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Orbital Sciences Selects Saft Lithium-Ion for Two GEO Satellites |
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BALTIMORE, Oct. 5, 2005/Satnews Daily/ — Orbital Sciences Corp. has ordered lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries for two geosynchronous (GEO) communications satellites, which will incorporate Saft's qualified high-energy space Li-ion cells and batteries.
Saft said both flightsets of satellite batteries will be delivered in 2006.
According to Saft, the first spacecraft batteries order is for the PAS-11 satellite that Orbital is building for PanAmSat Corporation. PAS-11 will generate approximately 4.5 kilowatts of electrical power and will weigh approximately 2.5 kilograms at launch. The satellite will provide video, fixed telecommunications, and direct-to-home television broadcast services from a mid-Atlantic orbital location.
The second spacecraft batteries are for the Horizons-2 satellite that Orbital is building for a 50/50 joint venture between PanAmSat Corporation and JSAT Corporation. The Horizons-2 satellite will deliver approximately 3.5 kilowatts of payload power, it will weigh approximately 2.3 kilograms at launch, and will provide video and telecommunications services over the United States.
The rechargeable Li-ion batteries will deliver the satellite power during two eclipse seasons per year when the spacecraft is blocked from the sun. Saft's Li-ion batteries allow the spacecraft manufacturer and user to decrease the satellite's weight significantly versus the previously used nickel- hydrogen battery chemistry. This approximately 30 - 50 percent weight savings on the battery (yielded from Saft's Li-ion battery high specific energy of 120 Wh/kg) allows the satellite manufacturer and user to dedicate more of the satellite's crucial mass to the payload, or revenue generating part of the spacecraft.
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