Arianespace to launch KOREASAT-7

Tuesday, March 14th, 2017
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Arianespace to launch two telecom satellites for Brazil and South Korea

For its fourth launch of the year, and the second Ariane 5 mission in 2017 from the Guiana Space Center in French Guiana, Arianespace will orbit two satellites: SGDC for VISIONA Tecnologia Espacial S.A. on behalf of the Brazilian operator Telebras S.A., and KOREASAT-7 for the South Korean operator KT Sat.

This mission, designated Flight VA236 in Arianespace’s launcher family numbering system, will be the seventh all-Thales Alenia Space mission, as both satellites were built by this manufacturer.

The launch will be from Ariane Launch Complex No. 3 (ELA 3) in Kourou, French Guiana.

The Launch Readiness Review (LRR) will take place on Friday, March 17, 2017 in Kourou, to authorize the start of operations for the final countdown.

KOREASAT-7 is the third KOREASAT satellite to be launched by Arianespace for KT Sat, following KOREASAT-3 and KOREASAT-6, launched in September 1999 and December 2010, respectively.

KT Sat, a wholly-owned subsidiary of KT Corp. – the largest telecom/media service provider in South Korea – is the country’s sole satellite service provider. Since the establishment of the Kumsan Satellite Center (Teleport) in 1970, KT Sat has been the national leader in telecommunications and broadcasting services. It currently operates three satellites.

KOREASAT-7 will provide a full range of video and data applications, including Internet access, direct-to-home broadcasting (DTH), government communications and connectivity for VSAT (Very Small Aperture Terminal) networks.

Positioned at 116° East, KOREASAT-7 is designed to provide higher throughput and extended coverage over Korea, the Philippines, the Indochinese Peninsula, India and Indonesia. Its added Ka-band capacity, with steerable beams, will enable it to meet increased demand.

KOREASAT-7 was built by Thales Alenia Space in Toulouse and Cannes, France, using a Spacebus 4000B2 platform.

SGDC (Geostationary Satellite for Communications and Defense) is the first satellite for the operator Telebras S.A. to be launched by Arianespace, performed within the scope of a contract with SGDC prime contractor Visiona Tecnologia Espacial S.A.

This Brazilian government program has three main objectives:

  • Reduce Brazil’s digital divide by providing high-quality Internet services to 100% of the country territory as part of the National Broadband Plan
  • Provide sovereign and secure means for Brazilian government and defense strategic communications
  • Acquire critical technologies for the Brazilian space industry, enabling the industry to take increasingly important roles in the future Brazilian space programs.

Positioned at 75° West, with its 57 Ka- and X-band transponders, the SGDC is a multi-spot beam HTS (high-throughput satellite) capable of delivering more than 57 Gbps over the Brazilian territory.

The SGDC will be operated and controlled by Telebras S.A., a Brazilian telecommunication company controlled by the Ministry of Science, Technology, Innovation and Communication; and the Defense Ministry.

As SGDC prime contractor, VISIONA Tecnologia Espacial S.A. is responsible for program management, overall system integration and end-to-end communication.

SGDC was manufactured by Thales Alenia Space in Cannes, France using the reliable Spacebus 4000C4 platform.