ABS selects
Boeing to
Build ABS-8,
its Third
All-electric
Propulsion
Hybrid
Satellite
15 June,
2015
ABS has
selected
Boeing
Satellite
International,
Inc (Boeing)
to
manufacture
the ABS-8
satellite.
ABS-8 will
replace
ABS-7 at
116.1 degree
East orbital
location,
and will
also deliver
significant
expansion
capacity for
Asia, Russia
and the
Middle East.
The
satellite is
expected to
launch in
2017.
ABS-8 will
be the third
innovative
all-electric
propulsion
702SP
satellite
ordered from
Boeing that
minimizes
the
spacecraft’s
mass and
maximizes
available
payload.
The
spacecraft
will have
over 9 kW
(kilowatts)
of payload
power and it
will be
equipped
with 50
active
transponders.
ABS-8 will
incorporate
traditional
wide beam
coverage
beams in C
and Ku
bands, a
high-power
ultra-throughput
multi-spot
Ku-band and
a steerable
high-power
Ka-band beam
payload
configuration
to deliver
both
performance
and
flexibility.
This
satellite
will expand
broadcast,
data and
enterprise
services to
multiple
markets: the
Middle East,
Russia,
Southeast
Asia, South
Asia and the
South
Pacific
region.
“The
procurement
of ABS-8
shows our
confidence
and trust
with Boeing
on the
all-electric
propulsion
702SP
platform
technology.
The
prescribed
satellite
payload of
C, Ku and Ka
beams with
wide beams
and high
throughput
capacity
would serve
the
government,
mobility,
telecoms,
DTH and
Rural
broadband
sectors,”
said Tom
Choi, CEO of
ABS. “ABS is
committed to
continually
innovate and
improve the
competitiveness
of the FSS
industry for
the
betterment
of our
customers”.
“The
decision by
ABS to order
a third
Boeing 702SP
satellite is
a testament
to our
customer’s
confidence
in the
capabilities
of this
satellite,”
said Mark
Spiwak,
president of
Boeing
Satellite
Systems
International,
Inc. “With
the
innovative
all-electric
propulsion
design,
Boeing is
able to
maximize
payload
while
decreasing
overall
satellite
mass and
cost.”
ABS-8
will follow
the launch
of ABS-2A
which is
scheduled to
launch in
the fourth
quarter of
this year.
This is part
of ABS’
expansion
plans to add
more
satellites
and the
associated
capable and
flexible
capacity to
its growing
fleet.
