DSN-1/Superbird-8 will be the 19th SKY Perfect JSAT satellite assigned to Arianespace for launch. The most recent Arianespace launch for this operator was with JCSAT-15 in December 2016.

SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation is a leader in the converging fields of broadcasting and communications. It is Asia’s largest satellite operator with an operational fleet of 17 satellites. SKY Perfect JSAT is a provider of both multi-channel pay TV broadcasting and satellite communications services which also delivers a broad range of entertainment through the SKY PerfectTV! Platform, the most extensive in Japan with a total of 3 million subscribers.

Superbird-8 will carry high-performance Ku and Ka transponders and will provide satellite communications services mainly in the Japanese market. Located at 162 degrees East Longitude, it will replace the Superbird-B2 satellite launched in 2000 by Arianespace.

Superbird-8 was built by MELCO – Mitsubishi Electric Corporation- (with manufacturing management by NEC Corporation) using a DS2000 platform. It will be the 3th MELCO – built satellite to be launched by Arianespace.

As for DSN-1, it is an X-Band Defense Communications Satellite-1 in association with the Program to Upgrade and Operate X-Band Satellite Communications Function, for which the DSN Corporation, a subsidiary of SKY Perfect JSAT, has concluded a program contract with Japan’s Ministry of Defense.