Intelsat
Encyclopedia
Intelsat, Ltd. is a communications satellite
services provider.
Originally formed as International Telecommunications Satellite Organization (INTELSAT), it was—from 1964 to 2001—an intergovernmental consortium owning and managing a constellation of communications satellite
s providing international broadcast services.
, Intelsat operates a fleet of 52 communications satellites, which is the world's largest fleet of commercial satellites.
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The Inter-Governmental Organization (IGO) began on August 20, 1964, with 11 participating countries. On April 6, 1965, Intelsat’s first satellite, the Intelsat I
(nicknamed Early Bird), was placed in geostationary orbit
above the Atlantic Ocean
by a Delta D rocket
.
In 1973, the name was changed and there were 80 signatories. Intelsat provides service to over 600 Earth stations in more than 149 countries, territories and dependencies. By 2001, INTELSAT had over 100 members. It was also this year that INTELSAT privatized and changed its name to Intelsat.
Since its inception, Intelsat has used several versions (blocks) of its dedicated Intelsat satellites. INTELSAT completes each block of spacecraft independently, leading to a variety of contractors over the years. Intelsat’s largest spacecraft supplier is Space Systems/Loral
, having built 31 spacecraft (as of 2003), or nearly half of the fleet.
The network in its early years was not as robust as it is now. A failure of the Atlantic satellite in the spring of 1969 threatened to stop the Apollo 11
mission; a replacement satellite went into a bad orbit and could not be recovered in time; NASA
had to resort to using undersea cable telephone circuits to bring Apollo's communications to NASA during the mission. Fortunately, during the Apollo 11 moonwalk
, the moon was over the Pacific Ocean
, and so other antennas were used, as well as INTELSAT III, which was in geostationary orbit of the Pacific.
, a US satellite operator, the US congress passed the Open Market Reorganization for the Betterment of International Telecommunications (ORBIT) Act to privatize the international organization. In April 1998, to appease the US government, Intelsat's senior management spun off five of its older satellites to a private Dutch entity, New Skies Satellites, which became a direct competitor to INTELSAT. To avert the US government's interference with Intelsat, Intelsat's senior management unsuccessfully considered relocating the IGO to another country.
Today, the number of Intelsat satellites, as well as ocean-spanning fibre-optic lines, allows rapid rerouting of traffic when one satellite fails. Modern satellites are more robust, lasting longer with much larger capacity.
Intelsat was sold for U.S. $3.1bn in January 2005 to four private equity
firms: Madison Dearborn Partners, Apax Partners
, Permira
and Apollo Global Management. The company acquired PanAmSat
on July 3, 2006, and is now the world's largest provider of fixed satellite services, operating a fleet of 52 satellites in prime orbital locations. In June 2007 BC Partners
announced they had acquired 76 percent of Intelsat for about 3.75 billion euro
s. Intelsat maintains its corporate headquarters in Luxembourg
, with a majority of staff and satellite functions — administrative headquarters — located at the Intelsat Corporation offices in Washington, DC. A highly international business, Intelsat sources the majority of its revenue from non-U.S. located customers. The biggest teleport is the Teleport Fuchsstadt in Germany.
Spacecraft operations are controlled through ground stations in Clarksburg
, Maryland
(USA), Hagerstown
, Maryland
(USA), Riverside
, California
(USA), and Fuchsstadt, Germany
.
Intelsat was operating Intelsat Americas
-7 (known formerly as Telstar 7 and now known as Galaxy 27) which experienced a several-day power failure on November 29, 2004. The satellite returned to service with reduced capacity.
and PanAmSat
brands to Galaxy and Intelsat, respectively.
NOTE: * "F" denotes "flight" version. Initial satellites at Intelsat were designed and manufactured as identical copies, where the flight number, for example Flight-2 (F-2) was used to differentiate individual satellites of the series.
** Titan upper stage failed to release.
demonstration project would take to geostationary orbit
. Catching up
in orbit with four or five Intelsat communication satellites, a fuel load of 200 kilograms (440.9 lb) of fuel delivered to each satellite would add somewhere between two and four years of additional service life.
A near-end-of-life Intelsat satellite will be moved to a graveyard orbit 200 to 300 km (124.3 to 186.4 mi) above the geostationary belt where the refueling will be done, "without consequence" to the Intelsat business.
