Following the successful completion of all scheduled manoeuvres since launch, the Eutelsat Ka-Sat satellite is now positioned at its definitive location in geostationary orbit at 9 degrees East.
The satellite’s payload was switched on on January 8, enabling Europe’s first high throughput satellite to begin a series of in-orbit tests, which will be followed by the final phase of integrated validation of the satellite with the network of ground stations that will connect to the Internet backbone. Commercial entry into service is on track for the end May 2011.
The operations centralised at Eutelsat’s Rambouillet teleport since Eutelsat Ka-Sat’s launch on December 26 have included full deployment of the solar panels – giving a total wing span of almost 40 metres – and the deployment of the four antennas which will deliver reach of Europe and the Mediterranean Basin via 82 spotbeams.
Built for Eutelsat by Astrium, Eutelsat Ka-Sat ushers in a new generation of high capacity multi-spotbeam satellites for broadband and data services.
