The A2100 is a model of communications satellite spacecraft made by Lockheed Martin Space Systems. It is used as the foundation for telecommunications payloads in geosynchronous orbit, as well as GOES-R weather satellites and GPS Block IIIA satellites. Over 40 satellites use the A2100 bus.[1][2]

History

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The first satellite, AMC-1, was launched September 8, 1996, and has achieved 15-year on-orbit service life.[3][4] Since 1996 there have been over 45 of the A2100 based satellites launched, with over 400 years of total on-orbit service.[5] Other A2100 spacecraft include JCSAT-13 and VINASAT-2, which were launched May, 2012 on an Ariane 5 rocket,[6] as well as Arabsat-6A and Hellas Sat 4/SaudiGeoSat-1 of Saudi Arabia's Arabsat-6G program.[7]

In 2002, Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems was given a Frost and Sullivan Satellite Reliability Award for excellence in the production of flexible and reliable communications satellites used in geosynchronous Earth orbit.[8]

A2100 customers includes communications companies around the world, including Astra, Telesat, SKY Perfect JSAT Group and others.

Design

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The Lockheed Martin A2100 geosynchronous spacecraft series is designed for a variety of telecommunications needs including Ka band broadband and broadcast services, fixed satellite services in C-band and Ku band payload configurations, high-power direct broadcast services using the Ku band frequency spectrum, and mobile satellite services using UHF, L-band and S-band payloads.[9]

The A2100 satellite system was developed by the Astro Space team at its East Windsor, New Jersey facility, with team members delivering a flexible common bus with fewer components, lower spacecraft weight, and reduced customer delivery time.[10]

The A2100 is being supplanted by the LM2100, an evolutionary upgrade with several new features. The military version is the LM2100 Combat Bus.[11][12]

Propulsion system

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The attitude control system includes reaction wheels,[13] with momentum desaturation and main motor maneuver attitude control propulsion provided by small monopropellant hydrazine motors. This hydrazine supply is contained in a central propellant tank of 0.90 m diameter and up to 2.00 m length depending on the customer's requirements.[14] This tank's maximum length was later increased to 2.55 m.[15] The liquid apogee engine uses hydrazine fuel from the central tank along with nitrogen tetroxide oxidizer from two flanking tanks of 0.54 m diameter and up to 1.65 m long.[16] Orbit maintenance is performed by the small hydrazine motors and ion thrusters.[17] The maximum propellant supply (with the largest tanks at 95% fill factor) are 1368 kg of hydrazine fuel and 627 kg of nitrogen tetroxide oxidizer.

According to Moog-ISP, the A2100 platform uses its LEROS bipropellant Liquid Apogee Engine.[18]

