Kizuna (WINDS) communications satellite [JAP]: A brief overview, page 1

I'm not sure what's the most appropriate forum: i was undecided between Space exploration and Science & Technology
So i post it here: if it's out of place, please some mod kindly move it

WIND: Wideband InterNetworking engineering test and Demonstration Satellite

The "KIZUNA" is a communications satellite that enables super high-speed data communications of up to 1.2 Gbps to develop a society without any information availability disparity, in which everybody can equally enjoy high-speed communications wherever they live.

The KIZUNA (WINDS) does not require costly ground equipment. If you install a small antenna (about 45 cm in diameter) at your house, you can receive data at up to 155Mbps and transmit data at up to 6Mbps. With a larger antenna of about 5 meters in diameter, super high-speed data communications of up to 1.2 Gbps will be available.

1. Disaster Network
Even when a ground-based network is severed by a disaster in Japan or in other Asian countries, broadband network communications can still be secured by the KIZUNA using an additional small antenna. By installing a small antenna, high-resolution images, such as high definition images, can be securely sent to a disaster countermeasures office via the KIZUNA. Therefore, the satellite is
expected to function as a reliable pipeline between a disaster stricken area and a countermeasures office.

2. Solving information availability disparity
The Internet's infrastructure is well-established in urban areas in Japan.
However, a similar Internet environment is not available in many mountainous regions and remote islands in Japan and in other Asian countries. The KIZUNA can provide a broadband Internet environment and super-high speed communications that are at a level with those in city areas to regions where such communication methods are currently out of reach.

3. Remote education
The satellite-based Internet is also expected to become a useful tool in the
educational field. Using conventional satellite communications, a small time lag often exists between conversations because communications are conveyed via relay stations. With the KIZUNA, conversation will be smoothly exchanged, thus, when terminals in various schools in Japan or even in Asian countries are directly connected, students can communicate as if they are all in the same classroom.

4. Remote medicine
By connecting with urban areas via the KIZUNA, residents who live in mountainous regions and remote islands where no major hospital is available can receive the same level of medical treatment and physical checkups as those who live in cities. The KIZUNA will enable remote diagnosis, as the conditions of a patient can be transmitted by high-definition images to a specialist in an urban
hospital, who can then diagnose the problem and advise a local doctor in a rural area to provide appropriate treatment.

The KIZUNA is also expected to be useful in various fields by connecting Japan to other Asian countries and space. For example data acquired by the Daichi satellite can be provided to Asian countries more quickly via the KIZUNA.

Reference & Sources:

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
www.jaxa.jp...

Wideband InterNetworking engineering test and Demonstration Satellite KIZUNA
www.jaxa.jp...

National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) WINDS Project
www2.nict.go.jp...

Launch Preparation Status of the Super High-Speed Internet Satellite KIZUNA (WINDS) by H-IIA Launch Vehicle No. 14
(February 18, 2008)

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency have postponed the launch of the super high-speed Internet satellite "KIZUNA" (WINDS) by H-IIA Launch Vehicle No. 14 (H-IIA F14) due to an incompatibility found with the gas jet thruster system for second stage attitude control.

Based on the progress of the investigation and replacement work of this system that were carried out until yesterday, we are now preparing to launch the KIZUNA on February 23, as the earliest, or later.

We will carefully watch the progress of the current operations, and announce the exact launch date as soon as it is determined.

Press Release:
h2a.mhi.co.jp...

Launch Overview
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) will launch the Japan Aerospace
Exploration Agency (JAXA)'s "KIZUNA" (WINDS: Wideband InterNetworking engineering test and Demonstration Satellite) using H-IIA Launch Vehicle No.14 (H-IIA F14) from Tanegashima Space Center.

Scheduled Launch Date: To be announced.

Reserved Launch Period: February 16, 2008 and February 18 through 28, 2008

Launch Site: Yoshinobu Launch Complex at JAXA's Tanegashima Space Center

KIZUNA Injection Orbit: Geostationary Transfer Orbit
Perigee Altitude (km): 250
Apogee Altitude (km): 35,976
Inclination (deg): 28.5
Argument of Perigee (deg): 179

Flight trajectory:

Flight timeline:

Overview of H-IIA Launch Vehicle No.14 (H-IIA F14)

MHI has prepared an H2A2024 model of the H-IIA launch vehicle equipped with four solid strap-on boosters (SSB) to launch KIZUNA into geostationary transfer orbit.
The payload fairing model is 4S (four meters in diameter; dedicated launch fairing).
MHI has applied the LE-5B-2, improved LE-5B liquid rocket engine for the second stage engine to reduce the vibration level for the second stage.
In addition, for the SRB-A solid rocket booster, MHI has applied an improved nozzle and high combustion pressure motor, both verified through the data acquisition tests conducted by JAXA using a full scale model in July, 2006.

H-IIA F14

H-IIA F14 Specification

Refence & sources: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES,LTD
h2a.mhi.co.jp...

JAXA is also providing a live report of the launch of the selenological & engineering explorer "KIZUNA" (WINDS)/H-IIA F14 from a studio at Tanegashima with JAXA employees comments.
The broadcast time schedule is subject to change due to the operation status, weather conditions and other factors on the launch day.

Link to live internet broadcast
www.jaxa.jp...

Footnote: i've been unable to find data about the latency.

[edit on 19/2/2008 by internos]