JCSAT-9 telecom satellite up and running

April 13, 2006

The Lockheed-built JCSAT-9 telecommunications satellite was in orbit and transmitting Thursday following its launch from the Pacific.

JCSAT-9 joins the constellation operated by Japan's JSAT Corp and will provide telecom services to the Pacific Rim region.

"The satellite launched today will join the nine satellites currently in the JSAT fleet," said Lockheed Commercial Space Systems President Ted Gavrilis. "In addition to providing coverage for domestic and mobile communications customer bases, JCSAT-9 will cover an extensive area ranging from Hawaii and Oceania to countries across Southeast Asia."

The spacecraft is based on Lockheed's A21100AX and is equipped with 20 C-band and Ku-band transponders and a mobile communications subsystem.

The launch of the Sea Launch Zenit-3SL rocket went off without a hitch, and signal acquisition was confirmed in Australia a couple of hours later from its orbit 132 degrees east.

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