Paksat-MM1R
| Mission type | Communications |
|---|---|
| Operator | SUPARCO |
| Mission duration | 15 years (planned) |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft | Paksat-MM1R |
| Spacecraft type | Communication satellite |
| Manufacturer | China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 30 May 2024, 12:12 UTC |
| Rocket | Long March 3B |
| Launch site | Xichang Satellite Launch Centre, China |
| Entered service | 18 September 2024 |
| Transponders | |
| Band | C, Ku, Ka and L Bands |
The Paksat-MM1 is a Pakistani communication satellite, which was launched on 30 May 2024.[1][2] This mission was a joint effort of the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) and the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.[3] The satellite was launched from China's Xichang Satellite Launch Centre.[4] On 18 September 2024, Minister of State for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja announced that the satellite had successfully completed testing and is now operational.[5]
Naming
[edit]Before launch, the satellite was designated PakSAT-MM 1R, but at launch it was referred to as PakSAT-MM 1.
The satellite was launched on LM-3B launch vehicle, which was the 96th launch of the LM-3B launch vehicle and the 524th launch of the Long March family.[6]
Details
[edit]The satellite was developed by China Academy of Space Technology (CAST), a subsidiary of CASC. It is based on the DFH-4E satellite platform with a liftoff mass of 5,400 kg, and equipped with 9 antennas and 48 transponders in C, Ku, Ka, and L bands. It can provide various services such as broadcasting, regional enhanced communications, high-throughput broadband and the Satellite-Based Augmentation System (SBAS) services etc. The satellite will be positioned at 38.2° E orbit slot, covering the mainland and surrounding areas of Pakistan, parts of the Indian Ocean, the Middle East, East Africa, and parts of Europe, with a service life of 15 years.[7]
Total deliverable capacity of Ka-Band is 10 Gbps covering whole Pakistan, there is no steerable beam in Ka-HTS payload. Maximum throughput achievable on a single beam is approx. 1 Gbps. User beams are fixed and cannot be steered over any particular area. For PakSat-MM1 HTS, three Gateway beams have been designed over Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad with gateway beam of 0.08°. It is recommended to install two gateways (one primary and other as back up). However, PakSat-MM1 HTS has been designed in such a way that one GW can handle all the traffic of 11 user beams.[8]
References
[edit]- ^ "PAKSAT MM-1: Pakistan set to launch second satellite into space". 29 May 2024.
- ^ "Pakistan's second communication satellite PAKSAT MM-1 launched into space". 30 May 2024.
- ^ "Suparco to launch satellite mission 'PAKSAT MM1' on 30th". 27 May 2024.
- ^ "Pakistan launches another modern communication satellite into space".
- ^ "Pakistan's first multi-mission satellite, PAKSAT-MM1, becomes operational". tribune.com.pk. Retrieved 24 September 2024.
- ^ "CGWIC Successfully Launches PAKSAT-MM1 by LM-3B Launch Vehicle". 2024-05-30.
- ^ "PakSAT-MM 1". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2024-08-03.
- ^ "PAKSAT-MM1 – PAKSAT International". Retrieved 2024-08-03.
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