MEASAT-3

Image of MEASAT-3 orbiting over Malaysia

MEASAT-3 was successfully launched on December 12, 2006, 7.35 am (Malaysian Time, GMT +8.00 HRS) from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan.

In March 2003, MEASAT Satellite Systems Sdn. Bhd. of Malaysia ordered a Boeing 601HP satellite, giving it the designation MEASAT-3 at that time. MEASAT-3 joined the existing Boeing-built MEASAT-1 and MEASAT-2 spacecraft in the Malaysia-East Asia Satellite (MEASAT) system.

International Launch Services (ILS) was contracted as the launch provider. Boeing was specified to also provide an upgrade to the MEASAT ground facilities in Malaysia, as well as training and launch support services.

The MEASAT-3 was launched on board an ILS service vehicle Proton M/Breeze M with a 'five-burn to orbit' sequence. It entered commercial service on January 25, 2007 at a geostationary orbit of 91.5 degrees East (co-located with MEASAT-1). The C band and K_u band now covers geographically remote areas such as Sabah, Sarawak, and North India and expands the MEASAT fleet's coverage to more than 100 countries embracing Australia, Middle East, Eastern Europe and Africa.

MEASAT-3 transponders' specifications

C BAND TRANSPONDERS

EIRP (dBW)	41 (Global beam), 45 (Asia beam)
G/T (dB/K)	+0.5 (Global beam), +2.8 (Asia beam)
TWTA power	65 Watts
Transponder bandwidth	24x36 MHz
Channel polarization	Linear
Frequency band	Uplink: 5,925-6,725 MHz Downlink: 3,400-4,200 MHz

Ku BAND TRANSPONDERS

EIRP (dBW)	57 (Maximum)
G/T (dB/K)	+14 (Maximum)
TWTA power	120 Watts
Transponder bandwidth	24x36 MHz
Channel polarization	Linear
Frequency band	Uplink: 13.75-14.5 GHz Downlink: 10.95-12.75 GHz