MSAT


MSAT, short for Mobile Satellite, is a satellite-based mobile telephony service developed by the National Research Council of Canada. Supported by a number of companies in the US and Canada, MSAT hosts a number of services, including the broadcast of CDGPS signals. The were built by Hughes with a 3 kilowatt solar array power capacity and sufficient fuel for a design life of twelve years. TMI Communications of Canada referred to its MSAT satellite as MSAT-1, while American Mobile Satellite Consortium referred to its MSAT as AMSC-1, with each satellite providing backup for the other.

History

MSAT-1 and MSAT-2 have had their share of problems. Mobile Satellite Ventures placed the AMSC-1 satellite into a 2.5 degree inclined orbit operations mode in November 2004, reducing station-keeping fuel usage and extending the satellite's useful life.
On January 11, 2006, Mobile Satellite Ventures announced plans to launch a new generation of satellites to replace the MSAT satellites by 2010. MSV has said that all old MSAT gear would be compatible with the new satellites.
The following services are singularly dependent upon the continued operation of the MSAT satellite: