT Group in 2008, JSAT managed the following satellite lineup:
Proprietary satellites
| Satellite | COSPAR ID | Orbital position | Coverage areas | Launch date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JCSAT-1 | 1989-020A | March 6, 1989 (UTC) | |||
| JCSAT-2 | |||||
| JCSAT-3 | |||||
| JCSAT-4/JCSAT-R | |||||
| JCSAT-5/JCSAT-1B | |||||
| JCSAT-6/JCSAT-4A | |||||
| JCSAT-7/JCSAT-110 | |||||
| JCSAT-8/JCSAT-2A | |||||
| JCSAT-9/JCSAT-5A | |||||
| JCSAT-10/JCSAT-3A | |||||
| JCSAT-11 | launch failure | ||||
| JCSAT-12/JCSAT-RA | ordered prior to merger | ||||
| JCSAT-13/JCSAT-4B | |||||
| JCSAT-14 | |||||
| JCSAT-15 | |||||
| JCSAT-16 | |||||
| JCSAT-17 |
Collaborative satellites
- Partnership with NTT DoCoMo: N-STAR a and N-STAR b
- Joint venture with Intelsat: Horizons-1/Galaxy 13, Horizons-2 (ordered before merger), and JCSAT-85/Intelsat 15 (ordered prior to merger)
- Cooperation with B-SAT: JCSAT-110R (agreement in place at time of merger)