Mexican government's communications and transport administration, Secretara de Comunicaciones y Transportes, has awarded a contract to Arianespace to launch the country's new Mexsat 3 telecommunications satellite.

Mexsat 3 will be placed into geostationary transfer orbit in late 2012 by an Ariane 5 or Soyuz launcher from the Guiana Space Center, Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana.

Mexsat 3 will be built by U.S. satellite manufacturer Orbital Sciences Corporation. With a mass at liftoff of nearly 3,050 kg, it will carry extended C-band and Ku-band transponders.

The satellite will provide next generation communications services throughout the country from its 114.9 degree West longitude orbital slot. Mexsat 3 will have an in-orbit lifetime of over 15 years.

Arianespace Chairman and CEO Jean-Yves Le Gall said: "We are extremely proud and honored to be serving Mexico once again, notably the Secretaria de Comunicaciones y Transportes, which has shown its confidence in us for nearly 20 years. The choice of Arianespace is further recognition of the quality and excellence delivered by our launch service and solutions offer."