Japanese communications satellite successfully launched

by Rich Bowden - Aug 15 2008, 01:21

Japan's Superbird-7 spacecraft was yesterday launched successfully aboard an Ariane rocket from Europe's Kourou launch facility in French Guiana, ushering in a new era for Japanese telecommunications.

Built by Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, the satellite will end complete reliance on U.S. space platforms to deliver communications services in Japan and the Asia Pacific region.

The Ariane rocket also delivered a second payload, the AMC-21 spacecraft, a TV and Internet platform whose services will be focussed on North and Central America, according to a BBC report.

Ariane 5's fifth mission of the year was declared a resounding success by mission controllers.

"I think it is a perfect illustration of the fact that high performance, reliability and increase of pace can go hand-in-hand," said Jean-Yves Le Gall, Arianespace chairman and CEO.

"The success of the Superbird-7 launch is very important for the new integrated company as a basis to accelerate the growth of global satellite communications (in Japan)," said Yukata Nagai, president and CEO of the operator Space Communications Corporation (SCC) in a report by Spaceflight Now. 

"I hope such made-in-Japan satellites will be more widely accepted in the world satellite market from this success on," he added.

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