[Satellite Today 07-03-09] Asia Broadcast Satellite (ABS) is acquiring the Koreasat-2 satellite from Korea Telecom, ABS announced July 2. 

As a result of the transaction, Koreasat-2, built by Lockheed Martin and launched in January 1996, will be renamed as ABS-1A. The spacecraft has a Ku-band payload with 16 Ku-band transponders dedicated to fixed satellite services and six direct broadcast Ku-band transponders. 

ABS plans to relocate ABS-1A to 75 degrees East to be co-located with ABS-1 until the launch of its expansion satellite, ABS-2, scheduled for early 2012. The ABS-1A satellite has fuel for a minimum of two to five years of inclined orbit operations and will provide high-powered Ku-band capacity for satellite telecommunications and broadcast services to ABS’ customers in the Middle East region.

Separately, ABS has contracted KT Corp.n to provide the satellite operations and telemetry, tracking and control for ABS-1A.