The Mexsat Bicentenario satellite sent its first signals from space today as one of the first of three Mexsat satellites for the Secretaria de Comunicaciones y Transportes (SCT) of Mexico to enhance the country’s communications for domestic, military, civil and humanitarian needs, the company announced.
   Bicentenario was manufactured by Orbital Sciences under contract to Boeing as a hybrid-band and Ku-band communications satellite based on Orbital’s flight-proven GEOStar-2 platform. Boeing will serve as Mexsat’s prime contractor, building the remainder of the two 702HP geomobile satellites for scheduled launches in 2013 and 2014. Boeing will also integrate the Mexsat network, while Orbital will provide the command and control ground equipment and software for the Bicentenario, as well as the associated training and operational documentation.
   ”Today’s successful launch brings us closer to the establishment of the MEXSAT system, which will enhance Mexico’s disaster-relief and emergency services, and provide satellite broadcasting capabilities in telemedicine and tele-education,” Boeing Satellite Systems International CEO and Boeing Space & Intelligence Systems Vice President and General Manager Craig Cooning.