Eutelsat 115 West B, the first all-electric satellite for Eutelsat Communications, is scheduled for launch by SpaceX using the Falcon 9 rocket on March 1.
The window for launch is set bwteen 03.49 – 04.34 GMT.
Built by Boeing Defense and Space, Eutelsat’s latest satellite arrived in Cape Canaveral on 25 January.
Equipped with 12 C-band and 34 Ku-band transponders connected to four service areas, Eutelsat 115 West B will extend reach of the Americas to markets in Alaska and Canada, replacing the Eutelsat 115 West A satellite that operates in inclined orbit at 114.9° West. The new satellite will focus in particular on serving clients providing data services, including broadband access, cellular backhaul, VSAT solutions and social connectivity.
Patricio Northland, CEO of Eutelsat Americas, said: “The launch of the next-generation Eutelsat 115 West B satellite is a milestone that will position us as a major satellite operator across the continent. It will transform the 114.9° West orbital position that is already a neighbourhood of choice for fast-growing high-speed data and mobility markets in North and South America.”
Using electric propulsion for in-orbit raising, Eutelsat 115 West B will enter service in the fourth quarter of 2015. It will be followed into orbit later this year by the all-electric Eutelsat 117 West B satellite that will be located at 117° West to boost capacity for Latin America broadcast markets.
The third pillar in Eutelsat’s expansion in the Americas will be Eutelsat 65 West A that is scheduled for launch in 2016 in advance of the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. It will feature high-power coverage of Brazil and Latin America in C, Ku and Ka-bands.
