Horizons Satellite

Horizons Satellite

Company type	joint venture
Industry	Satellite communications
Founded	July 1, 2001; 23 years ago (2001-07-01), United States
Founders	JSAT Corporation, PanAmSat
Products	Horizons-1 Horizons-2 Horizons-3e
Total equity	US$ 110 Millions (2001)
Owners	SKY Perfect JSAT Group (50%) Intelsat (50%)

Horizons Satellite is a joint venture between Intelsat and SKY Perfect JSAT Group. Originally formed in 2001, pursuant to a memorandum of understanding between JSAT Corporation and PanAmSat for the launch of Horizons-1, it was renewed for Horizons-2.[1][2][3][4] JSAT later merged into the SKY Perfect JSAT Group and PanAmSat was acquired by Intelsat, but the companies continued with the relationship, with the order for Horizons-3e.[5] Both companies also launched a joint satellite, Intelsat 15/JCSAT-85, but instead of the equal share agreement of this joint venture, JSAT owns a specific payload of 5 transponders out of the 22 K_u band transponders of the spacecraft.[6][7]

History

On August 1, 2001, JSAT Corporation announced an equal share joint venture with PanAmSat, called Horizons Satellite.[1][2] On September 4, 2001, it ordered from Boeing its first satellite, Horizons-1/Galaxy 13. It was a 4 t (4.4 tons) spacecraft with 24 C band and 24 K_u band transponders. It had a 10 kW power generation capacity and 15 years of expected life.[8]

On the same day of the satellite order, Boeing disclosed that it had received a parallel contract from PanAmSat, where the latter had exercised an existing option to launch Horizons-1 from its Sea Launch subsidiary.[9]

On October 22, 2002, JSAT and PanAmSat announced a joint sales agreement where JSAT's clients would gain access to PAS 2 and PAS 8, while PanAmSat's would get JCSAT-2A and JCSAT-3.[10][11] A week later, on October 28, Horizons Satellites obtained permission to operate in Japan.[12]

Horizons-1 was successfully launched on October 1, 2003 aboard a Zenit-3SL rocket from the Ocean Odyssey platform in the Pacific.[13][14][15]

On June 27, 2005, JSAT and PanAmSat announced that they were renewing the partnership by ordering a second satellite, Horizons-2. This K_u band satellite would be positioned on the 74°West that belonged to PanAmSat.[3][4]

On August 30, 2005, Orbital Sciences announced that Horizons Satellite had ordered a small satellite based on the STAR-2 platform, Horizons-2, for the PanAmSat licensed orbital slot at 74°West. It would carry 20 Ku band transponders, generate 3.5 kW of power, weight around 2.3 t (2.5 tons) and was expected to be launched in 2007.[16]

The August 2005 take over of PanAmSat by Intelsat, did not diminished the relationship and, in fact, strengthened the alliance.[5] On December 21, 2007, Horizons Satellite used an Ariane 5 rocket to launch Horizons-2.[17] And, outside of the Horizons Satellite, JCSAT and Intelsat launched the joint satellite Intelsat 15/JCSAT-85 on November 30, 2009 aboard a Zenit-3SLB.[7]

On November 4, 2015, JSAT and Intelsat made a joined statement that they would add a new member to their Horizons joint venture. The satellite, called Horizons 3e, would be based on the Intelsat Epic^NG platform, featuring an optimized C band and high throughput K_u band payload it would offer mobility and broadband connectivity services in the Asia-Pacific region.[18] It was expected to use the 169°East orbital slot and launch by the second half of 2018.[19]

This would be the fourth joint satellite, along with the other two Horizons Satellite spacecraft, Horizons-1 and Horizons-2 and the separately co-owned JCSAT-85/Intelsat 15. Since this would be an investment within Horizons Satellite, it would not be considered a capital expenditure of the parent companies.[6]

Horizons Fleet

It has two satellites on-orbit Horizons-1 and Horizons-2, with a third, Horizons-3e planned for 2018.

