Kuala Lumpur, 5 April 2013 – Azercosmos Joint Stock Company (“Azercosmos”), Azerbaijan’s commercial satellite operator, and MEASAT Satellite Systems (“MEASAT”) announced today that the AZERSPACE-1/AFRICASAT-1a satellite, launched on 7 February 2013 from the European Space Port in French Guiana, has successfully completed in-orbit testing and entered full commercial service.
With its advanced design and switching capabilities, AZERSPACE-1/AFRICASAT-1a is ready to provide communications services to customers in Azerbaijan, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia. The satellite provides Ku-band capacity over Europe and Central Asia, and Cband capacity over Africa, Central Asia, the Middle East and Europe.
With an anticipated service life of more than 15 years, AZERSPACE-1/AFRICASAT-1a is based on Orbital’s flight-proven GEOStar-2 platform and was launched aboard an Ariane 5 by Arianespace. The hybrid C- and Ku-band satellite generates approximately 5 kilowatts of payload power and carries 36 active transponders. It operates from an orbital location at 46° East Longitude through an arrangement between Azercosmos and MEASAT, which holds the rights to the orbital slot.
Three years of close cooperation between MEASAT and Azercosmos culminated in this advanced satellite aimed to support Azercosmos’s objectives of launching the first national satellite which is to cover not only the territory of Azerbaijan, but also Central Asia and Europe. The satellite will also replace MEASAT’s AFRICASAT-1 satellite and expand MEASAT’s presence in Africa, the Middle East, Southern Europe and Southeast Asia. “MEASAT will use the AFRICASAT-1a payload to offer a full suite of satellite solutions across key markets in Africa and the Middle East,” said Paul Brown-Kenyon, MEASAT’s Chief Executive Officer.
With the AZERSPACE-1 payload, Azercosmos plans to deliver high-quality and reliable information and communications services not only to customers in Azerbaijan, but also to Central Asia and Europe, as well as parts of Africa and the Middle East.
About Azercosmos
Incorporated in 2010, Azercosmos is the premier satellite operator in both Azerbaijan and Caucasus. It provides satellite-delivered communication services and satellite platforms to broadcasting, broadband and government customers.
Azercosmos positions itself mainly as an operator with real presence in the region. It offers services in neighboring countries and neglected emerging markets, with a visible competitive advantage that stems mainly from its flexible transaction costs and common language with the principal players in the regional markets.
Azercosmos has also started its engagements and preparatory works for manufacturing, launch and insurance of the low-earth orbiting satellite in 2015 and plans are already in place for the second telecommunications satellite to be launched in 2016. At the same time, Azercosmos has commenced work on creation of a Universal Ground Control Station in Azerbaijan and receipt of high-resolution satellite images from other regional satellite operators to meet the demand for the optical and radar satellite imagery in the regional market.
For more information, please visit: www.azercosmos.az
Contact:
Nigar Madatli
Azercosmos
+994 12 5650055 ext.169
nigar.madatli@azercosmos.az
About MEASAT
MEASAT is a premium supplier of satellite communication services to leading international broadcasters, DTH platforms and telecom operators. With capacity across six (6) satellites, the company provides satellite services to over 150 countries representing 80% of the world’s population across Asia Pacific, Middle East, Africa, Europe and Australia.
The MEASAT fleet includes the state of art MEASAT-3 and MEASAT-3a satellites at 91.5°E which support Asia’s premium DTH (direct-to-home) and video distribution neighbourhood, MEASAT-2 at 148.0°E and MEASAT-5 at 119.5°E. The AFRICASAT fleet consists of AFRICASAT-1 and AFRICASAT-1a at 46.0°E, providing satellite capacity across the African continent with connectivity to Europe, the Middle East and South East Asia. The MEASAT fleet will be further strengthened with the addition of MEASAT-3b at 91.5°E in Q1 2014 and MEASAT-3c in Q3 2015.
Leveraging facilities at the MEASAT Teleport and Broadcast Centre, and working with a select group of world-class partners, MEASAT also provides a complete range of broadcast and telecommunications solutions. Services include 3D, high definition and standard definition video playout, video turnaround, co-location, uplinking, broadband and IP termination services.
For more information, please visit: www.measat.com
Contact:
Tan Shyue Wern / Ilham Bakti Adnan
MEASAT
+60 (3) 8213 2152 / 2154
tswtan@measat.com / ilham@measat.com