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Hughes / Boeing: HS-601 / BSS-601

BSS-601 (JCSat 3) [Boeing]

BSS-601HP (MEASAT 3) [Boeing BSS]

BSS-601MEO (ICO) [Boeing BSS]

The body-stabilized Boeing 601 satellite is the best-selling large spacecraft model in the world. Eighty-one orders for the spacecraft had been received by January 2002.

The Boeing 601 was introduced in 1987 to meet anticipated requirements for high-power, multiple-payload satellites for such applications as direct television broadcasting to small receiving antennas, very small aperture terminals for private business networks, and mobile communications. The basic configuration features as many as 48 transponders and offers up to 4,800 watts.

A more powerful version, the Boeing 601HP, made its debut in 1995. The HP versions can carry payloads twice as powerful as the classic Boeing 601 models, through such innovations as gallium arsenide solar cells, advanced battery technology, and an optional xenon ion propulsion system (XIPS). The 601HP features as many as 60 transponders and provides up to 10,000 watts.

The 601MEO version is a medium orbit version, designed for direct placement of the satellites into orbit by the launch vehicle, which allows for the simplification of the standard BSS-601 propulsion system.

All Boeing 601 spacecraft use the same basic bus design, enabling Boeing Satellite Systems to realize efficiencies gained by production volume, tooling investments and quantity buys.

The Boeing 601 body is composed of two modules:

  • the primary structure that carries all launch vehicle loads and contains the propulsion subsystem, bus electronics, and battery packs; and
  • a structure of honeycomb shelves that hold the communications equipment, electronics, and isothermal heat pipes.

Reflectors, antenna feeds, and solar arrays mount directly to the payload module, and antenna configurations can be placed on three faces of the bus. This modular approach allows work to proceed in parallel, thereby shortening the manufacturing schedule and test time.

Failures

Following failures of 601 models have occured:

  • Asiasat 3 (HGS 1): batteries problems - partial performance loss during eclipses
  • DirecTV 1: 1998 - spacecraft control processor (SCP) failure - no service loss
  • DirecTV 1: 2002 - spacecraft control processor (SCP) failure - no service loss
  • Galaxy 3R: 2001 - spacecraft control processor (SCP) failure - no service loss; 2006 - back-up spacecraft control processor (SCP) failure - removed from service
  • Galaxy 4: 1998 - spacecraft control processors (SCP) failures - total loss
  • Galaxy 4R: 2003 - primary and secondary XIPS failure - lifetime shortened
  • Galaxy 7: 1998, 2000 - spacecraft control processors (SCP) failures - total loss 2000
  • Galaxy 8i: primary and secondary XIPS failure - lifetime shortened
  • Galaxy 10R: lost both its primary and its secondary XIPS system in August 2004 - probably reducing the remaining life to 3 years.
  • JCSar 1B (5); experienced an anomaly in one of its thrusters- temporary loss of services - 17. January 2005.
  • M-Sat 1: failureof two power amplifiers - partial loss
  • Palapa C1: Battery Charge Controller failed: service loss during eclipses
  • PAS 4: spacecraft control processor (SCP) failure - no service loss
  • PAS 5: 1998 - battery problems - partial loss
  • PAS 6B: 2003 - primary and secondary XIPS failure - lifetime shortened
  • Solidaridad 1: 1999, 2000 - spacecraft control processors (SCP) failures - total loss 2000
  • Superbird 6 (A2): one of two main fuel tanks lost pressure on November 28 - lifetime significantly shortened
  • TDRS 8: problems with multi-access antenna
  • TDRS 9: partial tank pressure loss after launch

