KUALA LUMPUR: The first Measat-3d telemetry signal was received exactly at 6.41am on Thursday (June 23), marking the complete successful launch of the satellite.

       The historic achievement was announced at Dewan Merdeka, World Trade Centre (WTC) here, where Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob and 600 other guests had watched the live streaming of the launch of the satellite from the Guiana Space Center in French Guiana, South America earlier.

       The satellite was safely launched on the Ariane-5 rocket at 5.50am Malaysian time (6.50pm time local on June 22), after the lift-off was delayed for 47 minutes for additional checks.

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       Measat-3d’s first separation from the rocket occurred at 6.19am Malaysian time and the second, at 6.34am, before the first signal transmitted from space to Earth was received seven minutes later.

       Also present at the WTC to watch the launch of the most advanced satellite in Measat’s fleet were Communications and Multimedia Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa and his deputy Datuk Zahidi Zainal Abidin, as well as several other Cabinet ministers.

       The satellite, which costs RM1.2bil with a lifespan of 18 years, is expected to be able to bridge the digital connectivity gap and shape a better connectivity future for Malaysians in line with the government’s initiatives through the National Digital Network (Jendela) plan and will benefit not only Malaysia but also countries within the satellite’s footprint, including Indonesia and India. - Bernama