The Amazonas 3 satellite begins its in-orbit test phase

February 20, 2013

The HISPASAT Group´s new satellite will begin to provide communications services next April.

It is the first satellite to offer Ka band in Latin America.

Today, the HISPASAT Group´s Amazonas 3 satellite begins its in-orbit test phase, prior to becoming operative. It was successfully launched last February 7, onboard the Arianespace Ariane 5 ECA launcher from the European space base in Kourou, French Guiana.
After its separation from the launch vehicle, the satellite started its systems and deployed its solar panels pointing them toward the sun, the satellite´s main source of energy. For seven days following the launch, five starts of its apogee motor took place to push it from the point where it separated from the launch rocket toward its geostationary orbit, and the deployment of its four communications antennas took place to point the satellite toward Earth to receive the signals sent from the ground. Afterwards, the maneuvers needed to position it where tests will be carried out, near its definitive orbit of 36,786 km over the Equator, and the communications mission equipment was activated. The Amazonas is now prepared to start its in-orbit tests.
The goal of these tests is to guarantee the satellite´s performance upon entering into service, forecast for next April. After passing the tests, the Amazonas 3 will be taken to its definitive position of 61º West and will remain under the supervision of the technicians at HISPASAT Group´s control centers. It will be operated the HISPAMAR Satélites, the Group´s Brazilian affiliate.
The new satellite will provide advanced telecommunications services, such as dissemination of TV platforms, deployment of corporate fixed and mobile telephone networks, broadband or integrated solutions for telecommunications operators.

 

About Amazonas 3
The Amazonas 3 was built by Space Systems/Loral in Palo Alto (California), with significant participation by Spain´s aerospace industry. It has 52 simultaneous transponders, 33 in Ku band and 19 in C band, as well as 9 beams in Ka band and aimpoint control in 3 beams that guarantees high aiming precision. The novel Ka band payload positions the HISPASAT Group as the first operator in Latin America to open the door to the world of interactive services and multimedia applications via satellite. With a 15 year lifespan, the satellite will provide coverage to the American continent, Europe and North Africa from the Brazilian orbital position of 61º West.


The HISPASAT Group
The HISPASAT Group is made up of companies with a presence in Spain as well as Latin America, where its Brazilian affiliate, HISPAMAR, operates the Amazonas fleet of satellites. The Group is the leader in the diffusion and distribution of content in Spanish and Portuguese, including the transmission of important digital Direct-To-Home (DTH) and High Definition Television (HDTV) platforms. HISPASAT is one of the most important companies in the world in its sector by revenue and the main communications bridge between Europe and America.


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