Indonesia's PT Pasifik Satelit Nusantara, of Jakarta has ordered one M2A satellite from Space Systems/Loral for its Multi Media Satellite System, plus long-lead parts for a second craft, and options for a further five satellites in a deal worth $350 million (Flight International, 2-8 October, 1996).
Loral will also receive a contract from international communications-satellite organisation Intelsat to build two Follow-On Satellites (FOS) to replace ageing Intelsat 6s.
The M2A - based on an original FS-1300 bus designed by the former Ford Aerospace - will be the most powerful C-band transponder craft so far launched, with 11kW of electrical power. It will be the first C-band craft to be used for direct-broadcast purposes, with a payload (built by France's Alcatel Espace) the equivalent of 84 transponders. X-band transponders will also be carried to provide gateway services.
The M2A will be able to support 4 million telephone circuits, carrying 200,000 simultaneous calls, and will have 100 television channels. The satellite will be located at either 134íE or 118íE in geostationary orbit and has been allocated a Proton launch in 1999.
While ordering the two Loral FOS spacecraft, Intelsat also formally awarded the contract to Matra Marconi Space (MMS) to build the Intelsat K-TV satellite to be launched in 1998 (Flight International, 18-31 December, 1996).
This will be positioned at 95íE to provide direct-to-home video/ TV services to the Asia Pacific region with the use of 30 Ku-band transponders. It is Intelsat's first entry into the DBS market and the first contract for a satellite to go to a non-US supplier. MMS lost the Intelsat 8 series prime contract to Lockheed Martin. The Intelsat K-TV will be MMS' 24th Eurostar spacecraft bus (Flight International, 14-20 August, 1996).
Lockheed Martin has been selected to build the third Koreasat communications satellite, having beaten Aerospatiale and Hughes to the deal. Lockheed Martin also built the existing Koreasats 1 and 2. South Korean companies will manufacture substantial portions of the LMA2100 spacecraft.
Hughes Space and Communications will build the second communications satellite for Orion Network Systems. This will be placed over the Pacific Ocean, while a planned third satellite will complement the MMS-built Orion 1 over the Atlantic later. The Orion 2 will carry ten C-band and 33 Ku-band transponders. It will be launched in 1998.
Source: Flight International
