Boeing 702

Boeing 702 is a communication satellite bus family designed and manufactured by the Boeing Satellite Development Center, and flown from the late-1990s into the 2020s. It covers satellites massing from 1,500 kg (3,300 lb) to 6,100 kg (13,400 lb) with power outputs from 3 to 18 kW and can carry up to approximately 100 high-power transponders.^[1]

Boeing Space Systems (BSS-702) Bus

WGS (Wideband Global Satcom) satellite
Manufacturer	Boeing Defense, Space & Security
Country of origin	United States
Applications	Communications
Specifications
Launch mass	1,500 to 6,100 kg (3,300 to 13,400 lb)
Payload capacity	200 to 1,620 kg (440 to 3,570 lb)
Power	3 to 18 kW
Regime	Geostationary
Design life	15 years
Production
Status	In production
On order	60
Launched	47
Lost	3
Maiden launch	December 22, 1999 (Galaxy XI)
Last launch	August 6, 2019 (ViaSat-2)
← BSS-601

The baseline Boeing 702 is compatible with several orbital launch systems, including Atlas V, Ariane 5, Delta IV, Falcon 9, Proton, and the Sea Launch-operated Zenit 3SL.^[1][2]

Platform versions

After the introduction of the original 702 in 1997, the platform has been continually updated. New members of the platform have been introduced through the years, which allowed the common systems and approaches to span the whole range of mass and power for geosynchronous orbit satellites. The family currently spans four different members: the 702HP for high-power applications, the 702HP-GEO for mobile-telephone services, the 702MP for medium-power requirements and the 702SP for small satellites.^[1]

Boeing 702 platform family^[1][3]

Platform	702HP	702HP-GEO	702MP	702SP
Year of introduction	1997	1997	2009	2012
First launch	1999	2000	2012	2015
First customer	PanAmSat	SkyTerra	Intelsat	Asia Broadcast Satellite and SatMex (joint order)
Payload mass	600 kg (1,300 lb) to 1,620 kg (3,570 lb)	1,250 kg (2,760 lb) to 1,480 kg (3,260 lb)	300 kg (660 lb) to 650 kg (1,430 lb)	200 kg (440 lb) to 680 kg (1,500 lb)
Power, kW	>12	8–10	6–12	3–8
Spacecraft mass	5,400 kg (11,900 lb) to 5,900 kg (13,000 lb)	5,100 kg (11,200 lb) to 5,900 kg (13,000 lb)	5,800 kg (12,800 lb) to 6,100 kg (13,400 lb)	1,500 kg (3,300 lb) to 2,300 kg (5,100 lb)

702HP

The high-power 702 platform was originally announced in October 1998. With the 2009 introduction of the 702MP "mid-power version", the legacy Boeing 702 platform, which had been continuously evolved, was designated the Boeing 702HP for "high-power".^[4] According to Moog-ISP, the 702HP platform uses its bipropellant thrusters.^[5]

The SES-9, a 702HP model, launched aboard the Falcon 9 Flight 22 on 4 March 2016.

702 GEO-Mobile

Developed in 1997 for their launch customer Thuraya, it is a special version of the 702HP platform with a 12.25-meter deployable antenna, onboard digital signal processing and beamforming. It is a specialized platform for direct service of mobile users.^[6]

702MP

In 2009 Boeing introduced the 702MP platform, a mid-power solution based on the high-power 702HP platform. The 702MP provides the high-capability features inherent in the flight-proven Boeing 702HP satellite model, but with a substantially updated satellite bus structure and simplified propulsion system.^[7] The 702MP was designed for satellites in the middle-level power ranges, supporting payloads ranging from 6 to 12 kilowatts. According to Moog-ISP, the 702MP platform uses both its bipropellant thrusters and LEROS liquid apogee engine.^[5]

Intelsat is the lead customer for the 702MP. Boeing built Intelsat 21, Intelsat 22, Intelsat 27 and Intelsat 29e (the first EpicNG) satellites based on the platform.^[8] In May 2013, Intelsat ordered an additional four EpicNG satellites from Boeing. The first of this new order will be Intelsat 33e.^[9] In July 2014, Boeing announced the order of a ninth Intelsat 702MP order, the EpicNG Intelsat 35e.^[10]

