Argentina satellite Arsat-2 ready for launch

Argentina is due to launch its second satellite, Arsat-2, from French Guiana on September 30.

The satellite will be launched by Arianespace on board the Ariane 5 rocket.

Argentina successfully launched the Arsat-1 satellite in October last year, which was designed and built by the state's Investigaciones Aplicadas (Invap).

Arsat-1 is designed to strengthen the country's internet coverage and DTT network, and improve audiovisual content distribution from Argentina to the rest of Latin America and the US.

While Arsat-1 has one antenna for the Ku band, Arsat-2 will have three antennas, one of them to receive signals in the C band and two to receive signals in the Ku band.

Arsat-2 will thus extend coverage throughout the Americas.

A third satellite, Arsat-3 is also planned. The satellite will occupy orbital positions 81 and 72 degrees west, assigned by the International Telecommunication Union.