Asia Satellite Telecommunications Company Limited (AsiaSat) is a Hong Kong–based commercial operator of communications satellites founded in 1988. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Asia Satellite Telecommunications Holdings Limited (AsiaSat Holdings), which is incorporated in Bermuda.
AsiaSat Holdings is jointly owned by Chinese state-owned CITIC Limited and private equity fund The Carlyle Group L.P. indirectly. It had a market capitalisation of HK$2 billion on 30 November 2018. It was a red chip company of the stock exchange. On 23 August 2019, the take private proposal scheme was approved by AsiaSat Holdings' public shareholders, followed by the approval of the Bermuda Court on 3 September 2019, whereupon The company became a private wholly owned subsidiary of Bowenvale Limited, a joint venture of CITIC and Carlyle. The listing of the company's shares was withdrawn from the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong on 5 September 2019.
History In September 2017, AsiaSat 9, AsiaSat's latest satellite built by Space Systems/Loral was successfully launched and replaced AsiaSat 4 at 122° East.
AsiaSat owns and operates seven satellites, including AsiaSat 3S, AsiaSat 4, AsiaSat 5, AsiaSat 6, AsiaSat 7, AsiaSat 8 and the new AsiaSat 9.
Shareholders , the direct parent company, Bowenvale Limited, owned 74.43% shares; Bowenvale was jointly owned by CITIC Limited and The Carlyle Group LP in a 50–50 ratio. Standard Life Aberdeen plc was the second largest shareholder for 5.36%. In May 2018, the ratio owned by Standard Life Aberdeen had decreased to 4.99%. In November 2018, another private equity firm International Value Advisers owned 6.12% shares of AsiaSat.
On 3 September 2019, following the approval of the privatisation plan by public shareholders, Asia Satellite Telecommunications Holdings Limited became a privately wholly owned subsidiary of Bowenvale Limited, which is now jointly owned by CITIC Group and Carlyle Asia Partners IV, L.P.
Launch history and future plans This is a list of satellites owned and operated by AsiaSat. +AsiaSat satellites Satellite Launch Date(UTC) Rocket Launch Site Contractor Longitude Status Notes Ref. AsiaSat 1 7 Apr 1990 Long March 3 Xichang, LC-3 CASC
Launched as Westar 6 on Space Shuttle mission STS-41B, became stranded in orbit, was retrieved by Space Shuttle mission STS-51A in November 1984, sold to AsiaSat. AsiaSat 2 28 Nov 1995 Long March 2E Xichang, LC-2 CASC 100.5° East
AsiaSat 3 24 Dec 1997 Proton-K / DM-2M Baikonur, Site 81/23 ILS 105.5° East (intended)158° West (1998–1999)62° West (1999–2002)
Transferred to Hughes Global Services (HGS) AsiaSat 3S 21 Mar 1999 Proton-K / DM-2M Baikonur, Site 81/23 ILS 147.5° East
Replaced AsiaSat 1 on 8 May 1999 and was replaced by AsiaSat 7 AsiaSat 4 12 Apr 2003 Atlas IIIB Cape Canaveral, LC-36B ILS Relocated to a designated orbital position in November 2017
AsiaSat 5 11 Aug 2009 Proton-M / Briz-M Baikonur, Site 200/39 Khrunichev 100.5° East
A replacement satellite for AsiaSat 2 AsiaSat 6 / Thaicom 7 7 Sep 2014 Falcon 9 v1.1 Cape Canaveral, SLC-40 SpaceX 120° East
AsiaSat 7 25 Nov 2011 Proton-M / Briz-M Baikonur, Site 200/39 Khrunichev 105.5° East
Replaced AsiaSat 3S at the orbital location of 105.5° East. AsiaSat 8 5 Aug 2014 Falcon 9 v1.1 Cape Canaveral, SLC-40 SpaceX 105.5° East
AsiaSat satellite with multiple Ku beams. AsiaSat 9 28 Sep 2017 Proton-M / Briz-M Baikonur, Site 200/39 Khrunichev 122° East
Replaced AsiaSat 4 at 122° East.
See also
APT Satellite Holdings, fellow satellite communication company based in Hong Kong
References
External links