Thales Alenia Space built the GE-23 satellite, which was launched into geostationary orbit at 172 degrees East in December 2005. The satellite offers coverage over the Asia-Pacific region via a payload of 20 Ku-band transponders accessing five interconnecting beams and 18 C-band transponders connected to a trans-Pacific beam.

Following the acquisition, the satellite was renamed Eutelsat 172A and integrated with Eutelsat’s fleet.

   “We are delighted to announce finalization of this acquisition that brings three key assets to Eutelsat: a high-quality satellite equipped with a flexible payload of C and Ku-band capacity in great demand over the Asia-Pacific region; orbital rights at 172 degrees East, giving us an exceptional platform to serve dynamic markets in the region as well as headroom for further expansion; and a portfolio of quality customer relationships that we are excited to serve,” Eutelsat CEO Michel de Rosen said in a statement. “This satellite adds further ballast to Eutelsat‘s organic growth initiatives, notably our Eutelsat 70B satellite which is equipped with a dedicated Asian beam and on track for launch later this year.”