[SatNews] Together, they will make up Asia's most robust Direct-To-Home (DTH) satellite television neighborhood.

That was then...MEASAT-3b Successfully Launched Kuala Lumpur, September 12, 2014 – MEASAT Global Berhad ("MEASAT") announced today the successful launch of the MEASAT-3b satellite. The satellite lifted-off on an Ariane 5 ECA launch vehicle from European Space Port in Kourou, French Guiana at 6:05am MYT (7:05pm GFT).

Since MEASAT-3b was launched by Ariane 5 on September 11, Airbus Defence and Space in Toulouse has been leading the Launch and Early Orbit Phase (LEOP) operations and carrying out in-orbit trials. Tests on the telecommunications payload were carried out at the MEASAT facilities in Cyberjaya, near Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from where the satellite will be controlled during its operational life, that is expected to be more than 15 years. 

The launch last month was witnessed by a group of senior Malaysian government and private sector officials, key MEASAT business partners and a group of four Malaysian secondary school children from SMS Sultan Mahmud Shah secondary school.

The Malaysian Deputy Minister of Communication and Multimedia, YB Dato' Jailani Johari, who witnessed the launch lauded MEASAT's success. "MEASAT's successful procurement and launch of the MEASAT-3b satellite is a great achievement for MEASAT, for Malaysia's ICT infrastructure, and for the Malaysian space industry. We trust that MEASAT will continue to push the boundaries of both business and technology as they look to become the world's leading emerging market satellite operator," he said.

MEASAT-3b provides a good performance.

"MEASAT is delighted with the successful launch of our largest and most advanced satellite to date," added YBhg.

Datuk Umar bin Haji Abu, Chairman, MEASAT Global Berhad. "We thank the Malaysian Ministry of Communications and Multimedia, and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission for their active support, without which this project would not have been possible."   

MEASAT-3b is the largest satellite ever to have been ordered by the Asian operator MEASAT. It has been placed in geostationary orbit at 91.5 degrees East, and is co-located with MEASAT-3 and MEASAT-3a satellites. Together, they will make up Asia's most robust Direct-To-Home (DTH) satellite television neighborhood. With 48 transponders in Ku band, MEASAT-3b will support demand for video and data services across Malaysia, India, Indonesia and Australia.

MEASAT-3b is based on Airbus Defence and Space's Eurostar E3000 satellite platform. Since 2004, 34 satellites of this type have been successfully launched and are all in operation. Learn more at the info site: www.airbusdefenceandspace.com