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Arcturus (Aurora 4A)

Arcturus [Astranis]

Astranis builds Arcturus (also known as Aurora 4A), a small geostationary high-throughput communications satellite to be used to provide broadband communications services for Alaska for Pacific Dataport. Astranis will be the owner and operator of the satellite.

The 300 kg satellite is to use electric propulsion to reach geostationary orbit. The Ku-band HTP communications payload will provide Alaska with a 7.5 gigabits per second capacity. Initially consumers will be able to utilize a 25 megabits downlink and a 3 megabit uplink.

Astranis was to launch the satellite in the 4th quarter of 2020 on a SpaceX Falcon-9 v1.2 (Block 5) rocket from Cape Canaveral, likely on a shared launch. The launch has been delayed to 2022 with the satellite being moved to a shared Falcon-Heavy (Block 5)(ex) launch, which allows a direct insertion to geostationary orbit.

Nation: USA
Type / Application: Communications
Operator: Astranis, Pacific Dataport
Contractors: Astranis
Equipment: Ku-band HTP payload
Configuration: MicroGEO
Propulsion: PPS-1350
Power: Solar cells, batteries
Lifetime: 7 years
Mass: 300 kg
Orbit: GEO
Satellite COSPAR Date LS Launch Vehicle Remarks
Arcturus (Aurora 4A) 2023-060B 01.05.2023 CCK LC-39A Falcon-Heavy (Block 5)(ex) with ViaSat 3.1, G-Space 1
Further Aurora missions:

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