Arianespace has been chosen to orbit the Al Yah 3 telecommunications satellite, built by Orbital Sciences Corporation, for the operator Al Yah Satellite Communications Company PrJSC (Yahsat).
Arianespace will launch the Al Yah 3 satellite into geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) in the fourth quarter of 2016, using an Ariane 5 ECA rocket from the Guiana Space Center, Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.
After Yahsat Y1A launched in April 2011, Al Yah 3 will be the second satellite entrusted to Arianespace by Yahsat.
Al Yah 3 will be built by Orbital Sciences Corporation in Dulles, Virginia, and will weigh about 3,500 kg at launch. Operating solely in the Ka-band, Al Yah 3 will provide broadband Internet services at affordable prices to nearly 600 million users in Brazil and Africa. It offers a design life of 15 years.
Al Yah 3 will be the 28th satellite built by Orbital to be launched by Arianespace.
About Arianespace
Arianespace is the world’s leading satellite launch company, providing innovation to its customers since 1980. Backed by 21 shareholders and the European Space Agency, the company offers an international workforce renowned for a culture of commitment and excellence.
As of September 9, 2014, 218 Ariane launches, 35 Soyuz launches (9 at the Guiana Space Centre and 26 at Baikonur with Starsem) and three Vega launches have been performed. The company’s headquarters is in Evry, near Paris, and has local offices in Washington DC (United States), Tokyo (Japan) and Singapore.
