The Spanish operator’s new communications satellite is already in space, launched aboard the Ariane 5 ECA rocket from French Guiana.
HISPASAT, the Spanish operator of telecommunications satellites, has successfully launched its new satellite, Hispasat 1E, from the European Space Agency’s base at Kourou in French Guiana. This took place aboard an Ariane 5 ECA rocket from the company Arianespace.
Approximately 28 minutes after liftoff of the Ariane 5 ECA, the Hispasat 1E satellite separated from the launch vehicle. Thereafter the satellite was initialized, its solar panels deployed and the maneuvers begun to take the new satellite toward its final orbital position of 30º West.
With Hispasat 1E entering into service, the Group expands its capacity in Europe, America and Africa, while boosting its offer of innovative and high quality services.
Hispasat 1E is a very technologically advanced satellite offering high performance. HISPASAT has relied on a significant level of participation from the Spanish space industry in its development, incorporating a high level of value added technology.
With a useful life of 15 years, the new satellite offers greater possibilities for high quality communication. It has 53 transponders in Ku band as well as capacity in Ka band. The Hispasat 1E has a launch mass of 5.3 tons, a 26 meter solar panel deployed in orbit, 5 antennas (3 deployable), two receivers and capacity of over 13kW at the end of its useful life. Based on an LS 1300 platform from Space Systems/Loral, it possesses a three-axis attitude control system that allows for great precision when directed toward the Earth.