Satellite orders

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A2100A

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Satellite Country Operator Type Coverage Launch date (UTC) Rocket Changes Status
GE-1 United States SES Americom Television broadcasting 24 C-band, 24 Ku-band 8 September 1996 Atlas IIA Known as AMC 1 Active
GE-2 United States SES Americom Television broadcasting 24 C-band, 24 Ku-band 30 January 1997 Ariane-44L Known as AMC 2 Retired
GE-3 United States SES Americom Television broadcasting 24 C-band, 24 Ku-band 4 September 1997 Atlas IIAS Known as Eagle 1 Active
GE-7 United States SES Americom Television broadcasting 24 C-band 14 September 2000 Ariane 5G Known as AMC 7 Retired
GE-8 United States SES Americom Television broadcasting 24 C-band 20 December 2000 Ariane 5G Known as AMC 8 (Aurora 3) Active
GE-10 United States SES Americom Television broadcasting 24 C-band 5 February 2004 Atlas IIAS Retired
GE-11 United States SES Americom Television broadcasting 24 C-band 19 May 2004 Atlas IIAS Active
GE-18 United States SES Americom Television broadcasting 24 C-band 19 May 2004 Ariane 5 ECA Active
BSAT-3a Japan BSAT Corp Television broadcasting 12 Ku-band 14 August 2007 Ariane 5 ECA Active
BSAT-3b Japan BSAT Corp Television broadcasting 12 Ku-band 28 October 2010 Ariane 5 ECA Active
BSAT-3c Japan BSAT Corp Television broadcasting 24 Ku-band 6 August 2011 Ariane 5 ECA Active
GOES-R United States NOAA Meteorology 19 November 2016 Atlas V 541 Known as GOES 16 Active
GOES-S United States NOAA Meteorology 1 March 2018 Atlas V 541 Known as GOES 17 Active
GOES-T United States NOAA Meteorology 1 March 2022 Atlas V 541 Known as GOES 18 Active
GOES-U United States NOAA Meteorology 25 June 2024 Falcon Heavy Known as GOES 19 Active
ABS-7 Bermuda ABS Television broadcasting 24 Ku-band, 6 Ka-band 4 September 1999 Ariane-42P Known as ABS 7 Inclined
Nemesis 1 United States National Reconnaissance Office SIGINT, COMINT 8 September 2009 Atlas V 401 Known as PAN, PAN360, USA 207 Active
Nemesis 2 United States National Reconnaissance Office SIGINT, COMINT 17 September 2014 Atlas V 401 Known as CLIO, USA 257 Active
Telkom 1 Indonesia Telkom Indonesia Communications 24 C-band 12 August 1999 Ariane-42P Retired
Vinasat-1 Vietnam VNPT Communications 8 C-band, 12 Ku-band 18 April 2008 Ariane 5 ECA Active
Vinasat-2 Vietnam VNPT Communications 24 Ku-band 15 May 2012 Ariane 5 ECA Active
Zhongwei 1 China China Satcom Communications 18 C-band, 20 Ku-band 30 May 1998 Long March 3B Known as APStar 9A Retired

A2100AX

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Satellite Country Operator Type Coverage Launch date (UTC) Rocket Changes Status
EchoStar 3 United States EchoStar Television broadcasting 32 Ku-band 5 October 1997 Atlas IIAS Retired
EchoStar 4 United States EchoStar Television broadcasting 32 Ku-band 7 May 1998 Proton-K Blok-DM3 Retired
EchoStar 7 United States EchoStar Television broadcasting 32 Ku-band 7 May 1998 Atlas IIIB-DEC Retired
GE 1A United States SES Americom Communications 28 Ku-band 1 October 2000 Proton-K Blok-DM3 Known as NSS 11 Active
GE 4 United States SES Americom Television broadcasting & satellite internet 24 C-band, 24 Ku-band 13 November 1999 Ariane-44LP Known as AMC 4 Active
GE 6 United States SES Americom Television broadcasting & satellite internet 24 C-band, 24 Ku-band 21 October 2000 Proton-K Blok-DM3 Known as AMC 6 (Rainbow 2) Active
LMI 1 Bermuda ABS Television broadcasting & satellite internet 28 C-band, 16 Ku-band 26 September 1999 Proton-K Blok-DM3 Known as ABS 6 Active
Nimiq 1 Canada Telesat Satellite internet 32 Ku-band 20 May 1999 Proton-K Blok-DM3 Active
Nimiq 2 Canada Telesat Satellite internet 32 Ku-band 29 December 2002 Proton-M Active
N-SAT 110 Japan SKY Perfect JSAT Satellite internet 24 Ku-band 6 October 2000 Ariane-42L Known as Superbird 5 Retired

