ARSAT, with headquarters in Buenos Aires, acting as Main Contractor and leading the GEO communication satellite development in Argentina. ARSAT is using a similar industrial organization with INVAP, who is acting as Prime Constructor, teaming with Thales Alenia Space following the successful partnership that took in place on ARSAT-1 and ARSAT-2 both operational in orbit. ARSAT-3 is slated to enter service in 2019, and will be positioned at 81 degrees West as a baseline. It will provide high speed data, Internet and television transmission services for South America. Weighing about 3 tons at launch, it will offer a design life of 15 years. The payload will be fitted with 12 Ku-band and 8 Ka-band operative transponders. “We are delighted with this great opportunity to deepen the strategic relation with both Argentina’s Satellite manufacturer ARSAT, and INVAP to continue the close industrial cooperation initiated on ARSAT-1.and successfully confirmed on ARSAT-2” said Jean Loïc Galle, President and CEO of Thales Alenia Space”