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SSL Confirms Health of NBN’s Sky Muster 2

By Caleb Henry | October 10, 2016
      SSL Sky Muster 2 NBN

      NBN’s Sky Muster 2 satellite. Photo: SSL

      [Via Satellite 10-10-2016] Space Systems Loral (SSL) has confirmed that Sky Muster 2, the second High Throughput Satellite (HTS) designed and built for Australia’s National Broadband Network (NBN) is successfully performing post-launch maneuvers according to plan.

      The satellite deployed its solar arrays on schedule following its launch aboard an Ariane 5 launch vehicle on Oct. 6, and began firing its main thruster early the following morning to reach Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO). NBN plans to use Sky Muster 2 in conjunction with the first Sky Muster satellite to provide high-speed broadband service to more than 200,000 Australians.

      Sky Muster 2 is the second of two twin Ka-band HTS satellites that NBN purchased from SSL and launched with Arianespace. Together, the two satellites provide telecommunications services to Australia’s most difficult to reach citizens, including those in mainland Australia as well as those on offshore islands including Norfolk Island, Christmas Island, Lord Howe Island, Cocos, and Macquarie Island in the Antarctic.