Manila launches satellite

Manila launches satellite

MANILA (AFP): The Philippines' first communications satellite will be launched on Monday by its Chinese carrier rocket in Xichang, China, a telecommunications consortium said here yesterday.

Cesar Reyes, president of the Mabuhay Philippines Satellite Corp. the consortium which owns the Agila II (Eagle II) satellite, said he was informed of the launch date of August 18 by Beijing's aerospace ministry.

The Philippine satellite will blast off aboard a Long March 3B (LM3B) rocket at 1:48 a.m. (0548 GMT) in Xichang, Sichuan province.

The launch of the US$243 million satellite has been delayed several times by technical problems, with all the delays connected to the LM3B.

Mabuhay is 51 percent-controlled by Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co., the country's main telecommunications carrier.

Its partners include five Filipino firms, China Everbright Group Ltd. of China and PT Pasifik Satelit Nusantara of Indonesia.