Lockheed Martin A2100

The A2100 is a communications satellite spacecraft model made by Lockheed Martin Space Systems in the 1990s-2010s for telecommunications in geosynchronous orbit, as well as GOES-R weather satellites and GPS Block IIIA satellites.^{[1] [2]}

The Lockheed Martin A2100 geosynchronous spacecraft series is designed for a variety of telecommunications needs including K_a band broadband and broadcast services, fixed satellite services in C-band and K_u band payload configurations, high-power direct broadcast services using the K_u band frequency spectrum, and mobile satellite services using UHF, L-band and S-band payloads.^[3]

The A2100 satellite system was developed by a Skunk Works team at the Astro Space East Windsor, New Jersey facility. A group of Space Architects, including Brian Stewart, John Close, Pete Wise, Jim Wilson (GE R&D Lab), and Keith Davies delivered a flexible common bus with fewer components, lower spacecraft weight, and reduced customer delivery time.^[4]

The first satellite, AMC-1, was launched September 8, 1996, and has achieved 15-year on-orbit service life.^[5] Since 1996 there have been over 45 of the A2100 based satellites launched, with over 400 years of total on-orbit service.^[6] Recent A2100 spacecraft include JCSAT-13 and VINASAT-2, which were launched May, 2012 on an Ariane 5 rocket. ^[7]

In 2002 Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems was given a Frost and Sullivan Satellite Reliability Award for excellence in the production of flexible and reliable communications satellites used in geosynchronous Earth orbit.^[8]

A2100 customers includes communications companies around the world, including Astra, Telesat, JSAT Corporation and others.

Propulsion system

The attitude control system includes reaction wheels,^[9] with momentum desaturation and main motor maneuver attitude control propulsion provided by small monopropellant hydrazine motors. This hydrazine supply is contained in a central propellant tank of 0.90 m diameter and up to 2.00 m length depending on the customer's requirements.^[10] This tank's maximum length was later increased to 2.55 m.^[11] The liquid apogee engine uses hydrazine fuel from the central tank along with nitrogen tetroxide oxidizer from two flanking tanks of 0.54 m diameter and up to 1.65 m long.^[12] Orbit maintenance is performed by the small hydrazine motors and ion thrusters.^[13] The maximum propellant supply (with the largest tanks at 95% fill factor) are 1368 kg of hydrazine fuel and 627 kg of nitrogen tetroxide oxidizer.

References

1. Kline, Allan (3 June 1997). "Lockheed Links Up with Intersputnik in Space". Washington Times  – via Questia (subscription required) . Retrieved 12 November 2013.
2. "Lockheed Martin: A2100"
3. "Lockheed Martin: A2100"
4. "A2100 History"
5. "First Lockheed Martin-Built A2100 Communications Satellite Marks 15 Years of On-Orbit Operations". Defense & Aerospace Week  – via HighBeam (subscription required) . September 21, 2011. Retrieved November 12, 2013.
6. "Lockheed Martin-Built A2100 Satellites: Over 400 Cumulative Years In Orbit And Counting"
7. "Ariane 5 ECA launches JCSAT-13 and VINASAT-2 into orbit"
8. "Frost & Sullivan Award
9. "Global Positioning System III overview and contractors"
10. "ATK SSI P/N 80395-1 Datasheet"
11. "ATK SSI P/N 80443-1
12. "ATK SSI P/N 80405-1 Datasheet"
13. "Lockheed Martin-Built A2100 Satellites: Over 400 Cumulative Years In Orbit And Counting"