AsiaSat 5 begins commercial service

AsiaSat’s new satellite, AsiaSat 5, has begun commercial services at 100.5° East. The operator said that traffic has begun transferring from AsiaSat 2 to the new satellite, a process that is expected to be complete in a few weeks.

AsiaSat 5 carries a payload of 26 C-band and 14 Ku-band transponders, offering enhanced C-band coverage from Russia to New Zealand and Japan to the Middle East and Africa. In addition to an East Asian Ku-band beam, the new satellite also offers a new South Asia beam and a steerable beam.