On January 15, 2015, the SatNews Publishers disclosed Boeing's second 702MP customer. New York Broadband LLC would order an L-band satellite Silkwave 1 to be fully leased to CMMB Vision of Hong Kong.^[11] The satellite is expected to enter service in 2018 in the 105° east orbital slot to replace AsiaStar.^[12][13]

702SP

By 2005, Boeing was offering a Xenon Electrostatic ion thruster System (XIPS) option for the 702 satellite system.^[14] XIPS is 10 times more efficient than conventional liquid-fuel systems. On a XIPS equipped 702 satellite, four 25 cm (9.8 in) thrusters provide economical station keeping, needing only 5 kg (11 lb) of fuel per year, "a fraction of what bipropellant or arcjet systems consume".^[14] An XIPS-equipped satellite can be used for final orbit insertion, conserving even more payload mass, as compared to using a traditional on-board liquid apogee engine.^[14][15]

Beginning in 2012, Boeing began manifesting all-electric propulsion commsats on the 702SP XIPS propulsion bus for eventual location in geosynchronous orbit. These satellites were the first to be launched with the intent to fully position the satellites using electric propulsion, thus requiring 4–6 months following launch to ready the satellite for its communication mission, but at substantial reduction in launch mass and, therefore, launch cost.^[2][15]

As of March 2014^[update], Boeing had sold four of the 702SP satellites to Asia Broadcast Satellite (ABS) of Hong Kong and Mexico's SatMex, with the first two commsats planned for a paired launch in early 2015.^[16]

In November 2014, Boeing released information that two of the 702SP satellites they have built—ABS-3A and Eutelsat 115 West B—had completed manufacture and had been stacked conjoined as they prepared for a launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 vehicle in early 2015. This was to be Boeing's first conjoined launch of two commsats.^[17] The two commsats were launched aboard a SpaceX rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 3:50AM UTC on 2 March 2015 (10:50PM EST on 1 March 2015).

In February 2014, SES announced that it had ordered a Boeing 702SP-based sat for SES-15.^[18]

In March 2014, Boeing disclosed an early-2013 order by an unnamed U.S. government agency for three 702SP spacecraft.^[19]

In June 2015, Asia Broadcast Satellite (ABS) ordered an additional 702SP, ABS-8, planned to be launched by late 2017, in part because they were well satisfied with performance of ABS-3A, even before it reached its operative orbit. When launched on a Falcon 9, the total investment for ABS was sufficiently low that it would be acceptable even if another satellite to pair on the launch was not added.^[20] ABS later cancelled the order after failing to successfully finance the project, in part related to changes to the mechanisms of the Ex-Im Bank during 2015. As of 2015^[update], Boeing and ABS considering other business agreement options.^{[21][needs update]}

Customers

Customer	702HP Satellites	702HP GEO-Mobile	702MP Satellites	702SP Satellites	Comments
Asia Broadcast Satellite				ABS-2A ABS-3A ABS-8 (cancelled)
DirecTV	DirecTV-10 DirecTV-11 DirecTV-12
Eutelsat				Eutelsat 115 West B Eutelsat 117 West B
Global IP Cayman	GiSAT-1
Hughes Communications	Spaceway F1 Spaceway F2 Spaceway F3
Inmarsat	Inmarsat-5 F1[22] Inmarsat-5 F2[22] Inmarsat-5 F3[22] Inmarsat-5 F4[23]
Intelsat			Intelsat 21[24] Intelsat 22[24] Intelsat 27[24] Intelsat 29e[24] Intelsat 33e[9] Intelsat 35e[10]		Plus 3 unnamed EpicNG
Mexican Government		MEXSAT 1 (Centenario)[25] MEXSAT 2 (Morelos 3)
New Skies	NSS-8 (with XIPS)				plus 2 options
New York Broadband LLC			Silkwave 1 (NYBBSat 1)[11][13]
PanAmSat	Galaxy XI Galaxy III-C PAS-1R
Telesat Canada	Anik F1 Anik F2
SES	SES-9[26][27]			SES-15[18] SES-20 SES-21
SkyTerra		SkyTerra 1 (ex MSV 1) SkyTerra-2 (cancelled)
Thuraya		Thuraya 1 Thuraya 2 Thuraya 3
Unnamed U.S. Government agency				3 Unspecified Satellites[19]
United States Air Force	Wideband Global SATCOM system				10 firm [28]
ViaSat	ViaSat-2[29]
XM Satellite Radio	XM 1 "Rock"[30] XM 2 "Roll"[30] XM 3 "Rhythm"[31] XM 4 "Blues"[31]

