Argentina launches Arsat-1, the first geostationary satellite built in Latin America

Stabilized in its orbit, it will offer TV and Internet services to Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Paraguay.

This weekend, Argentina became the first Latin American country to launch a locally built geostationary telecommunications satellite into orbit. The ArSat-1 was successfully launched from the Kourou base, in French Guiana, and will serve to provide telephone, television and Internet services for the entire national territory, Chile, Uruguay and Paraguay, including rural areas.

The satellite was put into orbit through the takeoff of the French Arianne 5 rocket, which was carrying the Argentine satellite, at 6:44 p.m. last Saturday. The operation was led by Ana Caumo, project manager of Invap, a public satellite construction company dependent on the Argentine Ministry of Planning.

After a delay of almost three-quarters of an hour due to weather conditions, at 7:17 p.m. the satellite detached from the propellant capsule at about 300 kilometers above sea level, and maneuvers began from the Earth's surface to place the satellite in the position of 71.8 degrees west longitude and to maintain it at a constant 36,000 kilometers altitude.

The construction of the new satellite, which will occupy the 71.8° position, has cost 1,121 million pesos and some components were manufactured in France and Germany.