Built for international operator Intelsat by SSL (Space Systems/Loral), DLA-1 – together with the DLA-2 satellite that will be lofted on a future flight – is to greatly expand direct-to-home entertainment offerings in Latin America, as well as provide backup and restoration services.

Intelsat 30, based on the FS-1300 platform from Space Systems LORAL is the 135th satellite in the INTELSAT S.A. fleet and the 54th satellite entrusted by INTELSAT S.A. to the range of Ariane launchers.

ARSAT-1 is a geostationary communications satellite operated by AR-SAT and built by the Argentine company INVAP. It is expected to be located at 72° West longitude geostationary slot. ARSAT-1 is the first geostationary satellite built in Latin America. Total cost of the satellite is 270 million US dollars.

ARSAT-1 carries a total of 24 IEEE Ku band (NATO J-band) transponders. Twelve will be operating at 36 MHz, eight at 54 MHz, and four at 72 MHz, for a total bandwidth of 1152 MHz. It will offer a wide range of telecommunications, data transmission, telephone, and television services mainly across all of Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, and Paraguay including direct broadcast TV in the ISDB-S standard.