MSAT
Satellite-based mobile telephony service broadcasting CDGPS differential correction signals.
MSAT (Mobile Satellite) is a satellite-based mobile telephony service developed by the National Research Council Canada (NRC) and supported by a number of companies in the US and Canada. It hosts a variety of services, including the broadcast of CDGPS signals for improved GPS navigation accuracy. The MSAT satellites were built by Hughes (now owned by Boeing) with a 3 kilowatt solar array power capacity and sufficient fuel for a design life of twelve years.
Quick Facts
- Solar array power capacity
- 3 kilowatts
- Design life
- 12 years
- Operators
- TMI Communications of Canada (MSAT-1); American Mobile Satellite Consortium (now Ligado Networks) (AMSC-1)
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The MSAT program involved two satellites: MSAT-1 (sometimes referred to as AMSC 2) and MSAT-2 (also known as AMSC-1). Each satellite provided backup for the other. MSAT-2 launched on April 7, 1995, from Cape Canaveral aboard an Atlas IIA. In May 1995, testing caused overheating and damage to one of eight hybrid matrix amplifier output ports aboard MSAT-2. On May 15, 1996, failures of two solid state power amplifiers (SSPAs) and one L-band receiver were reported on separate occasions aboard MSAT-2. MSAT-1 launched on April 20, 1996, from Kourou, French Guiana aboard an Ariane 42P. On May 4, 2003, MSAT-1 lost two power amplifiers.
In November 2004, Mobile Satellite Ventures placed the AMSC-1 satellite into a 2.5 degree inclined orbit operations mode, reducing station-keeping fuel usage and extending the satellite's useful life. On January 11, 2006, Mobile Satellite Ventures (which changed name to SkyTerra, then became by acquisition LightSquared, then after bankruptcy Ligado Networks) announced plans to launch a new generation of satellites in a three-satellite configuration to replace the MSAT satellites by 2010. The company stated that all old MSAT gear would be compatible with the new satellites.
Reader's Guide
MSAT's significance lies in its role as a satellite-based mobile telephony service developed by the National Research Council Canada, supported by companies in the US and Canada. It notably hosts the broadcast of CDGPS signals, a differential correction signal system that improves GPS navigation accuracy. The service also supports trailer tracking by SkyWave Mobile Communications and SkyBitz, as well as EMERGNET by Glentel. These services are singularly dependent upon the continued operation of the MSAT satellites.
The satellites experienced operational challenges, including amplifier and receiver failures, but the inclined orbit mode adopted in 2004 extended their useful life. The planned replacement by a new generation of satellites (MSV-1 for the U.S., MSV-2 for Canada, and MSV-SA for South America) was announced in 2006, with compatibility maintained for existing MSAT equipment. The corporate lineage of the operator—from Mobile Satellite Ventures to SkyTerra, then LightSquared, and finally Ligado Networks—reflects the evolving commercial landscape of mobile satellite services. MSAT's legacy includes its pioneering integration of differential GPS corrections into a mobile satellite telephony platform.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is MSAT?
MSAT (Mobile Satellite) is a satellite-based mobile telephony service created by the National Research Council Canada with backing from several US and Canadian companies. Beyond providing voice service, it also carries broadcast signals that help boost GPS positioning accuracy for end users.
What does MSAT do for GPS navigation?
The MSAT satellites broadcast CDGPS differential correction signals, which let compatible receivers compute a more precise fix than standard GPS alone. This makes the service a handy supplement for anyone who needs tighter navigation accuracy in the field.
Who built the MSAT satellites?
Both spacecraft were manufactured by Hughes, the company now folded into Boeing. Each satellite is equipped with a 3-kilowatt solar array and carries enough propellant to sustain a twelve-year operational design life.
When were the MSAT satellites launched?
MSAT-2 (also designated AMSC-1) lifted off on April 7, 1995, from Cape Canaveral Launch Complex 36, Pad A, atop an Atlas IIA. Its sibling MSAT-1 (sometimes listed as AMSC 2) followed on April 20, 1996, launching from Kourou, French Guiana, on an Ariane 42P.
Who operates the MSAT satellites?
MSAT-1 is managed by TMI Communications of Canada, while AMSC-1 (MSAT-2) is handled by the American Mobile Satellite Consortium, an entity that has since rebranded as Ligado Networks.
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