Yuri 1

Description

The Medium-Scale Broadcasting Satellite for Experimental Purposes (BSE) was an experimental communications satellite. Its main body was irregular in shape but roughly cubical. A symmetrical pair of rectangular solar panels extended wing-like, on either side of the satellite body for a total length of 8.95 m and width of 1.48 m. These were rotated for maximum solar exposure. Mounted on another side of the spacecraft was an eliptical-paraboloid antenna disk with a composite three-horn radiator designed to efficiently irradiate primary geographical areas of interest to Japan. The combined height of satellite and antenna was 3.09 m. The satellite body was 1.32 m wide by 1.19 m long. The spacecraft used active, three-axis stabilization employing zero-momentum wheels and hydrazine thrusters. Pointing accuracy was better than 0.2 deg. The satellite was designed for a three year lifetime on location near 110 deg E. Experiments utilized 2.1, 2.3, 12, and 14 GHz frequencies for satellite control/telemetry, and TV transmission studies. The experiments involved studies of TV signal characteristics, rainfall attenuation at 12 GHz, satellite/ground terminal performance, ground/satellite frequency sharing, satellite control techniques, satellite broadcasting operations, and TV signal quality assessment.