Superbird-B

The spacecraft was the second satellite designed and manufactured by Ford Aerospace on the SSL 1300 satellite bus. It was based on the design of the Intelsat V series and offered a three-axis stabilized platform.[4][5][6][3]

It had a launch mass of 2,492 kg (5,494 lb) and a 10-year design life.[1] When stowed for launch, its dimensions were 2.41 m × 2.58 m × 2.20 m (7 ft 11 in × 8 ft 6 in × 7 ft 3 in). With its solar panels fully extended it spanned 20.3 m (67 ft). Its power system generated approximately 4 kW of power due to two wings with three solar panels each.[3] It also had dual NiH₂ battery to survive the solar eclipses. It was supposed to serve as the main satellite on the 162° East position of the Superbird fleet.[3]

Its propulsion system included an R-4D-11 liquid apogee engine (LAE) with a thrust of 490 N (110 lb_f).[3] It included enough propellant for orbit circularization and 10 years of operation.[3]

Space Communications Corporation (SCC) was founded in 1985, the same year as the original companies that later formed JSAT.[7] In 1986, SCC ordered four spacecraft from Space Systems/Loral: Superbird-1, Superbird-2, Superbird-A1 and Superbird-B1.[5]

On 22 February 1990, at 23:17:00 UTC, Superbird-2 was launched aboard an Ariane 44L along with BS-2X.[3] At 100 seconds into the flight, the flight failed due to a red handkerchief that blocked a water line in one of the Viking engines of the first stage.[8] Both satellites were lost, and Superbird-B1 was rushed into launch.[1][3][9]