, the business model was still evolving. MDA "could ask customers to pay per kilogram of fuel successfully added to [each] satellite, with the per-kilogram price being a function of the additional revenue the operator can expect to generate from the spacecraft’s extended operational life."
The plan is that the fuel-depot
vehicle would maneuver to several satellites, dock at the target satellite’s apogee-kick motor
, remove a small part of the target spacecraft’s thermal protection blanket, connect to a fuel-pressure line and deliver the propellant. "MDA officials estimate the docking maneuver would take the communications satellite out of service for about 20 minutes."
Satellite
In the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....
services provider.
Originally formed as International Telecommunications Satellite Organization (INTELSAT), it was—from 1964 to 2001—an intergovernmental consortium owning and managing a constellation of communications satellite
Communications satellite
A communications satellite is an artificial satellite stationed in space for the purpose of telecommunications...
s providing international broadcast services.
, Intelsat operates a fleet of 52 communications satellites, which is the world's largest fleet of commercial satellites.
History
Intelsat I
Intelsat I was the first communications satellite to be placed in geosynchronous orbit, on April 6, 1965...
(nicknamed Early Bird), was placed in geostationary orbit
Geostationary orbit
A geostationary orbit is a geosynchronous orbit directly above the Earth's equator , with a period equal to the Earth's rotational period and an orbital eccentricity of approximately zero. An object in a geostationary orbit appears motionless, at a fixed position in the sky, to ground observers...
above the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
by a Delta D rocket
Delta rocket
Delta is a versatile family of expendable launch systems that has provided space launch capability in the United States since 1960. There have been more than 300 Delta rockets launched, with a 95 percent success rate. Two Delta launch systems – Delta II and Delta IV – are in active use...
.
Since its inception, Intelsat has used several versions (blocks) of its dedicated Intelsat satellites. INTELSAT completes each block of spacecraft independently, leading to a variety of contractors over the years. Intelsat’s largest spacecraft supplier is Space Systems/Loral
Space Systems/Loral
Space Systems/Loral , of Palo Alto, California, is the wholly owned manufacturing subsidiary of Loral Space & Communications. It was acquired in 1990 for $715 million by Loral Corp. from Ford Motor Company as the Space Systems Division of Ford Aerospace...
, having built 31 spacecraft (as of 2003), or nearly half of the fleet.
Apollo 11
In early 1969, Bill Anders accepted a job with the National Space Council effective in August 1969 and announced his retirement as an astronaut. At that point Ken Mattingly was moved from the support crew into parallel training with Anders as backup Command Module Pilot in case Apollo 11 was...
mission; a replacement satellite went into a bad orbit and could not be recovered in time; NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
had to resort to using undersea cable telephone circuits to bring Apollo's communications to NASA during the mission. Fortunately, during the Apollo 11 moonwalk
Extra-vehicular activity
Extra-vehicular activity is work done by an astronaut away from the Earth, and outside of a spacecraft. The term most commonly applies to an EVA made outside a craft orbiting Earth , but also applies to an EVA made on the surface of the Moon...
, the moon was over the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
, and so other antennas were used, as well as INTELSAT III, which was in geostationary orbit of the Pacific.
Commercialization
Due to heavy lobbying by PanAmSatPanAmSat
The former PanAmSat Corporation founded in 1984 by Reynold Anselmo, was a satellite service provider headquartered in Greenwich, Connecticut. It operated a fleet of communications satellites used by the entertainment industry, news agencies, internet service providers, government agencies, and...
, a US satellite operator, the US congress passed the Open Market Reorganization for the Betterment of International Telecommunications (ORBIT) Act to privatize the international organization. In April 1998, to appease the US government, Intelsat's senior management spun off five of its older satellites to a private Dutch entity, New Skies Satellites, which became a direct competitor to INTELSAT. To avert the US government's interference with Intelsat, Intelsat's senior management unsuccessfully considered relocating the IGO to another country.
