Lockheed to launch Malaysia's third communications satellite: report

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) Sep 06, 2003
Measat, Malaysia's sole commercial satellite operator, has picked US defence firm Lockheed Martin Corporation to launch its third communications satellite in 2005, local media reported Saturday.

Binariang Satellite Systems Sdn Bhd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Measat Global Berhad, has signed a 48.7 million dollar contract with Lockheed-Khrunichev-Energia International Inc. and Lockheed Martin Commercial Launch Services Inc for the satellite's launch services.

The 132.5-million dollar satellite, ordered from US aerospace giant Boeing in March, will be launched on a Proton Breeze M launch vehicle from Baikonur in Kazakhstan from May to November 2005, the Bernama news agency said.

Measat-3 would serve Asia, Middle East, Eastern Europe, Africa and Australia.

Malaysia has already launched three satellites, two communications satellites known as Measat 1 and Measat 2 and a microsatellite named Tiongsat

Measat 1 and Measat 2 were launched on 13 January and 13 November 1996 respectively at a cost of 600 million ringgit (158 million dollars) while Tiongsat 1 was launched on 26 September 2000.

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