At 20:11 on the evening of July 9, APSTAR-6D satellite took off on the CZ-3B/E rocket at Xichang Satellite Launch Center. After half hour flight, APSTAR-6D separated from the rocket’s 3rd stage, completed the first deployment of the solar array, and entered into transfer orbit. In the following days, the satellite will conduct multiple orbit raises, solar array second deployment and antenna deployment. After completing the in-orbit test, it will commission service at the orbital slot of 134⁰E.

(photo: Wen bin)

APT Mobile Satcom Limited (“APSAT”) owns and operates APSTAR-6D satellite, which is the first satellite of “Global High-throughput Broadband Satellite Communication System”, as envisaged by APSAT. Based on the DFH-4E platform, APSTAR-6D was manufactured by China Academy of Space Technology. The satellite has totally 90 Ku-band service spot-beams with single beam capacity of more than 1Gbps, and total capacity of 50Gbps. APSTAR-6D satellite is capable of providing hundreds of Mbps broadband services for airlines, or thousands of Mbps broadband services for maritime ships and cruise ships, so that it can meet all types of mobile satellite communication, as well as satellite broadband connection needs in the Asia-Pacific region.

APT Satellite, as the co-founder of APSAT incorporated in Shenzhen, has been involved in orbital spectrum resources, payload design, manufacture supervision, and overseas gateways construction works for APSTAR-6D.