The H-IIA F29 with Telstar 12 Vantage onboard lifted off at 3:50 p.m. on Nov. 24, (Japan Standard Time) from the Tanegashima Space Center. Photo: JAXA.

[Via Satellite 11-24-2015] Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) have successfully launched Telesat’s broadcast and telecommunication satellite, Telstar 12 Vantage. An H-IIA Launch vehicle No. 29 (H-IIA F29) blasted off from the Tanegashima Space Center at 3:50 p.m. on Nov. 24 (Japan Standard Time, JST). The launch vehicle flew as planned and, at about 4 hours and 27 minutes after liftoff, the separation of the Telstar 12 Vantage satellite was confirmed.

The H-IIA upgrade brought enhanced capabilities to the H-IIA launch vehicle. The upgrade enables the H-IIA to perform a long coast flight, and allows the second stage engine to ignite for the third time at the apogee. With these new capabilities, the H-IIA was able to inject the Telstar 12 Vantage closer to geostationary orbit than conventional geostationary transfer orbit, according to MHI.