A2100AXS

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Satellite Country Operator Type Coverage Launch date (UTC) Rocket Changes Status
AMC-14 United States SES Americom Television broadcasting 32 Ku-band 14 March 2008 Proton-M Phase 1 Active
AMC-15 United States SES Americom Television broadcasting 24 Ku-band, 12 Ka-band 14 October 2004 Proton-M Phase 1 Active
AMC-16 United States SES Americom Television broadcasting 24 Ku-band, 12 Ka-band 14 October 2004 Proton-M Phase 1 Retired
Astra 1KR Luxembourg SES Television broadcasting 32 Ku-band 20 April 2006 Atlas V 431 Active
Astra 1L Luxembourg SES Television broadcasting 29 Ku-band, 2 Ka-band 4 May 2007 Ariane 5 ECA Active
EchoStar 10 United States EchoStar Television broadcasting 42 Ku-band 15 February 2006 Zenit-3SL Active
JCSat 9 Japan SKY Perfect JSAT Communications 20 C-band, 20 Ku-band, 1 S-band 12 April 2006 Zenit-3SL Known as JCSat 5A Active
JCSat 10 Japan SKY Perfect JSAT Communications 12 C-band, 30 Ku-band 11 August 2006 Ariane 5 ECA Known as JCSat 3A Active
JCSAT-11 Japan SKY Perfect JSAT Communications 12 C-band, 30 Ku-band 5 September 2007 Proton-M Phase 1 Launch failure
JCSat 12 Japan SKY Perfect JSAT Communications 12 C-band, 30 Ku-band 21 August 2008 Ariane 5 ECA Known as JCSat RA Active
JCSat 13 Japan SKY Perfect JSAT Communications 44 Ku-band 15 May 2012 Ariane 5 ECA Known as JCSat 4B Active
NSS-6 Netherlands SES Satellite internet 50 Ku-band 17 December 2002 Ariane 44L Active
NSS-7 Netherlands SES Satellite internet 36 C-band, 36 Ku-band 16 April 2002 Ariane 44L Retired
Rainbow-1 United States EchoStar Television broadcasting 36 Ku-band 17 July 2003 Atlas V 521 Known as EchoStar 12 Retired
Sirius 4 (Astra 4A) Sweden SES Sirius Communications 52 Ku-band, 2 Ka-band 17 November 2007 Proton-M Phase 1 Active
Garuda 1 Indonesia Asoa Cellular Satellite Mobile communications 88 L-band 12 February 2000 Proton-K Blok-DM3 Active

A2100M (Military)

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Satellite Country Operator Type Coverage Launch date (UTC) Rocket Changes Status
AEHF 1 United States Air Force Space Command Military communications 14 August 2010 Atlas V 531 Known as USA 214 Active
AEHF 2 United States Air Force Space Command Military communications 4 May 2012 Atlas V 531 Known as USA 235 Active
AEHF 3 United States Air Force Space Command Military communications 18 September 2013 Atlas V 531 Known as USA 246 Active
AEHF 4 United States Air Force Space Command Military communications 17 October 2018 Atlas V 551 Known as USA 288 Active
AEHF 5 United States Air Force Space Command Military communications 8 August 2019 Atlas V 551 Known as USA 292 Active
AEHF 6 United States Air Force Space Command Military communications 26 March 2020 Atlas V 551 Known as USA 298 Active
MUOS 1 United States United States Navy Military communications 24 February 2012 Atlas V 551 Active
MUOS 2 United States United States Navy Military communications 19 July 2013 Atlas V 551 Active
MUOS 3 United States United States Navy Military communications 21 January 2015 Atlas V 551 Active
MUOS 4 United States United States Navy Military communications 2 September 2015 Atlas V 551 Active
MUOS 5 United States United States Navy Military communications 24 June 2016 Atlas V 551 Active
GPS-3 1 United States Air Force Space Command Navigation 23 December 2016 Falcon 9 Known as Navstar 77, USA 289, Vespucci Active
GPS-3 2 United States Air Force Space Command Navigation 22 August 2019 Delta IV M+ (4,2) Known as Navstar 78, USA 293, Magellan Active
GPS-3 3 United States Air Force Space Command Navigation 30 June 2020 Falcon 9 Known as Navstar 79, USA 304, Columbus Active
GPS-3 4 United States Air Force Space Command Navigation 5 November 2020 Falcon 9 Known as Navstar 80, USA 309, Sacagawea Active
GPS-3 5 United States Air Force Space Command Navigation 17 June 2021 Falcon 9 Known as Navstar 81, USA 320, Neil Armstrong Active
GPS-3 6 United States Air Force Space Command Navigation 18 January 2023 Falcon 9 Known as Navstar 82, USA 343, Amelia Earhart Active
GPS-3 7 United States Air Force Space Command Navigation 2024 Vulcan Centaur Awaiting launch
GPS-3 8 United States Air Force Space Command Navigation 202x Vulcan Centaur Awaiting launch
GPS-3 9 United States Air Force Space Command Navigation 202x Vulcan Centaur Awaiting launch
GPS-3 10 United States Air Force Space Command Navigation 202x Falcon 9 Awaiting launch
SBIRS GEO 1 United States Air Force Space Command Early warning 2 SBIRS sensors 7 May 2011 Atlas V 401 Known as USA 230 Active
SBIRS GEO 2 United States Air Force Space Command Early warning 2 SBIRS sensors 19 March 2013 Atlas V 401 Known as USA 241 Active
SBIRS GEO 3 United States Air Force Space Command Early warning 2 SBIRS sensors 21 January 2017 Atlas V 401 Known as USA 273 Active
SBIRS GEO 4 United States Air Force Space Command Early warning 2 SBIRS sensors 20 January 2018 Atlas V 411 Known as USA 282 Active

