Arianespace has confirmed the launch date for Asia Broadcast Satellite’s (ABS) ABS-2 spacecraft, which will be orbited by a heavy-lift Ariane 5 in 2013.
Manufactured by Space Systems/Loral using an LS-1300 platform, ABS-2 will weigh more than 6,000 kg. at launch. It is fitted with C, Ku, and Ka-band transponders, and is to provide optimized direct TV broadcast, multimedia applications, telecommunications and data transmission services for Asia, Russia/CIS, Africa and the Middle East.