KOUROU: French Guiana: MEASAT Global Bhd successfully launched into the earth orbit its latest satellite MEASAT-3b - the sixth in its fleet - at the European Space Port in Kouru, French Guiana today.
The successful launch of the satellite marked a milestone for the Malaysian company as it looks to become the world's leading emerging market satellite operator.
The launch was witnessed by a group of key MEASAT business partners, government officials and four Malaysian secondary students from Sekolah Menengah Sains Sultan Mahmud Shah in Terengganu who had won a competition organised by the satellite operator.
The launch occured at 6:05pm Thursday Kourou time (7:05am Malaysian time), about a half an hour delay from the original scheduled time of 6:21 pm local time( 5:21am Malaysian time)
Deputy Minister of Communication and Multimedia Datuk Jailani Johari who witnessed the event said the launch was not only an achievement for MEASAT but also would benefit Malaysia's ICT infrastructure and its space industry.
"We trust that MEASAT will continue to push the boundaries of both business and technology," said Jailani.
MEASAT Global's chairman Datuk Umar Abu said Measat-3b which WAS built by Airbus Defence and Space is the company's largest and most advance satellite to date.
The satellite was lifted off by Arianespace Ariane 5 ECA launch vehicle. It separated from the launch vehilce 27 minutes after lift off.
Over the next few days, MEASAT-3b will be raised from a geo-transfer orbit into a geostationary orbit at 91.5 East, a slot which is owned by MEASAT.
The satellite will then undergo testing for the next one month and brought into commercial operations on October 15.
The latest satelite will be located in the same neighborhood of 91.5 East with MEASAT-3 and MEASAT-3a to form one of the regions's most powerful and robust orbital locations.