Eutelsat chooses Astrium for W5A

Satellite operator Eutelsat has selected Astrium to build a new 48-transponder Ku-band satellite that will be located at its 70.5° East location in geostationary orbit.

Scheduled for launch in the fourth quarter of 2012, the satellite will replace W5 and more than double Eutelsat’s resources at 70.5° East. It will be used for a range of applications including government services, broadband access, GSM backhauling and professional video exchanges in Europe, Africa and central and South-East Asia.