Artist’s rendition of the ABS 8 satellite. Photo: Boeing

[Via Satellite 06-15-2015] Asia Broadcast Satellite (ABS) has awarded a contract to Boeing for a third all-electric 702 Small Platform (SP) satellite. The ABS 8 satellite is scheduled for delivery in 2017, and will be the highest power payload to date on a Boeing 702SP, sporting a payload of more than 9 kilowatts.

ABS 8 is a replacement satellite for ABS 7, located at 116.1 degrees east, and will support traditional wide-beam coverage along with a high-powered Ku- and Ka-band multi-spot High Throughput Satellite (HTS) configuration. The satellite will expand broadcast and enterprise services to Australia, New Zealand, the Middle East, Russia, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.

“The procurement of ABS 8 shows our confidence and trust with Boeing on the all-electric propulsion 702SP platform technology. The prescribed satellite payload of C, Ku and Ka beams with wide beams and high throughput capacity would serve the government, mobility, telecoms, Direct-to-Home (DTH) and rural broadband sectors,” said Tom Choi, CEO of ABS.

ABS’ first all-electric propulsion 702SP satellite, ABS 3A, launched earlier this year  aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in a stacked configuration with the Eutelsat 115 West B satellite. The company’s second 702SP satellite, ABS 2A, is scheduled for launch in the fourth quarter of this year.