...four additional satellites, through a joint procurement by Asia Broadcast Satellite (ABS) and Satélites Mexicanos (Satmex). Financial details were not disclosed. The first two satellites, ABS-3A and Satmex 7, are scheduled to be delivered together in late 2014 or early 2015. Details about the other two satellites, including names and launch plans, will be announced at a later date. The satellites, which will be built in Boeing’s El Segundo factory, are designed to operate in a geostationary orbit. The 702SP is compatible with all major launch vehicles, including Falcon 9, Ariane 5, Sea Launch, Proton, Soyuz, Atlas 5 and Delta IV.
The 702SP is designed to be flexible and affordable, with next-generation technology that enables increased performance. Its avionics architecture simplifies operations and provides improved access to data for evaluation of the spacecraft’s health. The new satellites will enable ABS to become a global satellite operator by expanding its current fleet to serve the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Ocean regions. Satmex 7 is a hybrid satellite with both C- and Ku-band capacity that will serve Satmex’s Latin America customers. The satellite will provide new expansion capacity that will be a catalyst for Satmex’s aggressive growth plans over the next decade.