International Launch Services (ILS) and Asia Satellite Telecommunications Co. Ltd. (AsiaSat) announced a contract today for the launch of AsiaSat 7 satellite on an ILS Proton. The satellite is under construction by Space Systems/Loral in Palo Alto, California. ILS and Khrunichev are implementing a mission integration schedule to support a 2011 launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
AsiaSat 7 is configured as a replacement satellite for AsiaSat 3S, one of AsiaSat’s flagship satellites, operating at the orbital location of 105.5*E. AsiaSat 7 is a Space Systems/Loral 1300 platform, with C and Ku-band transponders, designed for a lifespan of 15 years. The projected orbital maneuvering lifetime of the satellite is expected to improve due to the performance of the ILS Proton launch vehicle.
Frank McKenna, President of ILS said, “A little over a year ago, we contracted, integrated and launched the AsiaSat 5 satellite within a 6 month timeframe, providing unmatched flexibility for our longtime customer, AsiaSat. We are very honored to play a key role in AsiaSat’s replacement strategic plan with the launch of AsiaSat 7.”
“With this launch opportunity on the ILS Proton, we are continuing our replacement strategy to provide continuity of services to our current and potential new customers across Asia, Middle East, CIS and Australasia. We know we can count on the professionalism of ILS and Khrunichev for a successful launch for AsiaSat 7,” said AsiaSat’s CEO, William Wade.
About ILS and Khrunichev
ILS is a world leader in providing launch services for global satellite operators and offers a complete array of services and support, from contract signing through mission management and on-orbit delivery. ILS has exclusive rights to market the Proton vehicle to commercial satellite operators worldwide and is a U.S. company headquartered in Reston, VA., near Washington, D.C. For more information, visit www.ilslaunch.com.
Khrunichev, which holds the majority interest in ILS, is one of the cornerstones of the Russian space industry. Khrunichev manufactures the Proton system and is developing the Angara launch system. The Proton launches from facilities at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, and has a heritage of 359 missions since 1965. To date, Proton has had 25 consecutive successful launches in 26 months. Khrunichev includes, among its branches, a number of key manufacturers of launch vehicle and spacecraft components in Moscow and in other cities of the Russian Federation. For more information, visit www.khrunichev.com.
About AsiaSat
AsiaSat, the leading regional satellite operator in Asia, serves over two-thirds of the world’s population with its three satellites, AsiaSat 3S at 105.5oE, AsiaSat 4 at 122oE and AsiaSat 5 at 100.5oE. The AsiaSat satellite fleet provides services to both the broadcast and telecommunications industries. Over 400 television and radio channels are now delivered by the company’s satellites, reaching over 96 million households, with more than 360 million viewers across the Asia-Pacific region. AsiaSat also provides operators and end users telecommunications services such as voice networks, private VSAT networks and broadband multimedia services. It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Asia Satellite Telecommunications Holdings Limited, a company listed on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (Stock Code: 1135). For more information, please visit www.asiasat.com