Satellite Ordered Date Launcher Weight (kg) Remarks
Launch BOL
HS-601
AMSC 1 (MSat 2) 1990 07.04.1995 Atlas-2A 2550 1716
APStar 2 1993 25.01.1995 F CZ-2E Star-63F 2830 Launch failure
Astra 1C 1990 12.05.1993 Ariane-42L H10 2790 1700
Astra 1D 1991 01.11.1994 Ariane-42P H10+ 2790 1700
Astra 1E 1992 19.10.1995 Ariane-42L H10-3 3014 1800
Astra 1F 1993 08.04.1996 Proton-K Blok-DM3 3010 1900
DirecTV 1 (DBS 1) 18.12.1993 Ariane-44L H10+ 2860 1727
DirecTV 2 (DBS 2) → Nimiq 4i 03.08.1994 Atlas-2A 2860 1727
DirecTV 3 (DBS 3) → Nimiq 3 10.06.1995 Ariane-42P H10-3 2860 1727
Galaxy 3R (Galaxy 8) → Anik E2R 15.12.1995 Atlas 2A 3069 1709
Galaxy 4 → HGS 4 25.06.1993 Ariane-42P H10+ 2989 1709
Galaxy 7 28.10.1992 Ariane-42P H10+ 3009 1683
GOES N 1998 24.05.2006 Delta-4M+(4,2) 3133 1800
GOES O 1998 27.06.2009 Delta-4M+(4,2) 3133 1800
GOES P 1998 04.03.2010 Delta-4M+(4,2) 3133 1800
GOES Q - cancelled 3133 1800
JCSat 3 1993 29.08.1995 Atlas-2AS 3105 1841
JCSat 4 (JCSat R) → Intelsat 26 1996 17.02.1997 Atlas-2AS 3105 1841
JCSat 5 (JCSat 1B) 1996 02.12.1997 Ariane-44P H10-3 2982 1841
JCSat 6 (JCSat 4A) 1997 16.02.1999 Atlas-2AS 2900 1841
JCSat 8 (JCSat 2A) 2000 29.03.2002 Ariane-44L H10-3 2460 1500
MSat 1 (AMSC 2) 1990 20.04.1996 Ariane-42P H10-3 2830 1716
Optus B1 (ex Aussat B1) 1988 13.08.1992 CZ-2E Star-63F 2858 1659
Optus B2 (ex Aussat B2) 1988 21.12.1992 f CZ-2E Star-63F 2858 1659 Launch failure
Optus B3 (ex Aussat B3) 1992 27.08.1994 CZ-2E Star-63F 2858 1659
Palapa C1 → HGS 3 → Anatolia 1 → Paksat 1 1993 01.02.1996 Atlas-2AS 3000 1775
Palapa C2 1993 15.05.1996 Ariane-44L H10-3 3000 1775
PAS 2 → Intelsat 2 1991 08.07.1994 Ariane-44L H10+ 2920 1727
PAS 3 1991 01.12.1994 F Ariane-42P H10-3 2920 1727 Launch failure
PAS 3R → Intelsat 3R 1993 12.01.1996 Ariane-44L H10-3 2920 1727
PAS 4 → Intelsat 4 1991 03.08.1995 Ariane-42L H10-3 2920 1727
Solidaridad 1 1991 20.11.1993 Ariane-44LP H10+ 2276 1641
Solidaridad 2 1991 07.10.1994 Ariane-44L H10+ 2276 1641
Superbird C 1995 28.07.1997 Atlas-2AS 3130 1530
Superbird 6 (Superbird A2) 2001 16.04.2004 Atlas-2AS 3100 1528
TDRS 8 (TDRS H) 1995 30.06.2000 Atlas-2A 3180 1781
TDRS 9 (TDRS I) 1995 08.03.2002 Atlas-2A 3180 1781
TDRS 10 (TDRS J) 1995 05.12.2002 Atlas-2A 3180 1781
UFO 1 1988 25.03.1993 f Atlas-1 2866 1181 Launch failure
UFO 2 1990 03.09.1993 Atlas-1 2866 1181
UFO 3 1990 24.06.1994 Atlas-1 2866 1181
UFO 4 1990 29.01.1995 Atlas-2 3023 1364
UFO 5 1990 31.05.1995 Atlas-2 3023 1364
UFO 6 1990 22.10.1995 Atlas-2 3023 1364
UFO 7 1991 25.07.1996 Atlas-2 3023 1364
UFO 8 (GBS 8) 1991 16.03.1998 Atlas-2 3206 1545
UFO 9 (GBS 9) 1991 20.10.1998 Atlas-2A 3206 1545
UFO 10 (GBS 10) 1994 23.11.1999 Atlas-2A 3206 1545
