AsiaSat has announced the launch of its newest communications satellite, the AsiaSat 8.
The new craft was launched by a SpaceX Falcon 9 vehicle, and is now moving into a geostationary orbit around 36,000km above the equator, the Hong Kong-based satellite operator announced.
AsiaSat 8 was supplied by Space Systems/Loral and has a design life of 15 years. It has 24 Ku-band transponders and a Ka-band payload.
AsiaSat will co-locate the new craft with AsiaSat 7, where it will cover China, India, Southeast Asia and the Middle East.
“The addition of AsiaSat 8 to our existing fleet of four in-orbit satellites will expand our fleet capacity and enable us to serve a wider range of customers for advanced satellite services, from DTH, data broadcasting to broadband services,” AsiaSat CEO William Wade said.
“This is our first launch with SpaceX, we would like to thank them for their excellent work and effort in making [the] launch a success.”
Wade commented in June that SpaceX has had a catalyzing effect on the satellite launch industry, having “influenced other launch providers to look at what they’re doing.”