Orders and launches

Customer	Satellite	Ordered	Launched	Result	Rocket	Model	Launch mass (kg)	Mass at BOL	Notes and references
PanAmSat	Galaxy XI	1997	1999-12-22	Success	Ariane 44L	BSS-702 (concentrator arrays)	4488	2775	degradation of solar concentrators - long term power loss [3]
Thuraya	Thuraya 1	1997	2000-10-21	Success	Zenit-3SL	702HP-GEO (Concentrator Arrays)	5108	3200	degradation of solar concentrators - long term power loss[3]
PanAmSat	Intelsat 1R (formerly PAS-1R and Galaxy XIV)	1997	2000-11-16	Success	Ariane 5 G	BSS-702 (concentrator arrays)	4758	2990	degradation of solar concentrators - long term power loss[3]
Telesat Canada	Anik F1	1998	2000-11-21	Success	Ariane 44L	BSS-702 (concentrator arrays)	4711	2950	degradation of solar concentrators - long term power loss[3]
XM Satellite Radio	XM-2 (Roll)	1998	2001-03-18	Success	Zenit-3SL	BSS-702 (concentrator arrays)	4682	2950	degradation of solar concentrators - long term power loss[3][30]
XM Satellite Radio	XM-1 (Rock)	1998	2001-05-08	Success	Zenit-3SL	BSS-702 (concentrator arrays)	4682	2950	degradation of solar concentrators - long term power loss[3][30]
PanAmSat	Galaxy III-C (formerly PAS 9 and Galaxy XIII)	1997	2002-06-15	Success	Zenit-3SL	BSS-702HP	4810	2835	[3]
Thuraya	Thuraya 2	1997	2003-06-10	Success	Zenit-3SL	702HP-GEO	5177	3200	[3]
Telesat Canada	Anik F2	2000	2004-07-18	Success	Ariane 5 G+	BSS-702HP	5950	3805	[3]
XM Satellite Radio	MX-3 (Rhythm)	2003	2005-03-01	Success	Zenit-3SL	BSS-702HP	4703		[31]
Hughes Communications	Spaceway F1	1999	2005-04-26	Success	Zenit-3SL	BSS-702HP	6080	3832	[3]
Hughes Communications	Spaceway F2	1999	2005-11-16	Success	Ariane 5 ECA	BSS-702HP	6116	3832	[3]
XM Satellite Radio	XM-4 (Blues)	2003	2006-10-30	Success	Zenit-3SL	BSS-702HP	5193		[31]
New Skies	NSS-8	2001	2007-01-30	Failure	Zenit-3SL	BSS-702HP	5920	3800	Plus 2 options[3]
DirecTV	DirecTV-10	2004	2007-07-07	Success	Proton-M / Briz-M	BSS-702HP	5893	3700	[3]
Hughes Communications	Spaceway F3	1999	2007-08-14	Success	Ariane 5 ECA	BSS-702HP	6116	3832	[3]
United States Air Force	WGS 1 (USA 195)	2002	2007-10-11	Success	Atlas V (421)	BSS-702HP	5987		[28]
Thuraya	Thuraya 3	2002	2008-01-15	Success	Zenit-3SL	702HP-GEO	5250	3200	[3]
DirecTV	DirecTV-11	2004	2008-03-19	Success	Zenit-3SL	BSS-702HP	5923	3700	[3]
United States Air Force	WGS 2 (USA 204)	2002	2009-04-04	Success	Atlas V (421)	BSS-702HP	5987		[28]
