Olivia Cavallaro Science 08.19.2022 02:Aug AM EDT

Japan's Sky Perfect JSAT Enlists SpaceX’s Starship to Launch Superbird-9 in 2024

The Superbird-9 satellite is set to be launched in 2024 with the help of SpaceX.

Elon Musk's SpaceX has just signed with a new customer, this time Japan's Sky Perfect JSAT, a Japanese company that operates a number of space and satellite businesses. Sky Perfect JSAT confirmed on Thursday that they signed a contract with SpaceX to use the latter's Starship rocket for the Superbird-9 satellite launch scheduled in 2024.

Space News reported that Sky Perfect JSAT signed a contract for a mission that will take the Superbird-9 satellite on SpaceX's super-heavy-lift vehicle that is currently under development in Boca Chica, Texas. In a brief announcement, the Japanese company said, "SKY Perfect JSAT and SpaceX will continue to work together ahead of the launch of Superbird-9 Satellite."

This contract between SpaceX and Japan's Sky Perfect JSAT is one of the first to be announced by a commercial satellite operator for a Starship launch. But this is not the first time SpaceX dealt with companies for a Starship launch.

What to Know About SpaceX's Starship

The Starship is a fully reusable launch vehicle currently being developed by SpaceX. It is designed to carry up to 21 tons of payload to geostationary transfer orbit and more than 100 tons to low Earth orbit. More importantly, SpaceX believes Starship will one day play a role in the colonization of Mars.

SpaceX's Starship measures 120 meters tall and has four main variants, namely cargo, crew, propellant tanker, and lunar lander. It is powered by SpaceX's Raptor engine, with the Super Heavy variant having up to 33 of these engines. The Musk-owned aerospace company is currently conducting static fire tests on the Starship's Super Heavy first-stage booster in preparation for its first orbital test flight.

Airbus Building Japan's Sky Perfect JSAT Satellite Superbird-9

Right now, it is up to Airbus to build the Superbird-9 for Sky Perfect JSAT. They are basing it on the reconfigurable payload platform OneSat, which has been used to launch satellites that are about three metric tons in mass. It's also highly likely that Superbird-9 would take some passengers on its way to geostationary orbit.

Japan's Sky Perfect JSAT announced that they are looking to begin operations with Superbird-9 in 2025, during which they will use the satellite's steerable beams to provide broadcast and broadband services within Japan and parts of Eastern Asia. Sky Perfect JSAT said it is looking to invest about $222 million in the project.

Japan's Sky Perfect JSAT is one of many customers who are not afraid to enlist SpaceX despite it being a very young aerospace company. According to Space.com, NASA has also enlisted Starship to be the first crewed lunar lander for the upcoming moon exploration mission called the Artemis program.

Even Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa is set to go onboard a Starship for a ride around the moon along with a few other passengers in 2023. Meanwhile, NASA is looking to send back astronauts to the moon on a Starship in 2025 or 2026.