ChinaStar
The China Orient Telecommunications Satellite Company (COTS) was formed in April 1995 by the the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications [MPT] and the State Planning Commission. With the increasing separation of administration from business operations, accellerated recently by the merger of MPT into the new Ministry of Information Industry, China Orient has considerable autonomy in satellite operations.
On 18 August 1995 China Orient Telecomm issued a $100-million contract to Lockheed Martin for ChinaStar-1, plus an option for ChinaStar-2. ChinaStar-1, a high-power, high-capacity communications satellite based on the Lockheed Martin A2100 platform, was launched on 30 May 1998 by a Chinese Long March 3B launch vehicle. The 2,984 kg ChinaStar-1 has 24 C-band and 24 Ku-band transponders with a design lifetime of 15 years. From its location in geostationary orbit at 87.5 degrees East longitude, ChinaStar-1 provides coverage of China and Southeast Asian countries in both C- and Ku-band, and part of South Asia and Middle East (C-band only).
China Orient plans to purchase ChinaStar-2 and ChinaStar-3, though launch dates and technical information have not been made public.
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