LM2100 (Modernized)

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Satellite Country Operator Type Coverage Launch date (UTC) Rocket Changes Status
Arabsat-6A Saudi Arabia Arabsat Communications 11 April 2019 Falcon Heavy Active
SaudiGeoSat-1/HellasSat-4 Saudi Arabia, Greece Arabsat, Hellas Sat Communications Ku-band, Ka-band 5 February 2019 Ariane 5 ECA Active
JCSAT-17 Japan SKY Perfect JSAT Mobile communications S-band 18 February 2020 Ariane 5 ECA Active

LM2100M (Modernized Military)

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Satellite Country Operator Type Coverage Launch date (UTC) Rocket Changes Status
NG-OPIR-GEO 1 United States Air Force Space Command Early warning 2 NG-OPIR sensors 2025 Vulcan Centaur Awaiting launch
NG-OPIR-GEO 2 United States Air Force Space Command Early warning 2 NG-OPIR sensors 202x Awaiting launch
NG-OPIR-GEO 3 United States Air Force Space Command Early warning 2 NG-OPIR sensors 202x Awaiting launch
GPS-3F 1 United States Air Force Space Command Navigation 2026 Falcon Heavy Awaiting launch
GPS-3F 2 United States Air Force Space Command Navigation 202x Awaiting launch
GPS-3F 3 United States Air Force Space Command Navigation 202x Awaiting launch
GPS-3F 4 United States Air Force Space Command Navigation 202x Awaiting launch
GPS-3F 5 United States Air Force Space Command Navigation 202x Awaiting launch
GPS-3F 6 United States Air Force Space Command Navigation 202x Awaiting launch
GPS-3F 7 United States Air Force Space Command Navigation 202x Awaiting launch
GPS-3F 8 United States Air Force Space Command Navigation 202x Awaiting launch
GPS-3F 9 United States Air Force Space Command Navigation 202x Awaiting launch
GPS-3F 10 United States Air Force Space Command Navigation 202x Awaiting launch
GPS-3F 11 United States Air Force Space Command Navigation 202x Awaiting launch
GPS-3F 12 United States Air Force Space Command Navigation 202x Awaiting launch
GPS-3F 13 United States Air Force Space Command Navigation 202x Awaiting launch
GPS-3F 14 United States Air Force Space Command Navigation 202x Awaiting launch
GPS-3F 15 United States Air Force Space Command Navigation 202x Awaiting launch
GPS-3F 16 United States Air Force Space Command Navigation 202x Awaiting launch
GPS-3F 17 United States Air Force Space Command Navigation 202x Awaiting launch
GPS-3F 18 United States Air Force Space Command Navigation 202x Awaiting launch
GPS-3F 19 United States Air Force Space Command Navigation 202x Awaiting launch
GPS-3F 20 United States Air Force Space Command Navigation 202x Awaiting launch
GPS-3F 21 United States Air Force Space Command Navigation 202x Awaiting launch
GPS-3F 22 United States Air Force Space Command Navigation 202x Awaiting launch
SBIRS GEO 5 United States Air Force Space Command Early warning 2 SBIRS sensors 18 May 2021 Atlas V 421 Known as USA 315 Active
SBIRS GEO 6 United States Air Force Space Command Early warning 2 SBIRS sensors 4 August 2022 Atlas V 421 Active

