[SatNews] International Launch Services (ILS) and Asia Satellite Telecommunications Co. Ltd. (AsiaSat) now have a contract for the launch of AsiaSat 7 satellite on an ILS Proton.

The satellite is under construction by Space Systems/Loral in Palo Alto, California. ILS and Khrunichev are implementing a mission integration schedule to support a 2011 launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. AsiaSat 7 is configured as a replacement satellite for AsiaSat 3S, one of AsiaSat's flagship satellites, operating at the orbital location of 105.5 degrees East. AsiaSat 7 is a Space Systems/Loral 1300 platform, with C- and Ku-band transponders, designed for a lifespan of 15 years. The projected orbital maneuvering lifetime of the satellite is expected to improve due to the performance of the ILS Proton launch vehicle.