UFO 11 2001 18.12.2003 Atlas-3B-SEC 3041 1364
HS-601HP
AsiaSat 3 → HGS 1 → PAS 22 1996 25.12.1997 fr Proton-K Blok-DM3 3400 2534 Launch failure
AsiaSat 3S 1998 21.03.1999 Proton-K Blok-DM3 3465 2500
AsiaSat 4 → Paksat-MM 1 2000 12.04.2003 Atlas-3B-SEC 4137 2275 XIPS
Astra 1G 1995 02.12.1997 Proton-K Blok-DM3 3379 2300
Astra 1H 1995 18.06.1999 Proton-K Blok-DM3 3700 2480 XIPS
Astra 2A 1996 30.08.1998 Proton-K Blok-DM3 3626 2470 XIPS
Astra 2C 1999 16.06.2001 Proton-K Blok-DM3 3643 2494 XIPS
DirecTV 1R 1998 10.10.1999 Zenit-3SL (1) 3446 2304 XIPS
DirecTV 4S → AT&T T-4S 1999 27.11.2001 Ariane-44LP H10-3 4260 2800 XIPS
Galaxy 4R 1998 19.04.2000 Ariane-42L H10-3 3668 2216 XIPS
Galaxy 8i 08.12.1997 Atlas-2AS 3537 1962 XIPS
Galaxy 10 27.08.1998 F Delta-8930 3876 2115 Launch failure
Galaxy 10R 1998 25.01.2000 Ariane-42L H10-3 3475 2137 XIPS
Galaxy 13/Horizons 1 2001 01.10.2003 Zenit-3SL (1) 4060 2630 XIPS
Indostar 2 / ProtoStar 2 (Cakrawarta 2) → SES 7 (ex Galaxy 8iR) 2008 (1998) 16.05.2009 Proton-M Briz-M (Ph.2) 3905 3087
Orion 3 1997 05.05.1999 P Delta-8930 4300 XIPS, Launch failure
MEASAT 3 2003 11.12.2006 Proton-M Briz-M (Ph.1) 4765 3200 XIPS
PAS 5 → Arabsat 2C → Badr C (Intelsat 5) 1995 28.08.1997 Proton-K Blok-DM3 3600 2519 XIPS
PAS 6B → Intelsat 6B 1998 22.12.1998 Ariane-42L H10-3 3470 2108 XIPS
PAS 9 → Intelsat 9 1998 28.07.2000 Zenit-3SL (1) 3659 2389 XIPS
PAS 10 → Intelsat 10 1999 15.05.2001 Proton-K Blok-DM3 3772 2510 XIPS
SATMEX 5 (ex Morelos 3) → Eutelsat 115 West A 1996 06.12.1998 Ariane-42L H10-3 4135 2267 XIPS
Superbird 4 (Superbird B2) 1998 18.02.2000 Ariane-44LP H10-3 4057 2460
TDRS 11 (TDRS K) 2007 31.01.2013 Atlas-5(401) 3454
TDRS 12 (TDRS L) 2007 24.01.2014 Atlas-5(401) 3454
TDRS 13 (TDRS M) 2011 18.08.2017 Atlas-5(401) 3454
HS-601MEO
ICO F1 1995 12.03.2000 F Zenit-3SL (1) 2750 2750 Launch failure
ICO F2 → Omnispace F2 1995 19.06.2001 Atlas-2AS 2750 2750
ICO F3 1995 cancelled ? Atlas-2AS 2750 2750 status unclear
ICO F4 1995 cancelled ? Delta-8930 2750 2750 status unclear
ICO F5 1995 cancelled ? Delta-8930 2750 2750 status unclear
ICO F6 1995 cancelled ? Delta-8930 2750 2750 status unclear
ICO F7 1995 cancelled ? Delta-8930 2750 2750 status unclear
ICO F8 1995 cancelled ? Delta-8930 2750 2750 status unclear
ICO F9 1995 cancelled ? Proton-K Blok-DM3 2750 2750 status unclear
ICO F10 1995 cancelled ? Proton-K Blok-DM3 2750 2750 status unclear
ICO F11 1995 cancelled ? Proton-K Blok-DM3 2750 2750 status unclear
ICO F12 1995 cancelled ? Proton-K Blok-DM3 2750 2750 status unclear
ICO F13 2000 cancelled 2750 2750
ICO F14 2000 cancelled 2750 2750
ICO F15 2000 cancelled 2750 2750

References

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