United States Air Force	WGS 3 (USA 211)	2002	2009-12-06	Success	Delta IV M+(5,4)	BSS-702HP	5987		[28]
DirecTV	DirecTV-12	2004	2009-12-29	Success	Proton-M / Briz-M	BSS-702HP	6060	3700	[3]
SkyTerra	SkyTerra-1 (ex MSV 1)	2006	2010-11-14	Success	Proton-M / Briz-M	702HP-GEO	5390	3200	[3]
United States Air Force	WGS 4 (USA 233)	2006	2012-01-20	Success	Delta IV M+(5,4)	BSS-702HP			[28]
Intelsat	Intelsat 22	2009	2012-03-25	Success	Proton-M / Briz-M	BSS-702MP	6199		[24]
Intelsat	Intelsat 21	2009	2012-08-19	Success	Zenit-3SL	BSS-702MP	5984		[24]
Intelsat	Intelsat 27	2010	2013-02-01	Failure	Zenit-3SL	BSS-702MP	6241		[24]
United States Air Force	WGS 5	2006	2013-05-25	Success	Delta IV M+(5,4)	BSS-702HP			[28]
United States Air Force	WGS 6	2007	2013-08-08	Success	Delta IV M+(5,4)	BSS-702HP			[28]
Inmarsat	Inmarsat-5 F1	2010	2013-12-08	Success	Proton-M / Briz-M	BSS-702HP	6070	3750	[22]
Inmarsat	Inmarsat-5 F2	2010	2015-02-01	Success	Proton-M / Briz-M	BSS-702HP	6070	3750	[22]
Asia Broadcast Satellite	ABS-3A	2012	2015-03-02	Success	Falcon 9 v1.1	BSS-702SP	1954		[3]
Eutelsat	Eutelsat 115 West B (ex SATMEX 7)	2012	2015-03-02	Success	Falcon 9 v1.1	BSS-702SP	2205		[3]
Mexican Government	MEXSAT 1 (Centenario)	2010	2015-05-16	Failure	Proton-M / Briz-M	702HP-GEO	5325		[25]
United States Air Force	WGS 7	2011	2015-07-24	Success	Delta IV M+(5,4)	BSS-702HP			[28]
Inmarsat	Inmarsat-5 F3	2010	2015-08-28	Success	Proton-M / Briz-M	BSS-702HP	6070	3750	[22]
Mexican Government	MEXSAT 2 (Morelos 3)	2010	2015-10-02	Success	Atlas V (421)	702HP-GEO	5325
Intelsat	Intelsat 29e	2012	2016-01-27	Success	Ariane 5 ECA	BSS-702MP	6552		Developed a fuel leak in April 2019, during attempts to recover satellite it experienced another anomaly and debris was spotted around satellite. Declared lost.[32][24]
SES	SES-9	2012	2016-03-04	Success	Falcon 9 FT	BSS-702HP	5330		[26][27]
Asia Broadcast Satellite	ABS-2A	2012	2016-06-15	Success	Falcon 9 FT	BSS-702SP			[3]
Eutelsat	Eutelsat 117 West B (ex SATMEX 9)	2012	2016-06-15	Success	Falcon 9 FT	BSS-702SP	1963		[3]
Intelsat	Intelsat 33e	2013	2016-08-24	Success	Ariane 5 ECA	BSS-702MP			Satellite broke up 19 October 2024.[33][24]
United States Air Force	WGS 8	2011	2016-12-07	Success	Delta IV M+(5,4)	BSS-702HP			[28]
United States Air Force	WGS 9	2012	2017-03-08	Success	Delta IV M+(5,4)	BSS-702HP			[28]
SES	SES-15	2015	2017-05-18	Success	Soyuz ST-B / Fregat-MT	BSS-702SP	2300		[18]
Inmarsat	Inmarsat-5 F4	2013	2017-05-15	Success	Falcon 9 FT	BSS-702HP	6070	3750	[23]
