SatMagazine timed this interview with Mr. Perrault perfectly — only a few days ago as of this writing, ProtoStar II | IndoStar II was successfully launched by an International Launch Services (ILS) Proton Breeze M rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome launch pad in Kazakhstan.

Ross is the ProtoStar II Program Manager for Boeing Space & Intelligence Systems in Boeing Integrated Defense Systems. He was responsible for the final systems testing and launch preparation of the IndoStar II/ProtoStar II satellite, which will now provide optimized direct-to-home communications (DTH) for the Asia-Pacific region. Ross has 26 years of experience with Boeing in engineering and management. Before serving as Program Manager, Ross served as Product Manager on the Payload Integrated Product Team for three Boeing 702 payloads and oversaw multiple vendors for all outsourced hardware. From 2000 to 2005, he was a Senior Staff Engineer and the Payload Integrated Product Team lead for two Boeing 601HP programs, Galaxy VIII-iR and Measat 3, where he managed the first 100 percent outsourced payload unit procurement.

Earlier assignments included work in Boeing’s System Design Center, where Perrault managed all technical responses to requests for proposals. Perrault also was an integral member of systems engineering, where he coordinated system engineering duties on 601HP and 702 programs. He also was the Integrated Product Team Leader responsible for radio frequency testing during integrated system test and environmental test phases.

Before joining Boeing, Perrault worked with Spar Aerospace on the 376 and 601 satellite programs under the Hughes Electronics Corporation and also with SkySwitch Satellite Communications. He began his career in the satellite industry as a test engineer with General Instrument Corporation in 1983. Perrault completed his electrical engineering studies at the Ryerson Polytechnic Institute in Toronto, Canada.

SatMagazine
What brought you to Boeing to work on IndoStar II/ProtoStar II?

Ross Perrault
I started my career as a design engineer with General Instrument Corporation after studying at Ryerson Polytechnic Institute in Toronto, Canada, with a concentration in electrical engineering. Before joining Boeing, I worked on a Hughes 601 satellite program with Spar Aerospace. My earliest assignment with Boeing was as a test engineer, followed by projects in the System Design Center, where I managed all technical responses to requests for proposals and coordinated system engineering duties on several 601HP and 702 programs. I also served as the Integrated Product Team Leader and was responsible for radio frequency testing during integrated system test and environmental test phases.

I’ve continued to work in a variety of engineering and management roles throughout my career. Before joining the ProtoStar II program, I was Senior Staff Engineer and Payload Integrated Product Team Lead for two of Boeing’s 601HP programs, Galaxy VIII-iR and Measat 3. I also served as Product Manager on the payload integrated product team of three Boeing 702 satellite payloads, where I managed multiple vendors for all outsourced hardware. Today, as the ProtoStar II Program Manager, I am responsible for final systems testing and launch preparation of the IndoStar II/ProtoStar II satellite, which will provide optimized direct-to-home communications for the Asia-Pacific region.

SatMagazine
ProtoStar Ltd. of Bermuda awarded Boeing the contract for a high-powered 601HP satellite In May of 2007 — the satellite can provide advanced direct-to-home (DTH) broadcasting and telecommunications services, including broadband Internet. What is the history behind this important award? And why is this award so important?

Ross Perrault
The launch of IndoStar II/ProtoStar II paves the way for ProtoStar to significantly expand direct-to-home (DTH) satellite television and Internet service to families and businesses across the Asia-Pacific region.IndoStar II/ProtoStar II will replace the on-orbit IndoStar-I and become operational after a period of in-orbit checkout during the second quarter of 2009. A key feature of the IndoStar II/ProtoStar II satellite is the fact it will double the capacity of ProtoStar’s primary customer in Indonesia, Indovision. The three payloads on the satellite offer S-band coverage for Indonesia and Ku-band coverage that will add important additional DTH capacity to India and broadband access to the Philippines, Taiwan and Indonesia.

SatMagazine
What are the capabilities of IndoStar II/ProtoStar II? What will each of those features offer and accomplish?