Privatization
On July 18, 2001, Intelsat became a private company, 37 years after formation. Prior to Intelsat's privatization in 2001, ownership and investment in INTELSAT (measured in shares) was distributed among INTELSAT members according to their use of services. Investment shares determined each member’s percentage of the total contribution needed to finance capital expenditures. The organization’s primary source of revenue was satellite usage fees which, after deduction of operating costs, was redistributed to INTELSAT members in proportion to their shares as repayment of capital and compensation for use of capital. Satellite services were available to any organization (both INTELSAT members and non-members), and all users paid the same rates.Today, the number of Intelsat satellites, as well as ocean-spanning fibre-optic lines, allows rapid rerouting of traffic when one satellite fails. Modern satellites are more robust, lasting longer with much larger capacity.
Current operation
Private equity
Private equity, in finance, is an asset class consisting of equity securities in operating companies that are not publicly traded on a stock exchange....
firms: Madison Dearborn Partners, Apax Partners
Apax Partners
Apax Partners LLP is a global private equity and venture capital firm, headquartered in London. The company also operates out of eight other offices in New York, Hong Kong, Mumbai, Tel-Aviv, Madrid, Stockholm, Milan and Munich. The firm, including its various predecessors, have raised...
, Permira
Permira
Permira is a United Kingdom-based private equity firm with global reach. The firm advises funds with a total committed capital of approximately €20 billion....
and Apollo Global Management. The company acquired PanAmSat
PanAmSat
The former PanAmSat Corporation founded in 1984 by Reynold Anselmo, was a satellite service provider headquartered in Greenwich, Connecticut. It operated a fleet of communications satellites used by the entertainment industry, news agencies, internet service providers, government agencies, and...
on July 3, 2006, and is now the world's largest provider of fixed satellite services, operating a fleet of 52 satellites in prime orbital locations. In June 2007 BC Partners
BC Partners
BC Partners is a private equity firm specialising in buyouts and acquisitions financing in Europe and the United States. The firm invests across all industries...
announced they had acquired 76 percent of Intelsat for about 3.75 billion euro
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
s. Intelsat maintains its corporate headquarters in Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
, with a majority of staff and satellite functions — administrative headquarters — located at the Intelsat Corporation offices in Washington, DC. A highly international business, Intelsat sources the majority of its revenue from non-U.S. located customers. The biggest teleport is the Teleport Fuchsstadt in Germany.
Spacecraft operations are controlled through ground stations in Clarksburg
Clarksburg, Maryland
Clarksburg is a census-designated place and an unincorporated area in Northern Montgomery County, Maryland, United States, located along the Interstate 270 technology corridor about 4 miles north of Germantown, MD. As of Census 2010 its population is 13,766....
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
(USA), Hagerstown
Hagerstown, Maryland
Hagerstown is a city in northwestern Maryland, United States. It is the county seat of Washington County, and, by many definitions, the largest city in a region known as Western Maryland. The population of Hagerstown city proper at the 2010 census was 39,662, and the population of the...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
(USA), Riverside
Riverside, California
Riverside is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, and the county seat of the eponymous county. Named for its location beside the Santa Ana River, it is the largest city in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan area of Southern California, 4th largest inland California...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
(USA), and Fuchsstadt, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
Intelsat was operating Intelsat Americas
Intelsat Americas
Intelsat Americas, was the re-designation given to the several Telstar satellites serving North America following their sale to Intelsat by Loral Space & Communications in 2003...
-7 (known formerly as Telstar 7 and now known as Galaxy 27) which experienced a several-day power failure on November 29, 2004. The satellite returned to service with reduced capacity.
Renaming
On February 1, 2007, Intelsat changed the names of 16 of its satellites formerly known under the Intelsat AmericasIntelsat Americas
Intelsat Americas, was the re-designation given to the several Telstar satellites serving North America following their sale to Intelsat by Loral Space & Communications in 2003...
and PanAmSat
PanAmSat
The former PanAmSat Corporation founded in 1984 by Reynold Anselmo, was a satellite service provider headquartered in Greenwich, Connecticut. It operated a fleet of communications satellites used by the entertainment industry, news agencies, internet service providers, government agencies, and...
brands to Galaxy and Intelsat, respectively.
