Japan’s JCSAT-17 is in the process of being integrated into the payload bay of an Ariane 5 rocket in readiness for launch from French Guiana on February 18th.

The Japanese satellite is occupying the upper bay of the rocket, while the lower bay is home for a Korean scientific craft (Geo-Kompsat-2B) which once in orbit will monitor the world’s oceans.

JCSAT-17 was built by Lockheed Martin and will deliver telecoms services for SkyPerfect JSAT. As well as a portfolio of conventional C- and Ku-band transponders it will also carry S-band mobile communications equipment and is designed to act during disaster relief efforts. The S-band capacity depends on an 18-metre unfurlable antenna supplied by Harris Corp.

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