ViaSat	ViaSat-2	2013	2017-06-01	Success	Ariane 5 ECA	BSS-702HP	6400		[29]
Intelsat	Intelsat 35e	2014	2017-07-05	Success	Falcon 9 FT	BSS-702MP			[10]
Intelsat	Intelsat 37e	2013	2017-09-17	Success	Ariane 5 ECA	BSS-702MP			[3]
Intelsat	Horizons-3e	2015	2018-09-25	Success	Ariane 5 ECA	BSS-702MP			[3]
United States Air Force	WGS 10	2012	2018-03-19	Success	Delta IV M+(5,4)	BSS-702HP			[28]
Spacecom	Amos-17	2016	2019-08-06	Success	Falcon 9 FT	BSS-702MP	6500		[3]
SKY Perfect JSAT	JCSat 18/Kacific 1	2017	2019-12-16	Success	Falcon 9 FT	BSS-702MP	6800		[3]
New York Broadband LLC	Silkwave 1 (NYBBSat 1)	2015	TBD	Planned		BSS-702MP	~6000		[11][13]
Intelsat	Intelsat TBD	2013	202x	Planned		BSS-702MP			[3]
SES	SES-20	2020	2022	Planned		BSS-702SP			[3]
SES	SES-21	2020	2022	Planned		BSS-702SP			[3]
ViaSat	ViaSat-3 Americas	2016	2023-05-01	Partial failure	Falcon Heavy	BSS-702HP	6418		Experienced antenna-deployment anomaly that limited throughput to <10%.[3]
ViaSat	ViaSat-3 EMEA	2016	2025	Planned	Atlas V 551	BSS-702HP	6400		[3]
ViaSat	ViaSat-3 APAC	2019	TBD	Planned		BSS-702HP	6400		[3]
ViaSat	ViaSat-3 (option)			TBA		BSS-702HP	6400		Option[3]
United States Air Force	WGS 11	2019	2023	Planned		BSS-702X			[28]
Unnamed U.S. Government agency	(US Gov 1)	2013	TBA	TBA		BSS-702SP			[3][19]
Unnamed U.S. Government agency	(US Gov 2)	2013	TBA	TBA		BSS-702SP			[3][19]
Unnamed U.S. Government agency	(US Gov 3)	2013	TBA	TBA		BSS-702SP			[3][19]
APMT	APMT 1	1998	Cancelled	Cancelled	Long March 3B	702HP-GEO (Concentrator Arrays)			Order cancelled after manufacturer failed to get an export license for launching on a Chinese rocket [3]
APMT	APMT 2	1998	Cancelled	Cancelled	Long March 3B	702HP-GEO (Concentrator Arrays)			Order cancelled after manufacturer failed to get an export license for launching on a Chinese rocket [3]
Asia Broadcast Satellite	ABS-8	2015	TBD	Cancelled	Falcon 9 FT	BSS-702SP			Order cancelled due to the U.S. Export-Import Bank's loss of its operating charter due to congressional opposition[3]
Global IP Cayman	GiSAT-1	2016	TBD	Cancelled		BSS-702MP	6000		Order cancelled after the company was the center of controversies, as Chinese investors had taken control of Global IP.[3][34]
Mobile Satellite Ventures	MSV SA	2006	Cancelled	Cancelled		702HP-GEO	5400	3200	[3]
SkyTerra	SkyTerra 2 (ex MSV 2)	2006	Cancelled	Cancelled	Proton-M / Briz-M	702HP-GEO	5400	3200	[3]

