Yahsat Y1A launched into orbit from Kourou

The launcher lofted a total payload weight of 10,064 kg, including 8,965kg for the Yahsat Y1A and the Intelsat New Dawn satellite, which was launched at the same time.

 

Both satellites were released separately into their targeted orbits.

 

Liftoff was on Friday, April 22 at 6:37 pm local time in Kourou (Saturday, April 23 at 1:37 am in Abu Dhabi, UAE).

 

The launch “went smooth and perfectly,” said Jassem al Zaabi, chief executive of Yahsat.

 

He watched the launch from the European Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana with members of the Yahsat team, UAE Armed Forces and officials of Mubadala Development, the strategic investment company controlled by the Abu Dhabi Government, which owns Yahsat.

 

“We were anxious because of last time, but we know that everything must be aligned and work perfectly, and so with the great weather and engines running smoothly, we were extremely happy and proud to watch the satellite take off after more than four years worth of work toward this,” he said. "It was a great moment."

 

Yahsat Y1A will provide services for both government and commercial customers in the Middle East, Africa, Europe and Southeast Asia. It will be positioned at 52.5 degrees East, and will offer customers innovative broadband solutions for internet, business data and high-definition television (HDTV) services, with a design life of 15 years.