Apstar VI
| Mission duration | 15 years | 
|---|---|
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Bus | Spacebus 4000C1 | 
| Manufacturer | Alcatel Space | 
| Launch mass | 5,000 kilograms (11,000 lb) | 
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | April 12, 2005 | 
| Rocket | Chang Zheng 3B | 
| Launch site | Xichang LA-2 | 
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric | 
| Regime | Geostationary | 
| Longitude | 134° East Coordinates: 0°N 134°E / 0°N 134°E | 
| Transponders | |
| Band | 
38 C band 12 Ku band  | 
| Bandwidth | 
36 MHz 50 MHz  | 
| TWTA power | 
64W (C band) 145 (Ku band)  | 
| EIRP | 
at Peak: 42 decibel-watts  60 decibel-watts  | 
Apstar VI is a communications satellite built by Alcatel Space, a subsidiary of Alcatel, and was boosted into orbit on April 12, 2005 by Long March 3B launcher from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in China. It provides APT Satellite Holdings (APT), a satellite operator in the Asia Pacific region, with broadband media and television services. It is fitted with 38 C-band transponders and 12 Ku band transponders. China is covered with a dedicated high power Ku band beam for broadband multimedia transmission. It is the second model of the Spacebus 4000. The transponders have a reduced C-band receiving dish over a wide footprint, which extends across India, China and Australia.
It is significant in enhancing cooperation between Alcatel Space and China as a follow up to the SINOSAT satellite.
External sources
- Alcatel press release
 - APT website
 - Apstar VI footprint(s) at SatBeams