Back on March 1st, a SpaceX rocket launched two satellites into orbit. One was Eutelsat’s 115 West B (and ordered as a Sat-Mex satellite), and the other for ABS of Bermuda. Both were ‘all-electric’ satellites built by Boeing. It is now clear that both the satellites will arrive on to their targeted orbital positions a month earlier than first expected.

The ‘all-electric’ design means that the satellites carry significantly less fuel, making them lighter overall and significantly cheaper to launch. The downside is that the satellites use their XENON-ION thrusters to raise themselves to their operational orbit. This takes many months.

The cost-savings come about because the two lighter satellites can share a single launch on a SpaceX rocket, which costs about $60 million per launch.

It has now been confirmed by Eutelsat that its craft will be on orbit in late-September, about a month earlier than expected. The ABS-3A satellite will be on orbit in late-August, again about a month earlier.

Both satellites will then undergo a period of routine in-orbit testing.

Other posts by Chris Forrester:

1. Differing opinions on Project Kuiper
2. IRIS2 contract signing at year-end
3. Icasa “over-reached” in confiscating StarSat kit
4. Starlink tests D2C in Romania, US, Japan
5. European telcos unite against Starlink D2C
6. Rivada insists “deadlines will be met”
7. Ergen will gain “greatest opportunity” by losing DISH
8. Rivada’s latest problems could be fatal
9. SES confirms 25c dividend

Categories: Blogs, DTH/Satellite, Inside Satellite