Satellite Details
Satellite Coverage Map (HTML)Retired
| Name | Manufacturer | Satellite type | Payload | Launch vehicle | Launch date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intelsat I Intelsat I Intelsat I was the first communications satellite to be placed in geosynchronous orbit, on April 6, 1965... (Early Bird) |
Hughes | Delta 30 | 6 April 1965 | Retired | ||
| Intelsat II F-1* | Hughes | Delta 42 | 26 October 1966** | Failed to achieve geosynchronous orbit due to short burn of apogee engine | ||
| Intelsat II F-2 | Hughes | Delta 44 | 11 January 1967 | Retired | ||
| Intelsat II F-3 | Hughes | Delta 47 | 23 March 1967 | Retired | ||
| Intelsat II F-4 | Hughes | Delta 52 | 27 September 1967 | Retired | ||
| Intelsat III F-1 | TRW | Delta 59 | 18 September 1968 | Launch Failure | ||
| Intelsat III F-2 | TRW | Delta 63 | 18 December 1968 | Retired | ||
| Intelsat III F-3 | TRW | Delta 66 | 5 February 1969 | Retired | ||
| Intelsat III F-4 | TRW | Delta 68 | 21 May 1969 | Retired | ||
| Intelsat III F-5 | TRW | Delta 71 | 25 July 1969 | Launch Failure | ||
| Intelsat III F-6 | TRW | Delta 75 | 14 January 1970 | Retired | ||
| Intelsat III F-7 | TRW | Delta 78 | 22 April 1970 | Retired | ||
| Intelsat III F-8 | TRW | Delta 79 | 23 July 1970 ** | De-orbited? | ||
| Intelsat IV F-1 | Hughes | Atlas-Centaur Atlas-Centaur The Atlas-Centaur was an American expendable launch system designed and built by General Dynamics Convair Division in San Diego, CA. It was derived from the SM-65 Atlas missile. It was a member of the Atlas family of rockets, and was used for 61 orbital launches between 1962 and 1983. It was... 35 |
22 May 1975 | Retired | ||
| Intelsat IV F-2 | Hughes | Atlas-Centaur Atlas-Centaur The Atlas-Centaur was an American expendable launch system designed and built by General Dynamics Convair Division in San Diego, CA. It was derived from the SM-65 Atlas missile. It was a member of the Atlas family of rockets, and was used for 61 orbital launches between 1962 and 1983. It was... 25 |
25 January 1971 | Retired | ||
| Intelsat IV F-3 | Hughes | Atlas-Centaur Atlas-Centaur The Atlas-Centaur was an American expendable launch system designed and built by General Dynamics Convair Division in San Diego, CA. It was derived from the SM-65 Atlas missile. It was a member of the Atlas family of rockets, and was used for 61 orbital launches between 1962 and 1983. It was... 26 |
19 December 1971 | Retired | ||
| Intelsat IV F-4 | Hughes | Atlas-Centaur Atlas-Centaur The Atlas-Centaur was an American expendable launch system designed and built by General Dynamics Convair Division in San Diego, CA. It was derived from the SM-65 Atlas missile. It was a member of the Atlas family of rockets, and was used for 61 orbital launches between 1962 and 1983. It was... 28 |
22 January 1972 | Retired | ||
| Intelsat IV F-5 | Hughes | Atlas-Centaur Atlas-Centaur The Atlas-Centaur was an American expendable launch system designed and built by General Dynamics Convair Division in San Diego, CA. It was derived from the SM-65 Atlas missile. It was a member of the Atlas family of rockets, and was used for 61 orbital launches between 1962 and 1983. It was... 29 |
13 June 1972 | Retired | ||
| Intelsat IV F-6 | Hughes | Atlas-Centaur Atlas-Centaur The Atlas-Centaur was an American expendable launch system designed and built by General Dynamics Convair Division in San Diego, CA. It was derived from the SM-65 Atlas missile. It was a member of the Atlas family of rockets, and was used for 61 orbital launches between 1962 and 1983. It was... 33 |
20 February 1974 | Launch Failure | ||
| Intelsat IV F-7 | Hughes | Atlas-Centaur Atlas-Centaur The Atlas-Centaur was an American expendable launch system designed and built by General Dynamics Convair Division in San Diego, CA. It was derived from the SM-65 Atlas missile. It was a member of the Atlas family of rockets, and was used for 61 orbital launches between 1962 and 1983. It was... 31 |
23 August 1972 | Retired | ||
