[Satellite TODAY Insider 06-20-11] Sky Perfect JSAT Corp. is accelerating its JCSAT-13 satellite project by almost two years. The satellite, currently under construction by Lockheed Martin, was originally scheduled for launch on an Arianespace Ariane 5 rocket in 2013, but Sky Perfect JSAT announced June 17 that the company hopes to launch the spacecraft in the fourth quarter of this year.

            Sky Perfect JSAT Senior Executive Vice President Osamu Inoue said that Arianespace made an earlier launch spot available to the company after it saw the need to meet faster-than-expected growth in certain market segments.

“[The program acceleration] allows us to quickly respond to a variety of customer requirements such as DTH services, high-speed broadband services and enterprise VSAT networks, in which time-to-market is a crucial factor for success. We view JCSAT-13 as an important platform for our future growth. Leveraging on its Southeast Asia beam and the two steerable beams, this satellite will significantly expand our international Ku-band businesses to new areas,” Inoue said.

The multimillion-dollar JCSAT-13 spacecraft will replace the operator’s JCSAT-4A satellite at the 124 degrees East orbital slot, providing 44 high-power Ku-band transponders designed to continue providing service to Japan’s DTH platform.

            Sky Perfect JSAT CEO Masanori Akiyama previously told Satellite TODAY Insider that robust transponder demand in the Asia-Pacific region has motivated the company to focus on JCSAT-13’s future role in the expansion its regional presence. “We expect to find new opportunities in the fields of DTH, IP solutions and teleport business in the Asian region that will utilize our existing and new satellites,” Akiyama said.

            JCSAT-13 is based on Lockheed’s A2100 geosynchronous spacecraft series and represents the seventh satellite order Sky Perfect JSAT has awarded to Lockheed Martin.