| Auto: | all |
| JCSAT-RA | |
| Mission Type: | Communication |
| Operator: | SKY Perfect JSAT Group |
| Cospar Id: | 2009-044A |
| Satcat: | 35755 |
| Mission Duration: | 15 years |
| Spacecraft Bus: | A2100AXS |
| Manufacturer: | Lockheed Martin |
| Launch Date: | UTC |
| Launch Site: | Kourou ELA-3 |
| Launch Contractor: | Arianespace |
| Orbit Epoch: | 24 January 2015, 13:19:57 UTC[1] |
| Orbit Reference: | Geocentric |
| Orbit Regime: | Geostationary |
| Orbit Periapsis: | 35787km (22,237miles) |
| Orbit Apoapsis: | 35798km (22,244miles) |
| Orbit Inclination: | 0.04 degrees |
| Orbit Period: | 1436.11 minutes |
| Apsis: | gee |
| Programme: | JSAT |
| Previous Mission: | JCSAT-11 |
| Next Mission: | JCSAT-13 |
JCSAT-RA, previously known as JCSAT-12, is a Japanese geostationary communications satellite, which is operated by SKY Perfect JSAT Group.
It was ordered to replace the JCSAT-11 satellite which was lost in a launch failure on a Proton-M/Briz-M rocket in 2007, and is currently used as an on-orbit spare satellite; a role in which it replaced the older JCSAT-R spacecraft, providing a reserve for if one of the company's other satellites fails. It is a 4000kg (9,000lb) satellite, which was constructed by Lockheed Martin based on the A2100AX satellite bus, with the same configuration as JCSAT-10 and JCSAT-11.[2] The contract to build JCSAT-12 was awarded on 6 September 2007, the day after JCSAT-11 failed to reach orbit.[3]
It was launched, along with the Australian Optus D3 satellite, by Arianespace.[4] An Ariane 5ECA rocket was used for the launch, which occurred from ELA-3 at the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, French Guiana. The launch took place at 22:09 GMT on 21 August 2009, at the start of a 60-minute launch window.
JCSAT-12 separated from its carrier rocket into a geosynchronous transfer orbit, from which raise itself to geostationary orbit using a LEROS-1C apogee motor. It has a design life of fifteen years, and carries forty two transponders; twelve G/H band, and thirty J band (US IEEE C and Ku bands respectively).[5]