Eutelsat Communications announced on Wednesday that it will acquire the GE-23 satellite, associated customer contracts and orbital rights from GE Capital for $228 million.
The transfer is expected to close in the second half of the year, subject to regulatory approvals.
Built by Thales Alenia Space, GE-23 was launched in 2005 and has a expected life of 15 years. It offers coverage of Asia Pacific via a payload of 20 Ku-band transponders accessing five interconnecting beams and 18 C-band transponders connected to a trans-Pacific beam.
The bird will be integrated into the company's fleet and be renamed Eutelsat 172A. The acquisition, the company said, complements its organic initiatives, notably the Eutelsat 70B satellite, equipped with a dedicated Asian beam, which is scheduled for launch in Q4.
A spokesperson said the extended coverage opens the way for Eutelsat to broaden its offering to existing clients and develop new business.
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