Ross Perrault
The IndoStar II/ProtoStar II spacecraft has 10 active high power transponders for the S-band payload. The Ku-band payloads feature 12 high power transponders covering India and 10 high power transponders that can be flexibly switched between the Philippines, Taiwan and Indonesia.

SatMagazine
What kind of operations will IndoStar II/ProtoStar II provide for Indonesia? What has it been like working with ProtoStar and their primary customer, Indovision?

Ross Perrault
The successful launch of this spacecraft underscores Boeing’s dedication and teamwork to bring the spacecraft from design, integration and testing to successful delivery. It has been a collaborative effort with both ProtoStar and Indovision throughout the whole program in order to ensure a high-quality product that meets all their technical needs, and we are very pleased to have a role assisting ProtoStar in the expansion of their services.

SatMagazine
The IndoStar II/ProtoStar II satellite is based on the Boeing 601HP bus. How long has this bus been in service for Boeing and why was this bus selected, as opposed to other Boeing bus, for this satellite?

Ross Perrault

The Boeing 601 class of spacecraft has been in operation since 1992 and is the world’s best-selling mid-sized communications satellite. The 601HP bus selected by ProtoStar is a high-power (HP) version of Boeing’s 601 satellite and offers the optimal combination of payload power and coverage areas to meet ProtoStar’s business requirements. To date, Boeing has built and launched a total of 70 of the 601 spacecraft.

SatMagazine
What Boeing teams are involved in IndoStar II/ProtoStar II? Who manages the teams and their history? Are all of the workers at Boeing, or do you work counterparts at a subcontracting organization?

Ross Perrault
The ProtoStar II program for the IndoStar II/ProtoStar II satellite was organized using an integrated product team structure with our internal teams consisting of payload products, bus products, system engineering, assembly, integration & testing and launch. On the ProtoStar II program, we also teamed with world-class suppliers to deliver the payload products supporting our customer’s requirements. These include NTSpace, Thales Alenia Space, L-3 Communications and COM DEV International.

SatMagazine
How long has IndoStar II/ProtoStar II been at the Baikonur Cosmodrone launch site in Kazakhstan? What kind of processing is completed or in the works now? How did Boeing select this particular launch service?

Ross Perrault
IndoStar II/ProtoStar II arrived at Baikonur on April 16, 2009. The launch vehicle — a Proton Breeze M rocket — was selected by ProtoStar. All satellite testing was completed and the satellite was encapsulated in the fairing and mated to the Breeze M upper stage (this combination of the satellite, payload fairing and Breeze M is called the ascent unit). The next steps included mating the ascent unit with the Proton rocket.

SatMagazine
What are your hopes for IndoStar II/ProtoStar II once it is launched and in orbit? How will the satellite switch its Ku-band capabilities to target specific geographic areas?

Ross Perrault
The IndoStar II/ProtoStar II satellite will provide expanded capacity and growth opportunities for our customer, ProtoStar, in the Southeast Asia region. The spacecraft provides optimized S-band and Ku-band capabilities for unprecedented DTH programming to ProtoStar’s customers. The Ku-band of the Philippines, Taiwan and Indonesia payload has beam select switches that allow these regions to be chosen dependent on customer demand.

SatMagazine
What significant milestones have been achieved? When will IndoStar II/ProtoStar II become operational?

Ross Perrault
The successful launch is now followed by a two-week orbit-raising period, during which we travel to our orbital location for in-orbit testing. This is followed by deployments and in-orbit test of the bus and payload. At that time, Boeing will then transfer control of the satellite to ProtoStar to determine when the spacecraft will become fully operational.

SatMagazine
How do you see the future of the Asian / pan-Pacific market? Does Boeing have any additional projects in the works for this market segment?

Ross Perrault
Boeing continues to respond to customers requests from the Asian and pan-Pacific market, and we have long-standing relationships with many customers in the Asian region, but for competitive reasons, we don’t disclose these discussions.

This is our busiest launch year since 2000. IndoStar II/ProtoStar II is the second of eight Boeing satellites that are scheduled to launch this year, each of which will deliver enhanced communications technology to meet the specific needs of each of our government and commercial customers.