The Y1-B satellite that Vox Telecom will use to offer its YahClick broadband service aimed at users in rural areas will launch just after midnight (24 April 2012), the company announced.
Vox first revealed its plans to launch satellite broadband services towards the end of last year, with more details emerging in January 2012.
The Y1-B satellite, owned by the Abu Dhabi based Yahsat, is set to cover South Africa with 6 Ka-Band spot beams.
Yahsat said it plans to offer affordable satellite broadband services for South Africa in partnership with Vox Telecom through this satellite.
According to the companies this is the first Ka-band satellite service for South Africa.
Y1-B weighs more than 6,000kg at launch and will have a spacecraft power of 14kW at the end of its 15-years design lifetime.
It left the Astrium facilities in Toulouse, France, a month ago and was transported by air to Baikonur, Kazakhstan, in preparation for its launch by an ILS Proton Breeze M vehicle in the wee hours of the morning.
Astrium supplied the Eurostar E3000 platform and assembled and tested the spacecraft, while Thales Alenia Space (TAS) supplied the communications payload and was also in charge of the launcher procurement, Yahsat said.
Yahsat said that their first satellite, Y1A was successfully launched in April 2011 on an Ariane 5 and is operating in orbit.
Vox revealed that it plans to roll out its YahClick satellite broadband offering on the Y1-B satellite from July 2012.
The service will be available from all Vox Telecom Divisions, the company said.
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