Here are some more tech details on the Kizuna Satellite...
To be true, I had never heard of it before they actually launched it, so I would not construe the following NRs to be GTEM-style Fluff...
Cheers,
JapBrat
February 23, 2008 Updated
Launch Result of the KIZUNA by the H-IIA Launch Vehicle No. 14
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) launched the super high-speed Internet satellite "KIZUNA" (WINDS) by the H-IIA Launch Vehicle No. 14 (H-IIA F14) at 5:55 p.m. on February 23, 2008 (Japan Standard Time, JST) from the Tanegashima Space Center.
The launch vehicle flew smoothly, and, at about 28 minutes and 3 seconds after liftoff, the separation of the KIZUNA was confirmed.
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Press Release
Launch of KIZUNA/H-IIAF14 Special Site
Overview
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New Internet Society with Satellites
Aiming for a society where anybody can get information anytime, anywhere
KIZUNA (WINDS) is currently under joint development by JAXA and the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, as part of the e-Japan Priority Policy Program of the Japanese government's IT strategy headquarters. KIZUNA was launched by H-IIA Launch Vehicle No. 14 at 5:55 p.m. on February 23, 2008 (Japan Standard Time, JST) from the Tanegashima Space Center to establish the world's most advanced information and telecommunications network.
It is expected that this information and telecommunications network's speed and capacity will be much higher than anything achieved previously. KIZUNA satellite communication system aims for a maximum speed of 155Mbps (receiving) / 6Mbps (transmitting) for households with 45-centimetre aperture antennas (the same size as existing Communications Satellite antennas), and ultra-high speed 1.2 Gbps communication for offices with five-meter antennas.
In addition to establishing a domestic ultra high speed Internet network, the project also aims to construct ultra high speed international Internet access, especially with Asian Pacific countries and regions that are more closely related to Japan.
KIZUNA project is responsible for the demonstration of the validity and usefulness of technologies related to large-capacity data communications in our space infrastructure project, "i-Space," the purpose of which is to promote the use of satellites in such fields as Internet communications, education, medicine, disaster measures and Intelligent Transport Systems.
KIZUNA (WINDS) satellite communication system uses the latest technology to create a faster, more efficient and more convenient communications environment.
KIZUNA will lead to ultra-high speed international Internet-based communications. The technology takes advantage of the fact that satellite communications are far-reaching, multicasting, and disaster-resistant. It will enable high-speed, large-volume data transmission, allowing ultra-fast domestic and international Internet-based communications, in particular between Japan and its neighboring countries in the Asia-Pacific region.
Ultra-fast satellite-based Internet-based communications will remove the so-called digital divide by providing high-speed Internet service in areas where the terrestrial communications infrastructure is poor. Among other uses, this will make possible great advances in telemedicine, which will bring high-quality medical treatment to remote areas, and in distance education, connecting students and teachers separated by great distances.
AI
