Japanese aerospace manufacturers face two big hurdles before they can enter the commercial satellite market. Although competitive with non-Japanese manufacturers in terms of technology, domestic manufacturers have suffered from a lack of cost-competitiveness and little or no track record. Mitsubishi Electric neatly soared over both obstacles when, on October 31, 2005, it received an order for the Superbird 7 communication satellite from Space Communications Corporation (SCC), making Mitsubishi Electric the first Japanese company to enter the commercial communications satellite market. The companies concluded a contract to start design and production, aiming for a launch of the satellite in the first quarter of 2008.
  The order for the Superbird 7 will mark the first entry into a market monopolized by American manufacturers. All 18 of Japan's current broadcast and commercial communications satellites are U.S.-made.

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