The MEASAT-3a satellite is now back in the U.S. where it will undergo repairs after being damaged during pre-launch operations in Baikonur, where it had undergone a complex de-fueling and decontamination procedure. The satellite is currently undergoing further decontamination in White Sands, New Mexico.

You may recall that an unfortunate episode in which a crane struck the fuel-laden spacecraft at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan rendering it unable to launch. The craft was attached to the Block DM-SLB upper stage of the Zenit rocket, when an overhead crane operated by a technician impacted the 5,181-pound satellite, which was already fueled with toxic propellant for its maneuvering thrusters. The accident occurred while moving ground support equipment in Area 31 at Baikonur before the craft was encapsulated inside the rocket's payload fairing, according to Sea Launch.

After this, the satellite will be returned to the Orbital factory for the replacement of a damaged Nadir Reflector, before shipment back to the launch site. “We are working closely with Orbital, the spacecraft manufacturer, to ensure a speedy return of the satellite to the launch site,” said Dr. Ali Ebadi, Senior Vice President, Space Systems Development at MEASAT located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.