A rendering of Sky Perfect JSAT’s Superbird-9. Photo: Airbus

Airbus has signed another order for OneSat, its fully digital, in-orbit reconfigurable satellite product line. Sky Perfect JSAT has ordered Superbird-9 from Airbus, targeted to launch in 2024, the companies announced Thursday. JSAT estimates the total investment including this contract is around $275 million (30 billion yen). 

This deal marks the first time a Japanese telecommunications operator has ordered a satellite from Europe, Airbus said. Superbird-9 is the seventh order for Airbus’s software-defined OneSat product line. 

Superbird-9 will deliver broadcast and broadband missions in Ku-band, primarily over Japan and Eastern Asia. JSAT said the configurable design will allow it to meet customer needs from Direct-to-Home (DTH) broadcasting, to broadband high-throughput service including maritime and aero connectivity. 

“With game-changing capability, we will provide flexible satellite communications service for greater customer convenience. We strongly believe that Superbird-9 will play a significant role in providing our advanced communications service and developing new space business,” commented Eiichi Yonekura, SKY Perfect JSAT Holdings representative director, president and CEO. 

Intelsat signed a two-satellite deal with Airbus for the OneSat at the end of 2020. At the time, Jean-Marc Nasr, head of Airbus Space Systems, said he expects the company to sign three OneSat orders in 2021.

Read more about software-defined satellites in the April 2021 edition of Via Satellite.