The rocket placed two telecommunications satellites into geostationary orbit. The United Arab Emirates satellite Yahsat Y1A, built by Astrium and Thales Alenia Space, will supply HDTV to the Middle East, Africa, Europe and South West Asia. The second satellite launched was the Intelsat New Dawn satellite, built by Orbital Sciences Corporation, that will offer a range of services including telephone and Internet to Africa.
After the successful completion of in-orbit testing the satellite Y1A, was officially handed over to Yahsat on June 13, 2011. Y1A is the first satellite built for Al Yah Satellite Communications Company. It is the first part of a fully integrated satellite communications system, comprising the Y1A and Y1B satellites and ground segment, developed by an industrial team of Astrium and Thales Alenia Space. Astrium supplied the Eurostar E3000 platform, and assembled and tested the spacecraft while Thales Alenia Space supplied the communications payloads.
The Launch and Early Orbit Phase was carried out from the Astrium Toulouse Control Centre and the In-Orbit Testing from the Yahsat Control Centre in Abu Dhabi backed-up by the staff at Astrium in Toulouse. Yahsat has invested in training UAE nationals to take control of the satellite operations. Based in the Abu Dhabi Control Centre, these engineers are part of Yahsat’s highly experienced satellite operations team. Y1A will provide satellite communications services for both governmental and commercial customers in the Middle-East, Africa, Europe and South West Asia. It offers a wide portfolio of voice, data, video and internet connectivity solutions designed to accommodate the demand for emerging applications in the satellite industry including HDTV and other satellite services.
Y1A is equipped with a communications payload featuring 14 active transponders in C-band, 25 Ku- BSS transponders and a Ka-band government payload. The system includes gateways in C-, Ku- and Ka-bands, and a large number of ground terminals. The second satellite, Y1B, is currently in the final integration phase in Astrium Toulouse, where it is undergoing environment simulation tests associated with the extreme conditions it will face during launch and in space.
