[Satellite TODAY 09-23-11] Sea Launch will orbit Eutelsat’s Atlantic Bird 7 satellite Sept. 24 on a Zenit-3SL rocket from the ocean-based Odyssey Launch Platform in international waters of the Pacific Ocean, Eutelsat announced Sept. 22.

            Eutelsat contracted Astrium to build Atlantic Bird 7 as a replacement for the operator’s Atlantic Bird 4A satellite located at the 7 degrees West orbital slot. Atlantic Bird 7 aims to deliver additional capacity for further expansion of services, using up to 50 Ku-band transponders to connect to two beams covering the Middle East, North Africa and North-West Africa with digital broadcasting services.

            Following the launch and entry into service of Atlantic Bird 7, Eutelsat will redeploy Atlantic Bird 4A from 7 degrees East to 13 degrees East, where it will revert to its original name of Hot Bird 10.