AsiaSat 7 will replace AsiaSat 3S at the orbital location of

[TAHIR]

AsiaSat 7’s In-Orbit Testing to Complete end December


In-orbit testing of AsiaSat’s new communications satellite AsiaSat 7 has commenced following its successful launch on November 26 from Baikonur, Kazakhstan by an ILS Proton Breeze M rocket. Testing is progressing to verify AsiaSat 7’s performance and integrity and is expected to be completed towards end of December.

Based on the Space Systems/Loral 1300 platform, AsiaSat 7 carries 28 C-band and 17 Ku-band transponders, and a Ka-band payload. Its region-wide high-power C-band beam covers Asia, the Middle East, Australasia and Central Asia, with Ku-band beams serving East Asia, South Asia and a steerable Ku beam.

AsiaSat 7 will replace AsiaSat 3S at the orbital location of 105.5˚E when AsiaSat 3S reaches its end of life. AsiaSat 3S is a powerful member of AsiaSat’s satellite fleet. It commenced service in 1999 as a replacement satellite for AsiaSat 1, Asia’s first privately owned regional satellite. Over the past 12 years, AsiaSat 3S has established a leading position in regional broadcasting and has become Asia’s most popular broadcast platform for South Asian, Chinese and International programming. The successful launch of AsiaSat 7 well ahead of the planned date for AsiaSat 3S’s replacement not only assures continuity of service to customers, but also provides additional capacity on AsiaSat’s fleet to service new business.