The ProtoStar II satellite will reach billions of people in India, Indonesia, Taiwan, the Philippines and Southeast Asia.

The Boeing Company and ProtoStar Ltd have joined forces to provide direct-to-home (DTH) satellite television programming and broadband internet access throughout Asia.

The Asian satellite services operator has awarded international aerospace company, Boeing, with the contract to build a 601 HP-model ProtoStar II satellite.

Scheduled to launch in 2009, the satellite will reach billions of people in India, Indonesia, Taiwan, the Philippines and Southeast Asia.

Philip Father, ProtoStar’s Chief Executive Officer, commented on the deal: “ProtoStar II demonstrates again our commitment to building a multi-satellite constellation to enable the next generation of television services across Asia. Boeing’s support of our satellite manufacturing program reflects our shared vision of this exciting high power, high definition DTH future.”

Boeing will build and test ProtoStar II at its one million square foot satellite manufacturing facility located in El Segundo, California, US.

The fee for the deal has not been disclosed.

By Natasha Piscitelli