MSAT

MSAT is a satellite-based mobile telephony service developed by the National Research Council Canada. Supported by a number of companies in the US and Canada, MSAT hosts a number of services, including the broadcast of CDGPS signals. The MSAT satellites were built by Hughes with a 3 kilowatt solar array power capacity and sufficient fuel for a design life of twelve years. TMI Communications of Canada referred to its MSAT satellite as MSAT-1, while American Mobile Satellite Consortium referred to its MSAT as AMSC-1, with each satellite providing backup for the other.

History

April 7, 1995 - MSAT-2 launched from Cape Canaveral, Launch Complex 36, Pad A, aboard Atlas IIA
May 1995 - testing causes overheating and damage to one of eight hybrid matrix amplifier output ports aboard MSAT-2
April 20, 1996 - MSAT-1 launched from Kourou, French Guiana aboard Ariane 42P
May 15, 1996 - Reported failures of two solid state power amplifiers and one L-band receiver on separate occasions aboard MSAT-2.
May 4, 2003 - MSAT-1 loses two power amplifiers.
Phaseout

MSAT-1 and MSAT-2 have had their share of problems. Mobile Satellite Ventures placed the AMSC-1 satellite into a 2.5 degree inclined orbit operations mode in November 2004, reducing station-keeping fuel usage and extending the satellite's useful life.
On January 11, 2006, Mobile Satellite Ventures announced plans to launch a new generation of satellites to replace the MSAT satellites by 2010. MSV has said that all old MSAT gear would be compatible with the new satellites.

MSV-1
MSV-2
MSV-SA
Services Delivered via MSAT

The following services are singularly dependent upon the continued operation of the MSAT satellite:

CDGPS - a differential correction signal system for improved GPS navigation accuracy
Trailer Tracking - by SkyWave Mobile Communications
Trailer Tracking - by SkyBitz
EMERGNET - by Glentel

MSAT

History

Phaseout

Services Delivered via MSAT