[Satellite News 06-24-09] TerreStar-1, the world’s largest civilian telecommunications satellite, is in the final stages of preparation for launch by Arianespace July 1, TerreStar CTO Dennis Matheson told Satellite News.
    Matheson discussed the reasoning behind the architecture and technology of the massive satellite, set to provide voice, video and data communications to North America and its surrounding regions. He also described the satellite’s role in the long-term and how efficiency and evolution will remain a cornerstone in TerreStar-1’s planned 15-year lifespan.

Satellite News: Considering the sheer size of TerreStar-1, what final preparations are underway for the satellite’s launch?

Matheson: The satellite is in the process of being moved back to what they call the final assembly building from the fueling building, so the on-board fuel for the satellite has been accomplished. The next step is to move it back to the final assembly building and actually made it on top of the launcher itself. So those are the activities for the days ahead, all in preparation for the July 1 launch. Everything is go at this point and looking very good for us.
    With the size of the satellite, it is still considered a heavy load launch. The Ariane 5 ECA launcher already has the capacity to lift the mass that we’ve got, they just never have launched it in a single payload. The uniqueness of this is that it is the first of size that has taken place. All the prep work in terms of making sure all the facilities could handle this size payload took place a long time ago and it’s working out well.

Satellite News: How does the satellite’s size play a role in its functionality in the present and future?

Matheson: TerreStar-1 is the size it is because we took a different approach in terms of the overall design of the system. In the past, satellites were the technology roads at the time, and you would choose the best technology possible when you built a satellite. Once you found out what you could do on the satellite, you went out and designed a terminal that matched up to the satellite. That particular process led to the best terminals that could possibly be made at the time.
    In this particular case, we knew how the terminals that were made before the consumer-level terminals performed. We decided that we had to design the satellite to talk to the small handheld terminals that are out there or will be out there. Therefore, development led to a larger satellite, a larger reflector and more power on the satellite. So it was kind of a reverse view of how to — from an overall systems design approach — deliver the service that we are going to be delivering.

Satellite News: The launch was delayed for additional testing of the S-band system. Was this just a precautionary measure?

Matheson: The space industry is a small industry, and when things go on with other operators’ satellites, you just pause to make sure that you’re ready to go. That is what took place in this particular instance. We had another operator experience an S-band anomaly on their payload, so we went back through to our manufacturing and sub-manufacturers that have common parts associated and made sure that, based on the data they had, they were still confident that TerreStar-1 was indeed ready to launch. Both our prime vendor and the sub-vendor confirmed that there were no concerns that TerreStar-1 had any issues whatsoever. So with that, we reset the launch date to July 1 with Arianespace and are ready to go.

Satellite News: Do you think your bent-pipe architecture could limit your ability to adapt?

Matheson: I can say that our architecture and technology are very flexible. We’re geosynchronous, so therefore our territory doesn’t change in terms of what we’re covering. It allows us then to put in place different types of applications and services. You have to remember that this is a 15-year service life satellite. Over that time span, you need to be highly flexible so that the consumer can stay satisfied over that length of time.

Satellite News: Satellite manufacture Space Systems/Loral also built TerreStar-2. Are there any updates on whether you will need the satellite in the near future?

Matheson: TerreStar-2, as you know, is an in-orbit spare, and there are no updates on that satellite at this time. We’re very focused on getting TerreStar-1 working to its potential right now and will be working with Space Systems/Loral and reporting on TerreStar-2’s development in the future.