MSAT

MSAT, short for Mobile Satellite, is a satellite-based mobile telephony service developed by the National Research Council of Canada. Supported by a number of companies in the US and Canada, MSAT hosts a number of services, including the broadcast of CDGPS signals. The MSAT satellites were built by Hughes (now owned by Boeing) with a 3 kilowatt solar array power capacity and sufficient fuel for a design life of twelve years. TMI of Canada referred to its MSAT satellite as MSAT-1, while American Mobile Satellite Consortium (now SkyTerra) referred to its MSAT as AMSC-1, with each satellite providing backup for the other.

History

• April 7, 1995 - MSAT-2 (aka AMSC-1) launched from Cape Canaveral, Launch Complex 36, Pad A, aboard Atlas IIA^[1]
• May 1995 - testing causes overheating and damage to one of eight hybrid matrix amplifier output ports aboard MSAT-2^[2]
• April 20, 1996 - MSAT-1 launched from Kourou, French Guiana aboard Ariane 42P^[3][4]
• May 15, 1996 - Reported failures of two solid state power amplifiers (SSPAs) and one L-band receiver on separate occasions aboard MSAT-2.^[2]
• May 4, 2003 - MSAT-1 loses two power amplifiers.^[5]

Phaseout

MSAT-1 and MSAT-2 have had their share of problems. Mobile Satellite Ventures placed the AMSC-1 satellite into a 2.5 degree inclined orbit operations mode in November 2004, reducing station keeping fuel usage and extending the satellite's useful life.^[6]

On January 11, 2006, Mobile Satellite Ventures (MSVLP) (now SkyTerra) announced plans to launch a new generation of satellites (in a 3 satellite configuration) to replace the MSAT satellites by 2010. MSV has said that all old MSAT gear would be compatible with the new satellites.^[7][8]

• MSV-1 (U.S.)
• MSV-2 (Canada)
• MSV-SA (South America)

Services Delivered via MSAT

The following services are singularly dependent upon the continued operation of the MSAT satellite:

• CDGPS - a differential correction signal system for improved GPS navigation accuracy
• Mobile Telephony - by Mobile Satellite Ventures
• Fleet Dispatch and Trailer Tracking - by XATA
• Trailer Tracking - by SkyWave Mobile Communications
• Trailer Tracking - by SkyBitz
• Fleet Dispatch - by Wireless Matrix
• Fleet Management and Asset Tracking - by CES Wireless Technologies Corp., [1]
• EMERGNET - by Glentel

References

1. ^ "Florida Today Space and Missile Launch Database". Archived from the original on 2007-03-17. http://web.archive.org/web/20070317031734/http://www.floridatoday.com/maps/launches/LC36Launches.htm. Retrieved 2006-11-26. 
2. ^ ^{a b} "AMERICAN MOBILE SATELLITE CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES: Form 10-Q". 2006-05-14. http://yahoo.brand.edgar-online.com/fetchFilingFrameset.aspx?FilingID=503983&Type=HTML. Retrieved 2006-11-27. ^{[dead link]}
3. ^ "MSAT-1 TO LAUNCH APRIL 20TH". http://www.conveyor.com/space/news/can-space-5-96.html. Retrieved 2006-11-26. 
4. ^ "Boeing: Chronology of Launches". http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/space/bss/launch/launched2.html. Retrieved 2006-11-26. 
5. ^ "Service Outage - November 30, 2003". http://www.cdgps.com/e/cdgps_documents/Service%20Outage-2003-11-30.pdf. Retrieved 2006-11-26. 
6. ^ "MOTIENT CORP: Form S-1". 2005-11-03. http://sec.edgar-online.com/2005/11/03/0001214659-05-001601/Section58.asp. Retrieved 2006-11-27. 
7. ^ "Mobile Satellite Ventures Engages Boeing To Develop Next Generation Satellites". Archived from the original on 2006-11-14. http://web.archive.org/web/20061114162533/http://www.msvlp.com/media/press-releases-view.cfm?id=84&yr=2006. Retrieved 2006-11-26. 
8. ^ "Company Fact Sheet: Investor/Financial". Archived from the original on 2006-11-14. http://web.archive.org/web/20061114162616/http://www.msvlp.com/investor/fact-sheet.cfm. Retrieved 2006-11-26. 

External links

• Mobile Satellite Ventures
• Mobile Satellite System for Canada, U.S.