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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: | Electric propulsion |
| Power: | Solar cells, batteries |
| Lifetime: | 7 years |
| Mass: | 300 kg |
| Orbit: | GEO |
| Satellite | COSPAR | Date | LS | Launch Vehicle | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arcturus (Aurora 4A) | - | 2023 | CCK LC-39A | Falcon-Heavy (Block 5)(ex) | with ViaSat 3 Americas, G-Space 1 |
References:
- SpaceNews: Astranis lands anchor customer for its first small GEO satellite, 16 January 2019
- Aurora 1, 2 [AS-3000]
- Aurora 3 [A2100A]
- Aurora 4
- Aurora 4A (Arcturus) [MicroGEO]
