MUMBAI: Asia Satellite Telecommunications Company Limited (AsiaSat) is gearing up to launch AsiaSat 7, the new communications satellite, on 26 November.

The satellite will be launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan by an ILS Proton Breeze M launch vehicle.

AsiaSat 7 is a new generation satellite designed to replace AsiaSat 3S at the orbital location of 105.5 degrees East. Based on the Space Systems/Loral 1300 platform, AsiaSat 7 will support a broad range of applications for the Asia-Pacific region, including television broadcast and VSAT networks.

AsiaSat 7 will carry 28 C-band and 17 Ku-band transponders, and a Ka-band payload. Its region-wide high power C-band beam covers Asia, the Middle East, Australasia and Central Asia, with Ku-band beams serving East Asia, South Asia and a steerable Ku beam.

AsiaSat 3S, one of AsiaSat‘s flagship satellites, is operating at the orbital location of 105.5 degrees E. 
 
"The launch of AsiaSat 7, well ahead of the planned date for AsiaSat 3S‘s replacement, is a testament to AsiaSat‘s continued commitment to quality, reliability and uninterrupted services," the company said in a statement.

Asiasat 3S is expected to reach its end of life in 2014.