MEASAT-3

MEASAT-3 is a Malaysian communications satellite which was successfully launched on 11 December 2006 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.[1]

MEASAT-3

Artist's impression of MEASAT-3 orbiting over Malaysia
Mission type	Communications
Operator	MEASAT
COSPAR ID	2006-056A
SATCAT no.	29648
Mission duration	15 years
Spacecraft properties
Bus	BSS-601
Manufacturer	Boeing
Launch mass	4,765 kilograms (10,505 lb)
BOL mass	3,220 kilograms (7,100 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date	11 December 2006, 23:28:43 (2006-12-11UTC23:28:43Z) UTC
Rocket	Proton-M/Briz-M
Launch site	Baikonur 200/39
Contractor	International Launch Services
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric
Regime	Geostationary
Longitude	91.5° east
Perigee altitude	35,787 kilometres (22,237 mi)
Apogee altitude	35,796 kilometres (22,243 mi)
Inclination	0.05 degrees
Period	23.93 hours
Epoch	28 October 2013, 21:08:19 UTC
Transponders
Band	24 C-band 24 Ku-band

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.

MEASAT-3 was by International Launch Services using a Proton-M rocket with a Briz-M upper stage. The upper stage made five burns to place MEASAT-3 into a geostationary transfer orbit. After circularisation and testing, the satellite entered commercial service on January 25, 2007, in geostationary orbit at a longitude of 91.5 degrees East where it is 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.