Amazonas-3 ready for launch
February 6, 2013
By Chris Forrester
Arianespace is preparing to launch two satellites on February 7th: Amazonas-3 for Spain’s Hispasat, and AzerSat/Africasat-1a for a consortium that’s headed by Azerbaijan interests. Lift-off is scheduled during the rocket’s launch window which opens at 18.36pm Kourou-time (22.36 Paris-time).
Amazonas-3 is a powerful craft designed to replace Amazonas-1 and expand the number of transponders at 61 degrees West. The 6-tonnes satellite is built by Space Systems/Loral.
AzerSat/AfricaSat-1 is built by Orbital Sciences Corp and will go to 46 degrees East. It is a smaller craft with 24 active C-band transponders and 12 in Ku-band. It weighs about 3 tonnes, and will cover Europe and Central Asia.