Eutelsat’s newest satellite, SESAT (for Siberia Europe Satellite), has been positioned on the launch pad for its scheduled launch on the night of April 17. SESAT is an 18-transponder, Ku-band spacecraft, built by Russia’s NPO-PM, will be positioned at 36 degrees East.

The satellite will have two beams – a wide beam covering Europe, western Siberia, North Africa and the Middle East, and a steerable spot beam covering India. It will be Eutelsat’s first gateway to the Indian subcontinent and will meet user demand for heavy Internet traffic between India and Europe. Other traffic for the satellite will include data and video broadcasting, distance education, telemedicine and the transfer of software.

Eutelsat said SESAT will be the first of seven launches it plans over the next 24 months in an expansion and replacement program that will cost about $1 billion. Eutelsat, which began as a multi-national, regional organization serving only Europe, plans to privatize during the next 12 months.