Posted: Wed, Nov 2, 2005, 7:18 AM ET (1218 GMT)
A Japanese manufacturer has won a contract for a domestic communications satellite while China has agreed to build a similar satellite for Venezuela. Space Communications Corporation (SCC) will buy the Superbird 7 satellite from Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Mitsubishi announced Tuesday. Superbird 7 will weigh about 5,000 kg at launch and carry 28 Ku-band transponders. The spacecraft will operate at 144 degrees east, replacing the existing Superbird C spacecraft, and is scheduled for launch in the first quarter of 2008. The contract is a major milestone for Mitsubishi, which has been trying to break into the commercial satellite market; SCC had previously bought all of its satellites from US manufacturers. Also on Tuesday, the governments of China and Venezuela announced that Venezuela would purchase the "Simon Bolivar" communications satellite from China. Few technical details were released by the spacecraft, which is intended to make the South American country self-sufficient in telecommunications. The spacecraft is scheduled for launch in 2008.

Related Links:

•  Space News article about Superbird 7 (subscription required)
•  Japan Times article about Superbird 7
•  Xinhua article about Simon Bolivar
•  AP article about Simon Bolivar
•  Mitsubishi press release