Airbus Defence and Space has completed construction of the Measat-3b telecommunications satellite and shipped it to Kourou, French Guiana, in preparation for launch atop an Ariane rocket, the satellite’s owner, Measat Satellite Systems Sdn. Bhd. of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, announced April 14.
Measat-3b is slated to be launched, along with the Optus 10 satellite built for Australia’s SingTel Optus, in late May aboard an Ariane 5 ECA rocket. Optus 10 builder Space Systems Loral expects to ship that satellite to Kourou in the next couple of weeks, according to Wendy Lewis, a spokeswoman for the manufacturer.
Measat-3b will be placed in geostationary orbit at 91.5 degrees east longitude, which is already home to the Measat-3 and Measat-3a satellites. The newest satellite will support data and video services in Malaysia, Indonesia, India and Australia, Measat said.
