| ChinaSat 12 | |
| Mission Type: | Communication |
| Operator: | China Satellite Communications |
| Mission Duration: | 15 years |
| Spacecraft Bus: | Spacebus-4000C2[1] |
| Manufacturer: | Thales Alenia Space |
| Launch Mass: | 5054kg (11,142lb) |
| Power: | 2 deployable solar arrays, batteries |
| Launch Date: | [2] |
| Launch Rocket: | Long March 3B/E[3] |
| Launch Site: | Xichang LA-2 |
| Orbit Reference: | Geocentric |
| Orbit Regime: | Geostationary |
| Orbit Longitude: | 87.5° East |
| Apsis: | gee |
| Trans Band: | 28 C-band 28 Ku-band |
| Trans Coverage: | China Sri Lanka East Asia South Asia Middle East Africa Australia China sea area the Indian Ocean region. |
The ChinaSat 12 [4] [5] [6] communications satellite is wholly owned by China Satellite Communications, with part of its communications payload leased or rented by SupremeSAT, a Sri Lankan company, to be marketed to potential users as SupremeSAT-I.[7] Once operational, it will provide communications services for the China, Sri Lanka, East Asia, South Asia, Middle East, Africa, Australia, and China sea area, the Indian Ocean region.[8]
ChinaSat 12 was also known as Apstar 7B (as a backup of Apstar 7), but acquired by China Satellite Communications from its subsidiary APT Satellite Holdings in 2010.[9] However, APT Satellite Holdings was contracted by its parent company as the operator of ChinaSat 12.[9]
Following launch on 27 November 2012,[10] the satellite was placed into geosynchronous orbit and located at 51.5° East while being tested.
The satellite was built by Thales Alenia Space and has a designed life of 15 years.