Thales Alenia Space will deliver the payload for Arsat-1, Argentina’s first telecommunication satellite, to satellite operator ARSAT.

The 2.8t satellite with a design life of 15 years will be fitted with 24 ku-band transponders.

Arsat-1 will provide data, telephone and television transmission services for Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay and Bolivia.

Thales Alenia Space president and CEO Reynald Seznec said that they are very pleased to support both the growth of the operator ARSAT, and the emergence of a new national space industry player.

INVAP, the prime contractor for the Arsat-1 satellite will integrate the Thales Alenia payload with the platform.

The satellite is scheduled for launch in 2012.