Project	Name	Bus	Payload	Order	Launch	Launch Vehicle	Launch Result	Launch Weight	Status	Remarks
Horizons-1	Horizons-1 Galaxy 13	HS-601HP	24 Ku band and 24 C band	2001	2003-10-01	Zenit-3SL	Success	4,060 kg (8,950 lb)	Operational at 127°E	Co-owned with Intelsat.[20][13]
Horizons-2	Horizons-2	GEOStar-2	20 Ku band	2005	2007-12-21	Ariane 5GS	Success	2,304 kg (5,079 lb)	Operational at 85°E	Launched along Rascom-QAF 1. Co-owned with Intelsat[20][17]
Horizons-3e	—	BSS-702MP	C band and Ku band	2015	2019 2nd Half	—	Success	6 t (5.9 long tons; 6.6 short tons)	Operational at 169°E	Horizons Satellite 3rd satellite. Co-owned with Intelsat, Epic^NG architecture. Will replace Intelsat 805.[18][19][6]

See also

• JSAT (satellite constellation) - One of the two constellations under which the Horizons satellite series are managed.
• List of Intelsat satellites – The other constellation under which Horizons satellites are managed.

References

1. "JSAT and PanAmSat to Develop Joint Satellite Business". JSAT Corporation. August 1, 2001. Archived from the original on 2005-02-07. Retrieved 2016-09-21.
2. "PANAMSAT AND JSAT UNITE TO EXPAND KU-BAND". PanAmSat. August 1, 2001. Archived from the original on 2002-02-02. Retrieved 2016-09-21.
3. "Notice Concerning JSAT-PanAmSat Joint Satellite Business Expand Satellite Business in North America". JSAT Corporation. June 27, 2005. Archived from the original on 2007-12-25. Retrieved 2016-09-21.
4. "PANAMSAT AND JSAT TO EXPAND SATELLITE CAPACITY IN U.S. TO SATISFY GROWING HIGH-DEFINITION AND IP TELEVISION MARKETS". PanAmSat. June 27, 2005. Archived from the original on 2005-11-04. Retrieved 2016-09-21.
5. "Intelsat and PanAmSat to Merge, Creating World-Class Communications Solutions Provider" (PDF). PanAmSat. August 29, 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2006-03-12. Retrieved 2016-09-21.
6. Magan, Veronica (November 4, 2015). "Intelsat, JSAT Partner for Horizon 3e High Throughput Satellite for Asia Pacific". Retrieved 2016-07-28.
7. Krebs, Gunter Dirk (2016-04-21). "Intelsat 15 (JCSat 85)". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2016-07-20.
8. "Boeing to Build New Satellite for PanAmSat, JSAT Joint Venture". Boeing. September 4, 2001. Archived from the original on November 8, 2001. Retrieved 2016-09-21.
9. "PanAmSat Exercises Launch Option with Sea Launch". Boeing. September 4, 2001. Archived from the original on November 8, 2001. Retrieved 2016-09-21.
10. "JSAT and PanAmSat Conclude Joint Sales Agreement Covering the Asia-Pacific Region". JSAT Corporation. October 22, 2002. Archived from the original on 2007-04-23. Retrieved 2016-09-21.
11. "PANAMSAT AND JSAT DELIVER SATELLITE SERVICES IN ASIA PACIFIC". PanAmSat. October 22, 2002. Archived from the original on 2002-12-22. Retrieved 2016-09-21.
12. "Horizons Satellite Obtains Permission to Operate Type 1 Telecommunications Business". JSAT Corporation. October 28, 2002. Archived from the original on 2007-04-25. Retrieved 2016-09-21.
13. Krebs, Gunter Dirk (2016-04-21). "Galaxy 13 / Horizons 1". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2016-07-20.
14. "The Successful Launch of Horizons-1". JSAT Corporation. October 1, 2003. Archived from the original on 2007-04-26. Retrieved 2016-09-21.
15. "PANAMSAT AND JSAT JOINTLY LAUNCH ADVANCED VIDEO, DATA AND HIGH-DEFINITION SATELLITE". PanAmSat. October 1, 2003. Archived from the original on 2003-12-08. Retrieved 2016-09-21.
16. "Orbital Receives Contract for Horizons-2 Commercial Communications Satellite; Joint Venture Between PanAmSat and JSAT to Utilize Company's STAR(TM) Small Geosynchronous Satellite Platform". BusinessWire.com. Orbital Sciences Corporation. August 30, 2005. Retrieved 2016-08-05.
17. Krebs, Gunter Dirk (2016-04-21). "Horizons 2". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2016-07-20.
18. Krebs, Gunter Dirk (2016-04-21). "Horizons 3e". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2016-07-20.
19. "SKY Perfect JSAT and Intelsat to Bring High Throughput Capacity to Asia Pacific to Meet Growing Mobility and Broadband Demands" (PDF). SKY Perfect JSAT Group & Intelsat. November 4, 2015. Retrieved 2016-07-28.
20. "Satellite Fleet JSAT". SKY Perfect JSAT Group. Archived from the original on 2016-09-03. Retrieved 2016-07-28.