Mitsubishi
Electric has completed construction of a new plant at its Kamakura Works for the assembly and testing of satellites.
Kamakura Works has more than 30 years experience in the space industry, and has manufactured
and sold more satellites than any other Japanese factory.
The new plant incorporates a space chamber for testing under conditions simulating the severe
environment found in space, and a compact antenna test range for systematic measurement and
evaluation of communication system performance, giving it the following capabilities:
Full satellite production cycle from design to assembly and testing.
Production time and cost reductions achieved by integrating production and testing within the same plant.
Product quality and work efficiency enhancements achieved through a high-speed LAN enabling computer and information network construction.
Melco'n new facilities feature six levels providing 4,554 square meters of usable floor area and is designed to withstand major earthquakes. The facility's space chamber enables a low temperature and high vacuum
environment to be simulated inside a large vacuum vessel, and will be used for pre-launch performance testing of satellites.
Mitsubishi Electric has participated in a very large number of international satellite projects ever since
INTELSAT in 1968, supplying on-board equipment such as transponders and solar panels.
Mitsubishi Electric's entry into satellite systems is the result of several years of preparation. It was
decided that having a large-scale testing facility was essential to compete with European and US
manufacturers' clear superiority in cost and delivery time, and this decision led to the start of
construction in August 1998.
The completion of the new plant and the recent order for large communications satellites from Cable
& Wireless Optus provide the opportunity for Mitsubishi Electric to intensify its work towards
receiving satellite system contracts.
