The 14 October 2009 auction-date of ProtoStar 1 became the deadline for bidders to express preliminary interest. At press time, bids were due 23 October, with the auction rescheduled for 29 October. Industry sources say interest has been such that the ProtoStar 1 satellite could sell for at least double its original estimated price, and the auction of ProtoStar 2 could also be delayed. Auction was organized after Bermuda-based ProtoStar filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in July 2009. July 2008-launched ProtoStar 1 is generating no revenue from its slot at 98.35ºE after encountering regulatory and frequency-coordination issues. On 1 October 2009 ProtoStar told the bankruptcy court that the ProtoStar 2 (operating from 107.7ºE) S-band payload, with anchor customer Indovision, had generated $3.5 million in revenue since it became operational on June 17. But its Ku-band payload has had trouble coordinating its planned broadcast frequencies with satellites in the region, notably with SES of Luxembourg, leaving SES tipped to win the ProtoStar 2 auction. Separately SES World Skies, the combination of the former SES New Skies and SES Americom, announced that its NSS-12 satellite had safely arrived at the European spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. The NSS-12 spacecraft, manufactured by Space Systems/Loral, was being readied for launch onboard an Ariane 5 booster, scheduled for lift-off on 29 October, 2009. NSS-12, replacing NSS-703 at 57ºE, will deliver DTH power and performance through four regional Ku-band spot beams over the Middle East and Europe, Central and South Asia and, for the first time, East Africa. Asian satellite operators contacted about the ProtoStar auction were unable to comment, but press reports speculate on Thaicom’s interest in ProtoStar 1. This follows Thaicom’s proposal of a procurement option to Thailand’s Information and Communications Technology Ministry – which in turn has asked the Office of the Attorney-General to consider whether Thaicom’s new option is permissible. The previous plan was to lease transponder service from a foreign satellite to provide a broadcasting service after the lifespans of Thaicom 1 and 2 expire. Hong Kong-based AsiaSat, arguably the operator most directly affected by ProtoStar 1, just announced that TDM Satellite Channel, Macau, a new satellite television channel from TDM – Teledifusão de Macau, S.A. began free to air broadcasting on the newly launched AsiaSat 5. During the next few months’ testing of service, TDM Satellite Channel, Macau will provide daily scheduled news bulletin in Cantonese, Mandarin, Portuguese and English languages, and a wide range of current affairs programming on Macau’s latest development. “We welcome TDM on board our brand new satellite AsiaSat 5 adding more value to AsiaSat 5’s diverse channel neighbourhood. AsiaSat 5 has inherited AsiaSat 2’s access power. We shall continue to build the accessibility by bringing high quality programming to this platform,” said Peter Jackson, chief executive officer of AsiaSat. AsiaSat 5 is a Space Systems/Loral’s 1300 satellite launched in August 2009 to replace AsiaSat 2 at the orbital location of 100.5ºE. AsiaSat 5 carries 26 C-band and 14 Ku-band transponders, and has a design life of 15 years. AsiaSat’s fleet, comprises AsiaSat 3S at 105.5ºE, AsiaSat 4 at 122ºE and AsiaSat 5 at 100.5ºE. Meanwhile MEASAT Satellite Systems Sdn. Bhd. announced that UTV Entertainment Television Limited had signed an agreement for capacity on MEASAT-3a for the carriage of flagship Hindi movie channel UTV Movies. UTV Movies is distributed by UTV Global Broadcasting Limited, the broadcasting arm of UTV. The channel is the only Hindi movie channel originating from a motion picture studio, boasting an enviable library of blockbusters. “UTV adds much spice to the growing bouquet of channels at our prime video neighbourhood of 91.5ºE,” said Terry Bleakley, vice president, commercial operations, MEASAT. “With an expansive footprint, MEASAT-3a is able to distribute UTV Movies across 110 countries aiding UTV Global Broadcasting mission to expand internationally”. Operating four communications satellites, the MEASAT fleet is able to provide satellite capacity to over 145 countries across Asia Pacific, Middle East, Africa, Europe and Australia. With the newly launched MEASAT-3a satellite located at the Company’s key orbital slot at 91.5ºE, the MEASAT fleet has a total of 100 transponders across four satellites. And Asia Broadcast Satellite (ABS) together with GT Satellite Systems S.A. (GTSS), announced that they have signed a long term, multiple transponder deal to provide GTSS with expansion capacity on the new ABS-2 satellite scheduled to be launched in 2012. As part of the multi-year contract, GTSS will significantly expand its existing capacity on ABS-1 by leasing multiple Ku-band transponders on the ABS-2 Russia/CIS Beam for further expansion of its TV distribution services from the most popular CATV channels location in Russia, and its newly launched Raduga TV DTH platform. ABS-2 will be co-located with ABS-1 at 75ºE Longitude, with nearly 14 KW of payload power and up to 78 active C-band, Ku-band and Ka-band transponders across eight different beams. It is designed for 15 years of operational life. The ABS-2 spacecraft will be manufactured by Space Systems/Loral and launched with Arianespace.