Cancelled orders

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Satellite Country Operator Type Coverage
GE-9 United States SES Americom Television broadcasting 24 C-band
Jabiru 1 Australia NewSat Corporation Communications 50 Ka-band, 18 Ku-band, 1 S-band
Rainbow KA-1 United States Cablevision Television broadcasting Ka-band
Rainbow KA-2 United States Cablevision Television broadcasting Ka-band
Rainbow KA-3 United States Cablevision Television broadcasting Ka-band
Rainbow KA-4 United States Cablevision Television broadcasting Ka-band
Rainbow KA-5 United States Cablevision Television broadcasting Ka-band
Agrani 1 India Agrani Mobile communications
Garuda 2 Indonesia Asia Cellular Satellite Mobile communications 88 L-band
Astrolink 1 United States Astrolink Mobile communications Ka-band
Astrolink 2 United States Astrolink Mobile communications Ka-band
Astrolink 3 United States Astrolink Mobile communications Ka-band
Astrolink 4 United States Astrolink Mobile communications Ka-band
SBIRS GEO 7 United States Air Force Space Command Early warning 2 SBIRS sensors
SBIRS GEO 8 United States Air Force Space Command Early warning 2 SBIRS sensors

References

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  1. ^ "Lockheed Martin: A2100"
  2. ^ "Lockheed Martin's A2100 bus modernized and poised for new missions". SpaceFlight Insider. 2017-08-11. Retrieved 2021-06-14.
  3. ^ "First Lockheed Martin-Built A2100 Communications Satellite Marks 15 Years of On-Orbit Operations". Media - Lockheed Martin. Retrieved 2021-06-14.
  4. ^ "First Lockheed Martin-Built A2100 Communications Satellite Marks 15 Years of On-Orbit Operations". Defense & Aerospace Week. September 21, 2011. Archived from the original on June 10, 2014. Retrieved November 12, 2013 – via HighBeam.
  5. ^ "Lockheed Martin-Built A2100 Satellites: Over 400 Cumulative Years In Orbit And Counting"
  6. ^ "Ariane 5 ECA launches JCSAT-13 and VINASAT-2 into orbit"
  7. ^ Lockheed Martin Completes Assembly on Arabsat's Newest Communications Satellite. Lockheed Martin. 20 February 2018.
  8. ^ "Frost & Sullivan Award
  9. ^ "Lockheed Martin: A2100" Archived 2013-09-30 at the Wayback Machine
  10. ^ "A2100 History"
  11. ^ McKinnon, Douglas V. (2016), "Lockheed Martin's A2100 Spacecraft Bus Modernization", 34th AIAA International Communications Satellite Systems Conference, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, doi:10.2514/6.2016-5724, ISBN 978-1-62410-457-2, retrieved 2021-06-14
  12. ^ Hitchens, Theresa (2021-05-17). "New SBIRS Sat Creates Bridge To Next-Gen Missile Warning". Breaking Defense. Retrieved 2021-06-14.
  13. ^ "Global Positioning System III overview and contractors"
  14. ^ "ATK SSI P/N 80395-1 Datasheet"
  15. ^ "ATK SSI P/N 80443-1
  16. ^ "ATK SSI P/N 80405-1 Datasheet"
  17. ^ "Lockheed Martin-Built A2100 Satellites: Over 400 Cumulative Years In Orbit And Counting"
  18. ^ "Thrusters". Moog Inc. Archived from the original on 2016-08-10. Retrieved 2016-08-09.