ProtoStar
Encyclopedia
ProtoStar Ltd is 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. Two satellites were acquired and launched. ProtoStar's anchor customer, Dish TV India Limited, is the largest direct-to-home television operator in India.
ProtoStar sought and was made by the bankruptcy court to auction its two satellites off to pay its outstanding liabilities. The auction for ProtoStar I was set by the bankruptcy court for October 14, 2009, however the auction was delayed until October 31, 2009 based on interest from 11 different satellite operating companies. The auction was won by Intelsat Corp
with a bid of $210M, beating out European rival Eutelsat
.
(SS/L) based on the SS/L 1300 spacecraft design. It was originally built by SS/L as the ChinaSat-8 satellite. On January 5, 2007 SS/L announced the satellite, which had been in storage, would be modified to meet ProtoStar's requirements. The fueled satellite weighed 4100 kilograms (9,039 lb) and will operate in both the Ku band
and the C band
.
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. 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. Intelsat 25 will serve for African market at 31.5 West orbital location.
in El Segundo
, California would provide a spacecraft based on the Boeing 601HP spacecraft design for use as ProtoStar II. The spacecraft was originally built for PanAmSat (now Intelsat
) to be used as Galaxy-8iR, but that contract was terminated November 15, 2002. On May 16, 2009 ProtoStar II was carried to orbit on a Proton rocket provided by International Launch Services
.
On June 16, 2009 Boeing announced the successful in-orbit handover of the satellite to ProtoStar Ltd. following successful in-orbit tests.
In December 2009 SES purchased Protostar II at auction for its SES World Skies unit. The purchase price was $185 million.
, with a backup system integrated into the control system for ProtoStar I. Hardware and software for these systems are being provided by Integral Systems
.
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
, with U.S. operations based in San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, California and Asian operations based in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. ProtoStar intended to operate an initial fleet of three geostationary satellites. Two satellites were acquired and launched. ProtoStar's anchor customer, Dish TV India Limited, is the largest direct-to-home television operator in India.
Bankruptcy and auction
ProtoStar Ltd filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Protection in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware on June 29, 2009.ProtoStar sought and was made by the bankruptcy court to auction its two satellites off to pay its outstanding liabilities. The auction for ProtoStar I was set by the bankruptcy court for October 14, 2009, however the auction was delayed until October 31, 2009 based on interest from 11 different satellite operating companies. The auction was won by Intelsat Corp
Intelsat
Intelsat, Ltd. is a communications satellite services provider.Originally formed as International Telecommunications Satellite Organization , it was—from 1964 to 2001—an intergovernmental consortium owning and managing a constellation of communications satellites providing international broadcast...
with a bid of $210M, beating out European rival Eutelsat
Eutelsat
Eutelsat S.A. is a French-based satellite provider. Providing coverage over the entire European continent, as well as the Middle East, Africa, India and significant parts of Asia and the Americas, it is one of the world's three leading satellite operators in terms of revenues.Eutelsat’s satellites...
.
ProtoStar I
The ProtoStar I satellite was built by Space Systems/LoralSpace Systems/Loral
Space Systems/Loral , of Palo Alto, California, is the wholly owned manufacturing subsidiary of Loral Space & Communications. It was acquired in 1990 for $715 million by Loral Corp. from Ford Motor Company as the Space Systems Division of Ford Aerospace...
(SS/L) based on the SS/L 1300 spacecraft design. It was originally built by SS/L as the ChinaSat-8 satellite. On January 5, 2007 SS/L announced the satellite, which had been in storage, would be modified to meet ProtoStar's requirements. The fueled satellite weighed 4100 kilograms (9,039 lb) and will operate in both the Ku band
Ku band
The Kμ band is a portion of the electromagnetic spectrum in the microwave range of frequencies. This symbol refers to —in other words, the band directly below the K-band...
and the C band
C band
The C band is a name given to certain portions of the electromagnetic spectrum, including wavelengths of microwaves that are used for long-distance radio telecommunications. The IEEE C-band - and its slight variations - contains frequency ranges that are used for many satellite communications...
.
On January 8, 2007 Arianespace
Arianespace
Arianespace SA is a French company founded in 1980 as the world's first commercial space transportation company. It undertakes the production, operation, and marketing of the Ariane 5 rocket launcher as part of the Ariane programme....
announced that ProtoStar had contracted with Arianespace for the launch of ProtoStar I. It was launched aboard an Ariane 5
Ariane 5
Ariane 5 is, as a part of Ariane rocket family, an expendable launch system used to deliver payloads into geostationary transfer orbit or low Earth orbit . Ariane 5 rockets are manufactured under the authority of the European Space Agency and the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales...
ECA rocket on July 7, 2008. 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. Intelsat 25 will serve for African market at 31.5 West orbital location.
ProtoStar II
On January 14, 2008 Boeing announced that the Boeing Satellite Development CenterBoeing Satellite Development Center
The Boeing Satellite Development Center is a major business unit of Boeing Defense, Space & Security. It brought together Boeing satellite operations with that of GM Hughes Electronics' Space and Communications division.-History:...
in El Segundo
El Segundo, California
El Segundo is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Located on the Santa Monica Bay, it was incorporated on January 18, 1917, and is one of the Beach Cities of Los Angeles County and part of the South Bay Cities Council of Governments...
, California would provide a spacecraft based on the Boeing 601HP spacecraft design for use as ProtoStar II. The spacecraft was originally built for PanAmSat (now Intelsat
Intelsat
Intelsat, Ltd. is a communications satellite services provider.Originally formed as International Telecommunications Satellite Organization , it was—from 1964 to 2001—an intergovernmental consortium owning and managing a constellation of communications satellites providing international broadcast...
) to be used as Galaxy-8iR, but that contract was terminated November 15, 2002. On May 16, 2009 ProtoStar II was carried to orbit on a Proton rocket provided by International Launch Services
International Launch Services
International Launch Services is a U.S.-Russian joint venture with exclusive rights to the worldwide sale of commercial Proton rocket launch services from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.- Ownership :...
.
On June 16, 2009 Boeing announced the successful in-orbit handover of the satellite to ProtoStar Ltd. following successful in-orbit tests.
In December 2009 SES purchased Protostar II at auction for its SES World Skies unit. The purchase price was $185 million.
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 IndovisionIndovision
Indovision is a subscription-based direct broadcast satellite or direct-to-home satellite television and radio service initially in Indonesia. Indovision is currently owned by PT MNC Skyvision.-History:Indovision began operations in 1994....
, with a backup system integrated into the control system for ProtoStar I. Hardware and software for these systems are being provided by Integral Systems
Integral Systems
Integral Systems is a provider of satellite ground systems. Founded in 1982, the Columbia, Maryland-based company has supported over 205 satellite missions for communications, science, meteorological and earth resource applications...
.
External links
- Direct Satellite TV Provider, ProtoStar, Files for Bankruptcy Following Defaults on Loan Agreements http://www.netdocketsblog.com/2009/08/protostar-creditors-committee-appointed.html, August 1, 2009