Scheduled to launch from Guiana Space Centre in South America on 1 October 2015, nbn’s first network satellite Sky Muster is set to progressively deliver fast broadband to more than 200,000 homes and businesses in rural and remote Australia from next year.
Weighing nearly 6,400 kg, it is one of the world’s largest communications satellites and is the first of two nbn will launch into space.
nbn’s Managing Space Systems Architect Julia Dickinson said the satellite would play a crucial role in levelling the playing field between city and bush.
“Many rural and remote Australians do not have access to a quality broadband service and continue to experience dial-up level speeds. Sky Muster will help deliver world-class broadband services to the bush – it will offer better opportunities for distance education online through use of video-conferencing as well as improved access for specialist telehealth applications in the home.”
The new nbn™ satellite is a key component of the nbn multi-technology mix (MTM) and will play an important part in helping nbn achieve its goal of connecting eight million homes and business by 2020.
The new nbn™ satellite service will see the launch of two state-of-the-art satellites to provide remote and regional Australian with access to broadband speeds that most people in metropolitan areas take for granted.
Following the launch of the first satellite Sky Muster in October 2015, the service is expected to be available in the first half of 2016. The second satellite will launch in the second half of 2016.
The satellites will be supported by a network of 10 ground stations, each featuring two, 13.5 metre satellite dishes. The ground stations have been built in specific locations across Australia to maximise both the availability and capacity of the system.