New satellite operator ProtoStar has chosen Arianespace to launch the DTH satellite ProtoStar I.

Arianespace CEO Jean-Yves Le Gall announced the award during his annual January press conference, saying that Arianespace will launch the ProtoStar I satellite for ProtoStar Ltd.

This is the 280th launch contract won by Arianespace since its inception in March 1980, according to the company.

ProtoStar I will be placed into geostationary transfer orbit by an Ariane 5 from the Guiana Space Center, Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, during the first half of next year.

Weighing 4,100 kg (4.5 tons), ProtoStar I is a Space Systems/Loral (SS/L) 1300 platform, built in Palo Alto, Calif., and will be the 34th platform built by SS/L to be launched by Arianespace.

The satellite will be equipped with 22 Ku-band 36 MHz equivalent and 38 C-band 36 MHz equivalent transponders, and will provide digital DTH services, HDTV and Broadband Internet to underserved areas in Asia.