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AsiaSat 5
AsiaSat 5 is a Hong Kong communications satellite, which is operated by the Hong Kong–based Asia Satellite Telecommunications Company (AsiaSat). It is positioned in geostationary orbit at a longitude of 100.5° East of the Greenwich Meridian, where it replaced the AsiaSat 2 satellite.[2] It is used to provide fixed satellite services, including broadcasting, telephone and broadband very small aperture terminal (VSAT) communications, to Asia and the Pacific Ocean region.[3] BackgroundThe launch was originally scheduled to be conducted by Land Launch (SSL-1300LL satellite bus), using a Zenit-3SLB launch vehicle. The satellite was subsequently re-awarded to ILS after Land Launch were unable to guarantee that the satellite could be launched by August 2009, in order to be in orbit before AsiaSat 2 ceased operations.[4][5] Satellite descriptionSpace Systems/Loral (SS/L), announced in May 2005 that it has been chosen by AsiaSat. At launch, AsiaSat 5 had a mass of 3,760 kg (8,290 lb),[6] and was expected to operate for fifteen years. It carries 26 C-band and 14 Ku-band transponders.[2] LaunchAsiaSat 5 was built by Space Systems/Loral, and is based on the LS-1300XS satellite bus.[3] It is being launched by International Launch Services (ILS), using a Proton-M launch vehicle with a Briz-M upper stage. The launch was conducted from Site 200/39 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, at 19:47:33 UTC on 11 August 2009. The Briz-M separated from the Proton-M nine minutes and forty one seconds into the flight, and AsiaSat 5 will separate from the Briz-M into a geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO) nine hours and fifteen minutes after liftoff.[6] It will then raise itself into its final geostationary orbit. See alsoReferences
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