N-STAR a

[2] Its payload is composed of 6 C-band, 11 Ka-band, 8 Ku-band and 1 S-band transponders.

[5] JSAT would handle the satellite side of business and NTT DoCoMo would operate the payload.

[8][9] They would be "switchboards in the sky" having S-band, C-band, Ka-band and Ku-band payload.

[10] N-STAR a was successfully launched aboard an Ariane 44P on 29 August 1995.

Its twin, N-STAR b, launched on 5 February 1996, also aboard an Ariane 44P.