Asia Broadcast Satellite selected Arianespace to launch ABS-2

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Asia Broadcast Satellite has chosen Arianespace to launch its new ABS-2 communications satellite. This is the 11th contract signed by Arianespace in 2009, all with the world’s leading satellite operators.

The launch of ABS-2 into geostationary transfer orbit is scheduled for the first half of 2012. It will be launched by an Ariane 5 ECA from the Guiana Space Center, Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana.

ABS-2 is the first satellite for which ABS has chosen an Arianespace launch. Asia Broadcast Satellite, one of the leading operators in the Asia-Pacific region, is Arianespace’s 30th customer.

The ABS-2 spacecraft separated mass will be in excess of 6,000 kg at launch and offers a design life exceeding 15 years. The satellite will be built by Space Systems Loral using the LS 1300 platform, fitted with C band, Ku band and Ka band payloads and will have over 4 times the existing capacity of ABS-1. Positioned at 75 degrees East Longitude and co-located with ABS-1, ABS-2 will offer a wide range of services for Asia, Russia, Africa and the Middle East, including DTH, Cable TV distribution, multimedia applications, data networks and telecommunications services. The ABS-2 satellite will be a significant addition to the existing 44 transponders on the ABS-1 satellite which still has over 14 years of fuel life remaining. ABS-2 will not only provide expansion capacity to existing ABS-1 customers, but will also act as in-orbit spare and provide backup for the ABS-1 transponders.

Tom Choi, CEO of Asia Broadcast Satellite said: “ABS is pleased to choose Arianespace for the launch of our ABS-2 spacecraft. It was a very important decision for ABS to work with a quality company like Arianespace as one of the premiere and most reliable launch providers in the industry.”

Commenting on this latest contract, Arianespace Chairman and CEO Jean-Yves Le Gall said: “Arianespace is especially proud of adding Asia Broadcast Satellite to our client list, since ABS is one of the leading operators in the Asia-Pacific. It’s the 11th contract we have signed to date in 2009, and clearly reflects the quality and competitiveness of our launch Service & Solutions.”

About Asia Broadcast Satellite

Asia Broadcast Satellite (ABS) is one of Asia’s most valued and premium satellite operators. Located at 75°E, ABS-1 connects 4/5th of the world’s population covering all of Asia, the CIS region, the Middle East, most of Africa and Eastern Europe.

Leveraging its extensive coverage and operating state of the art, redundant teleport facilities in both Hong Kong and Germany, ABS is able to strategically and effectively offer a broad range of End-to-End solutions including CATV distribution, Direct to Home, Cellular Backhaul, VSAT and Internet Backbone services with diverse IP transit through its European and Asian internet gateways. ABS currently host over 90 channels on ABS-1, making it as one of the fastest growing and top satellite distribution platform for CATV distribution in the Indian Ocean Region

ABS will expand its presence with the launch of its second satellite ABS-2 in 2012 and will continue to expand its coverage and business worldwide.

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