Eutelsat's Hot Bird 7ATM Readies for Launch

Eutelsat's HOT BIRD 7A broadcasting satellite has been schedules for launch from the Kourou spaceport in French Guiana on 21-February-2006.



HOT BIRD 7A will be positioned at 13 degrees East, Eutelsat's prime
neighborhood for television and radio broadcasting to satellite and cable homes. Equipped with 38 Ku-band transponders, its dual mission is to replace existing capacity at 13 degrees East and, in conjunction with HOT BIRD 8 which is due for launch in second quarter, to provide complete in-orbit redundancy at the HOT BIRD location. Eutelsat's HOT BIRD neighborhood today hosts 850 television channels and 550 radio stations, serving 110 million homes in Europe, North Africa and the Middle East.



Alcatel Alenia Space serves as the prime contractor (platform and payload).

http://www.eutelsat.comhttp://www.alcatel.com