[SatNews] Avanti Communications (AIM: AVN), the satellite broadband operator, has been informed that its HYLAS 1 satellite has been fully fueled and will be integrated with the Ariane 5 launch vehicle tomorrow ahead of the launch on Friday, 26 November.  The launch will be webcast live at. and will occur in a window between 18.39 and 21.54 Greenwich Mean Time.  

The Ariane 5’s liftoff with Intelsat 17 and HYLAS 1 is set for November 25, and will be the 198th mission of an Ariane family launcher.  

Once in orbit, Intelsat 17 will offer distribution in a region that extends across Asia and into Europe and Africa, operating from an orbital positioned of 66 deg. East – effectively located next to Intelsat's successful Asian video distribution neighborhood positioned at 68.5 degrees East.  The spacecraft was built by Space Systems/Loral, and carries C- and Ku-band capacity to provide multi-continental coverage.  It is to replace the Intelsat 702 satellite, which was launched by Arianespace in June 1994.  

HYLAS 1 will bring high-speed broadband services to remote rural areas across Europe using a highly adaptable Ku- and Ka-band payload.  Designed and built by EADS Astrium for satellite broadband operator Avanti Communications, this spacecraft is designed to allocate varying amounts of power and bandwidth to the various regions within its footprint, reacting to the highs and lows of traffic demand.