A LM-3B Launches APStar-6C with Success

At 00:06 Beijing time on May 4,a LM-3B launch vehicle successfully launched the APStar-6C satellite of the APT Satellite Company Limited (APT Satellite) into orbit. The satellite will provide satellite communications and broadcasting services for customers across the Asia-Pacific region and supply more support for the nation’s Belt and Road Initiative.

APStar-6C is the 12th in-orbit delivery program of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation(CASC) for international customers.APT Satellite and China Great Wall Industry Corporation (CGWIC) signed a contract in October 2015 for the construction and launch of APStar-6C,which is the second DFH-4 communications satellite procured by APT Satellite. The first one was APStar-9, which was launched in 2015 and is operating well in orbit, providing stable and reliable quality service for customers.

The satellite was developed by the China Academy of Space Technology.Based on DFH-4 platform, APStar-6C has a designed service life of 15 years and carries 45 transponders in C, Ku and Ka bands.

Compared with APStar-6, APStar-6C improves its available payload power by 20% as well as its uplink and downlink channels by 371%. The available channels of APStar-6C transponders are increased by 139% compared with those of APStar-9. Considering the available frequency resources, the satellite can supply different customers with multiple service regions with flexible applied methods, with a total communications bandwidth covering high power services such as radio and TV, DTH and cellular backhaul.

APStar-6C is being launched by a LM-3B launch vehicle

As of now, the earliest DFH-4 communications satellite has been in service for over 9 years, demonstrating the maturity and reliability has been completely verified, and is now recognized by more and more international customers.

APStar-6D, invested in by APT Mobile Satcom Ltd., is the third domestic satellite among the APT satellite fleet,which is a high-throughput broadband satellite providing service in the Asia-Pacific region. CGWIC is the primary contractor of the satellite, which is under development.

The LM-3B launch vehicle for this mission was developed by China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. It is capable of launching a payload up to 5,500 kg into GTO. Technologies like wireless measurement and remote data interpretation have been demonstrated in the mission. This is the 273rd flight of Long March launch vehicle family.