Eutelsat’s giant KaSat satellite was successfully launched from Kazakhstan on Dec 26^th (at 21.51 GMT). The satellite was scheduled for separation from the rocket some 9 hours after lift-off.

The Astrium-built satellite, weighing more than six tonnes, will then require some weeks of in-orbit testing ahead of going live for operational purposes.

Kasat is unique over Europe in that it is the first craft to operate entirely in Ka-band, a set of transmission frequencies as yet largely untapped. Eutelsat will be wholesaling this bandwidth to re-sellers for consumer broadband-by-satellite services, and available from Scandinavia to the Middle East.

Other posts by Chris Forrester:

1. Bank: Junk food ad ban delay boosts ITV
2. Bank: Ubisoft Q4 disappoints
3. OneWeb expects $1bn in 3-5 years
4. SES rescues 5G satellite constellation
5. Intelsat’s bankruptcy fees cost it $288m
6. SaxaVord Spaceport, Spaceport Cornwall latest
7. Satellite dispute helps Thaicom
8. Virgin Galactic signs 800 future astronauts
9. Veon at risk from Russia, Ukraine war

Categories: Blogs, Inside Satellite