Boeing Receives 3rd ABS Order for All-Electric Propulsion Satellite; Mark Spiwak Comments

Boeing will build a third 702SP all-electric propulsion satellite for ABS to provide satellite services to Australia, New Zealand, Russia and countries in the Middle East, South Asia and Southeast Asia.

The company said Friday ABS-8 will add to the ABS-3A and future ABS-2A all-electric propulsion satellites and replace ABS-7 at its orbital location.

Mark Spiwak, president of Boeing’s satellite systems business, said the 702SP design works to support maximum payload with reduced satellite mass.

Boeing plans to deliver ABS-8 in 2017.

According to the company, the satellite will have a 9-kilowatt payload that provides wide-beam coverage and supports a high-throughput satellite configuration.

ABS CEO Tom Choi noted that ABS-8 will serve the government, mobility, direct-to-home, telecommunications and rural broadband sectors.