Yahsat 1a now configured for new April 22 launch date
The company has now replaced faulty actuators on the heavy-lift launcher's Vulcain 2 cryogenic main engine.
The replacement was made following an interruption of the original final countdown on March 30, when an incorrect displacement of one of the Vulcain 2 engine's actuators was detected.
This anomaly was reported at 6.65 seconds into the Vulcain 2's ignition procedure, and it occurred during the pre-planned automatic checkout
sequence of 7.05 seconds - when the cryogenic engine's operation is verified before the Ariane 5's two large solid propellant boosters are commanded to ignite.
Yahsat 1a is due to be positioned at 52.5 deg. East. When fully commissioned it will deliver a variety of services including internet links, business data networks and television transmission services, particularly high-definition TV.
Yahsat is the first company in the Middle East and Africa to offer hybrid satellite services to the region, having been granted a 10-year satellite services licence in March 2010 by the UAE Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA).
Previous stories:
Yahsat 1a launch aborted just seconds before launch in French Guiana
GST FORUM: Abu Dhabi's Yahsat set for 2011 launch
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