ProtoStar explained

ProtoStar Ltd was a private company incorporated in Bermuda, with U.S. operations based in San Francisco, California and Asian operations based in Singapore. ProtoStar intended to operate an initial fleet of three geostationary satellites.[1] Two satellites were acquired and launched. ProtoStar's anchor customer, Dish TV India Limited, is the largest direct-to-home television operator in India.[2]

Bankruptcy and auction

ProtoStar Ltd filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware on June 29, 2009.[3]

ProtoStar sought and was made by the bankruptcy court to auction its two satellites to pay its outstanding liabilities. The auction for ProtoStar I was set by the bankruptcy court for October 14, 2009,[4] however the auction was delayed until October 31, 2009, based on interest from 11 different satellite operating companies.[5] The auction was won by Intelsat Corp with a bid of $210M, beating out European rival Eutelsat.[6]

ProtoStar I

The ProtoStar I satellite was built by Space Systems/Loral (SS/L) based on the SS/L 1300 spacecraft design. It was originally built by SS/L as the ChinaSat 8 satellite and scheduled for launch in April 1999 on a Long March 3B rocket.[7] However, the U.S. Department of State blocked its export to China under ITAR regulations.[8] The satellite was placed in storage and sold to ProtoStar in 2006.[9]

On January 5, 2007, SS/L announced that the satellite would be modified to meet ProtoStar's requirements.[10] The fueled satellite weighed and will operate in both the Ku band and the C band.[11]

On January 8, 2007 Arianespace announced that ProtoStar had contracted with Arianespace for the launch of ProtoStar I. It was launched aboard an Ariane 5 ECA rocket on July 7, 2008.[12] Post-launch maneuvering of the satellite was performed successfully July 8, 2008., and ProtoStar I was placed into its geostationary orbital location of 98.5 degrees East Longitude.

Following the sale of ProtoStar I in the ProtoStar bankruptcy auction, October 29, 2009, and the completion of the sale with Intelsat, Intelsat renamed the satellite Intelsat 25.[13] Intelsat 25 will serve for African market at 31.5 West orbital location.

ProtoStar II

See main article: SES-7. On January 14, 2008, Boeing announced that the Boeing Satellite Development Center in El Segundo, California would provide a spacecraft based on the Boeing 601HP spacecraft design for use as ProtoStar II.[14] The spacecraft was originally built for PanAmSat (now Intelsat) to be used as Galaxy-8iR, but that contract was terminated November 15, 2002.[15] On May 16, 2009, ProtoStar II was carried to orbit on a Proton rocket provided by International Launch Services.[16]

On June 16, 2009, Boeing announced the successful in-orbit handover of the satellite to ProtoStar Ltd. following successful in-orbit tests.[17]

In December 2009 SES purchased Protostar II at auction for its SES World Skies unit. The purchase price was $185 million.[18]

Ground control segment

The ProtoStar I ground control system is in Singapore and will be operated by SingTel. For ProtoStar II the primary control system will be installed in Indonesia and operated by Indovision, with a backup system integrated into the control system for ProtoStar I. Hardware and software for these systems are being provided by Integral Systems.[19]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: ProtoStar Closes On US$210 Million Satellite Financing . spaceref.com . November 16, 2006. March 4, 2023.
  2. Web site: Space Systems/Loral-Built ProtoStar I Satellite Successfully Performs Post-Launch Maneuvers . dead . https://archive.today/20120912135246/http://www.ssloral.com/html/pressreleases/pr20080708.html . 2012-09-12 .
  3. Web site: Jason Cornell . Direct Satellite TV Provider, ProtoStar, Files for Bankruptcy Following Defaults on Loan Agreements . Delawarebankruptcy.foxrothschild.com . August 1, 2009 . December 23, 2009.
  4. Web site: Bankruptcy Court Sets Protostar Auction Dates . https://archive.today/20120911040116/http://www.spacenews.com/satellite_telecom/091009protostar-auction.html . dead . September 11, 2012 . SpaceNews.com . August 31, 2009 . December 23, 2009.
  5. Web site: Intelsat Wins ProtoStar 1 Satellite Auction . Tvtechnology.com . May 11, 2009 . Doug Lung . December 23, 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110927041638/http://www.tvtechnology.com/article/89950 . 2011-09-27 . dead .
  6. Web site: Intelsat Outbids Eutelsat for Protostar-1 . SpaceNews.com . October 30, 2009 . de Selding . Peter B..
  7. Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration. Commercial Space Transportation Quarterly Launch Report. April 26, 1999. Launch schedule . https://web.archive.org/web/20220414184214/https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ast/media/quarter9902.pdf . April 14, 2022 . live .
  8. News: Zelnio. Ryan. A short history of export control policy. The Space Review. January 9, 2006.
  9. Loral. Loral to convert unlaunched ChinaSat-8 for ProtoStar. Spaceflight Now. January 7, 2007.
  10. Web site: Space Systems/Loral Awarded Contract To Deliver Satellite To ProtoStar Ltd. . SS/L . dead . https://archive.today/20120912143251/http://www.ssloral.com/html/pressreleases/pr20070105.html . 2012-09-12 .
  11. Web site: Arianespace to launch ProtoStar I . Arianespace . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080608144357/http://www.arianespace.com/site/news/releases/07_01_08_protostar_release_index.html . 2008-06-08 .
  12. Web site: Another successful Arianespace launch: ProtoStar I and BADR-6 are in orbit . Arianespace.
  13. News: UPDATE 1-Intelsat to buy ProtoStar 1 satellite for $210 mln. October 10, 2009. Reuters . March 4, 2023.
  14. Web site: Boeing Awarded Contract for Direct-to-Home Entertainment Satellite . Boeing . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110524142646/http://www.boeing.com/news/releases/2008/q1/080114b_nr.html . 2011-05-24 .
  15. Web site: ProtoStar 2 . Krebs . Gunter.
  16. Web site: ILS Proton Successfully launches Indostar II/Protostar II Satellite . May 16, 2009 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20101010211726/http://ilslaunch.com/news-051609 . October 10, 2010 .
  17. Web site: Boeing Hands Over IndoStar II/ProtoStar II Satellite Following Successful In-Orbit Tests . June 16, 2009 . ProtoStar.
  18. Web site: SES Wins Auction for ProtoStar 2 . https://archive.today/20120918035450/http://www.spacenews.com/satellite_telecom/091217-ses-wins-auction-for-protostar2.html . dead . September 18, 2012 . Peter B. de Selding . Space News . December 17, 2009.
  19. Web site: Integral Systems Awarded Contract to Provide Protostar-II Ground Segment . Integral Systems . April 22, 2008.

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