Arianespace Wins Pair of Launch Contracts; Places Rascom, Nilesat in Orbit

[Satellite TODAY 08-06-10] Arianespace has been contracted by Intelsat to launch the Intelsat-20 satellite and also received a contract from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to launch the GSat-10 satellite, Arianespace announced Aug. 5.
    Intelsat-20 will be built by Space Systems/Loral and equipped with C- and Ku-bands transponder. The satellite will be launched in the 2012 second quarter and positioned at 68.5 degrees East to provide a range of telecommunications, video, voice and data transmission services and replace Intelsat-7 and Intelsat-10.
    GSat-10, slated for launch in the 2012 first quarter, was developed by ISRO and will carry 12 Ku-band, 12 C-band and 12 Extended C-band transponders to provide communincations services from 83 degrees East. This will be the 15th ISRO satellite that will be placed in orbit by Arianespace.
    Separately, Arianespace launched the Nilesat-201 and Rascom-QAF1R satellites Aug. 4 on an Ariane 5 ECA launcher from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.
    Thales Alenia Space built both satellites. The $237 million Nilesat-201 satellite has 24 Ku-band and four Ka-band transponders and will provide broadband and DTH TV broadcast services to North Africa and the Middle East from 7 degrees West. Nilesat will transmit 300 additional television channels and bring HDTV and 3-D television to the region as well as IPTV and broadband services.
    Rascom-QAF1R satellite is equipped with 12 Ku-band and eight C-band transponders and will be positioned at 2.85 degrees East. Its footprint will cover the entire African continent as well as parts of Europe and the Middle East, providing rural communications services, long-distance domestic and international links, direct TV broadcasts and Internet access.