Arianespace and MEASAT Global Berhad (MEASAT), the leading Malaysian satellite operator, today announced the signature of a launch services contract for MEASAT-3d.

MEASAT-3d, a new multi-mission telecommunications satellite, will be launched into geostationary transfer orbit by an Ariane 5 heavy-lift launch vehicle from the Guiana Space Center, Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana (South America) in 2021.

MEASAT, the leading Malaysian satellite operator, operates five satellites, providing coverage over Asia, Middle East, Africa, Europe and Australia.

MEASAT-3d will serve the growth requirements of 4G & 5G mobile networks in Malaysia while continuing to provide redundancy and additional distribution capacity for video in HD, 4K, and ultimately 8K in the Asia-Pacific region. The satellite will weigh approximately 5,734 kg. at launch, and offers an operational life of 19 years.

When positioned at 91.5 degrees East, MEASAT-3d will be co-located with MEASAT-3a and MEASAT-3b satellites to replace and enhance capacity in Malaysia, Asia, Middle East and Africa.

The new MEASAT-3d satellite will carry multiple payload types: C- and Ku-band payloads for direct-to-home television broadcasting and other telecom services, as well as a high-throughput Ka-band payload for internet connectivity. MEASAT-3d also will carry an L-band navigation payload for Korean satellite operator Kt sat as part of the Korea Augmentation Satellite System.

Airbus Defence and Space built MEASAT-3d using the Eurostar E3000 satellite platform.

Commenting on this latest contract, Arianespace Chief Executive Officer Stéphane Israël said: “We are honoured that MEASAT entrusted the launch of MEASAT-3d to Arianespace, renewing a long standing partnership with this Malaysian operator that dates back to 1996. With one new commercial success for Ariane 5, the Ariane family reasserts itself as the best-suited solution to reach the geostationary orbit, just a few weeks before the 40 years of Ariane and before the advent of Ariane 6 in 2020!”

About Arianespace

Arianespace uses space to make life better on Earth by providing launch services and solutions for all types of satellites (institutional and commercial) into all orbits. It has orbited more than 600 satellites since 1980, using its family of three launchers, Ariane, Soyuz and Vega, from launch sites in French Guiana (South America) and Baikonur (Central Asia). Arianespace is headquartered in Evry, near Paris, and has a technical facility in Kourou at the Guiana Space Center, Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, plus local offices in Washington, D.C., Tokyo and Singapore. Arianespace is a subsidiary of ArianeGroup, which holds 74% of its share capital, with the balance held by 15 other shareholders from the European launcher industry.