Mitsubishi Electric has been selected by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) as the prime contractor to build its Engineering Test Satellite 9 (ETS-9).
Expected to be launched by 2021, the ETS-9 will support the development of an advanced satellite bus, or common model, for various high-throughput satellites (HTS) for communications.
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The proposed satellite bus will require up to 25KW to support HTS communications.
Japan-made 6KW high-power Hall thrusters will be used to deliver the lightweight, all-electric bus system.
Once completed, the system will be the first Japanese geostationary system equipped with locally made GPS receivers for conducting autonomous orbital transfer and orbital manoeuvring.
Mitsubishi Electric also noted that the planned satellite bus system will help the Japanese Government to achieve its Basic Plan for Space Policy goals.
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By GlobalDataThe policy has already identified advanced technologies for communications and broadcasting satellites as crucial to Japan's security and global competitiveness in the space industry.
Mitsubishi Electric has so far supported the production of more than 500 domestic and international satellites.
In 2000, the company completed a single facility to develop, design, assemble and test satellites.
In a separate development, Mitsubishi Electric has announced that it would invest JPY11bn ($99m) to build a new satellite production facility at its Kamakura Works site in Japan.
The new facility is expected to increase the company’s production capacity to 18 satellites in parallel, up from the current ten satellites in parallel mode.
Image: Rendition of envisioned ETS-9 satellite. Photo: courtesy of Mitsubishi Electric Corporation.