References

1. "Boeing Satellites". Boeing. Retrieved 2015-08-19.
2. Svitek, Amy (2012-03-19). "Electric Satellites For Commercial Satcom". Aviation Week. Retrieved 2012-03-20.^{[permanent dead link‍]}
3. Krebs, Gunter Dirk (2015-08-19). "Hughes / Boeing: HS-702 / BSS-702, HS-GEM / BSS-GEM (Geomobile)". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2015-03-10.
4. "Boeing 702HP Fleet". Archived from the original on 2015-03-04. Retrieved 2015-03-09.
5. "Thrusters". Moog Inc. Archived from the original on 2016-08-10. Retrieved 2016-08-09.
6. "GEO-Mobile Satellite System". Archived from the original on October 4, 2012. Retrieved 2015-05-18.
7. "Boeing 702MP Satellite". Archived from the original on 2015-03-03. Retrieved 2015-03-09.
8. "Boeing 702MP Fleet - Intelsat". Boeing. Archived from the original on 2013-02-08.
9. "Boeing to Build 4 More Intelsat Epic 702MP Satellites" (Press Release). Boeing. 2013-05-09. Retrieved 2015-03-09.
10. "Boeing to Build Intelsat 35e EpicNG Satellite" (Press Release). Boeing. 2014-07-08. Retrieved 2015-03-09.
11. "The Build Of NYBBSat-1 Is Now A Boeing Effort". SatNews. 2015-01-15. Retrieved 2015-10-30.
12. "Boeing Satellite to Expand Mobile Communications Services in Asia" (Press Release). Boeing. 2015-10-27. Retrieved 2015-10-30.
13. Krebs, Gunter Dirk (2015-10-27). "Silkwave 1 (NYBBSat 1)". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2015-10-30.
14. "Boeing 702 Fleet" (PDF). Boeing. 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2015-02-06.
15. Stephen Clark (2012-03-09). "Electric propulsion could launch new commercial trend". Spaceflightnow.com. Retrieved 2015-02-06.
16. Svitak, Amy (2014-03-10). "SpaceX Says Falcon 9 To Compete For EELV This Year". Aviation Week. Archived from the original on 2014-03-10. Retrieved 2014-03-11.
17. "Boeing Stacks Two Satellites to Launch as a Pair" (Press Release). Boeing. 2014-11-12. Retrieved 2014-11-17.
18. "SES Orders SES-15 Satellite in North America" (Press Release). SES. 2015-02-16. Retrieved 2015-03-03.
19. "Boeing reveals government's all-electric satellite purchase" (Article). Spaceflight Now. 2014-03-12. Retrieved 2015-05-18.
20. "ABS Teaming with Boeing, SpaceX for another Electric Satellite" (Article). SpaceNews. 2015-08-26. Retrieved 2015-06-01.
21. "Exclusive - Boeing eyes 'several hundred' layoffs in satellite division". Yahoo! Finance (Reuters). 2015-08-24. Retrieved 2015-08-26.
22. "Boeing Receives 3-Satellite Contract from Inmarsat" (Press Release). Boeing. 2010-08-06. Retrieved 2015-03-09.
23. "Inmarsat to purchase fourth Inmarsat-5 satellite from Boeing" (Press Release). Inmarsat. 2013-10-07. Retrieved 2015-03-09.
24. "Intelsat". Boeing. Archived from the original on 2015-03-04. Retrieved 2015-03-09.
25. "Mexican Satellite System (Mexsat)". Archived from the original on 2015-03-09. Retrieved 2015-03-09.
26. "Boeing to manufacture SES' SES-9 satellite" (Press Release). SES. 2012-10-10. Retrieved 2015-03-03.
27. de Selding, Peter B. (2015-03-20). "SpaceX Aims To Debut New Version of Falcon 9 this Summer". Space News. Retrieved 23 March 2015.
28. "WGS 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2015-03-09.
29. "ViaSat Announces Next Generation Broadband Satellite" (Press Release). ViaSat. 2013-05-16. Retrieved 2015-03-09.
30. Krebs, Gunter Dirk. "XM 1, 2 (XM Rock, Roll)". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2015-03-10.
31. Krebs, Gunter Dirk. "XM 3, 4 (XM Rhythm, Blues)". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2015-03-10.
32. Krebs, Gunther. "Intelsat 29e (IS 29e)". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2024-10-21.
33. @s4s_sda (19 October 2024). "S4S has confirmed the breakup of Intelsat 33E (#41748, 2016-053B) ~0430 UTC. Currently tracking around 20 associated pieces - analysis ongoing" (Tweet). Retrieved 20 October 2024 – via Twitter.
34. "GiSat". Gunter's Space Page. 2016-09-12. Retrieved 2016-09-13.

External links

• Boeing 702SP dual-stack integration and test, Boeing, December 2014.