| Intelsat IV F-8 | Hughes | Atlas-Centaur Atlas-Centaur The Atlas-Centaur was an American expendable launch system designed and built by General Dynamics Convair Division in San Diego, CA. It was derived from the SM-65 Atlas missile. It was a member of the Atlas family of rockets, and was used for 61 orbital launches between 1962 and 1983. It was... 32 |
21 November 1974 | Retired | ||
| Intelsat IV-A F-1 | Hughes | Atlas-Centaur Atlas-Centaur The Atlas-Centaur was an American expendable launch system designed and built by General Dynamics Convair Division in San Diego, CA. It was derived from the SM-65 Atlas missile. It was a member of the Atlas family of rockets, and was used for 61 orbital launches between 1962 and 1983. It was... 36 |
25 September 1975 | Retired | ||
| Intelsat IV-A F-2 | Hughes | Atlas-Centaur Atlas-Centaur The Atlas-Centaur was an American expendable launch system designed and built by General Dynamics Convair Division in San Diego, CA. It was derived from the SM-65 Atlas missile. It was a member of the Atlas family of rockets, and was used for 61 orbital launches between 1962 and 1983. It was... 37 |
29 January 1976 | Retired | ||
| Intelsat IV-A F-3 | Hughes | Atlas-Centaur Atlas-Centaur The Atlas-Centaur was an American expendable launch system designed and built by General Dynamics Convair Division in San Diego, CA. It was derived from the SM-65 Atlas missile. It was a member of the Atlas family of rockets, and was used for 61 orbital launches between 1962 and 1983. It was... 46 |
6 January 1978 | Retired | ||
| Intelsat IV-A F-4 | Hughes | Atlas-Centaur Atlas-Centaur The Atlas-Centaur was an American expendable launch system designed and built by General Dynamics Convair Division in San Diego, CA. It was derived from the SM-65 Atlas missile. It was a member of the Atlas family of rockets, and was used for 61 orbital launches between 1962 and 1983. It was... 36 |
26 May 1977 | Retired | ||
| Intelsat IV-A F-5 | Hughes | Atlas-Centaur Atlas-Centaur The Atlas-Centaur was an American expendable launch system designed and built by General Dynamics Convair Division in San Diego, CA. It was derived from the SM-65 Atlas missile. It was a member of the Atlas family of rockets, and was used for 61 orbital launches between 1962 and 1983. It was... 43 |
29 September 1977 | Launch Failure | ||
| Intelsat IV-A F-6 | Hughes | Atlas-Centaur Atlas-Centaur The Atlas-Centaur was an American expendable launch system designed and built by General Dynamics Convair Division in San Diego, CA. It was derived from the SM-65 Atlas missile. It was a member of the Atlas family of rockets, and was used for 61 orbital launches between 1962 and 1983. It was... 48 |
31 March 1978 | Retired | ||
| Intelsat V -501 | Ford Aerospace | Atlas-Centaur Atlas-Centaur The Atlas-Centaur was an American expendable launch system designed and built by General Dynamics Convair Division in San Diego, CA. It was derived from the SM-65 Atlas missile. It was a member of the Atlas family of rockets, and was used for 61 orbital launches between 1962 and 1983. It was... 56 |
23 May 1981 | Retired | ||
| Intelsat V -502 | Ford Aerospace | Atlas-Centaur Atlas-Centaur The Atlas-Centaur was an American expendable launch system designed and built by General Dynamics Convair Division in San Diego, CA. It was derived from the SM-65 Atlas missile. It was a member of the Atlas family of rockets, and was used for 61 orbital launches between 1962 and 1983. It was... 54 |
6 December 1980 | Retired | ||
| Intelsat V -503 | Ford Aerospace | Atlas-Centaur Atlas-Centaur The Atlas-Centaur was an American expendable launch system designed and built by General Dynamics Convair Division in San Diego, CA. It was derived from the SM-65 Atlas missile. It was a member of the Atlas family of rockets, and was used for 61 orbital launches between 1962 and 1983. It was... 55 |
15 December 1981 | Retired | ||
| Intelsat V -504 | Ford Aerospace | Atlas-Centaur Atlas-Centaur The Atlas-Centaur was an American expendable launch system designed and built by General Dynamics Convair Division in San Diego, CA. It was derived from the SM-65 Atlas missile. It was a member of the Atlas family of rockets, and was used for 61 orbital launches between 1962 and 1983. It was... 58 |
4 March 1982 | Retired | ||
| Intelsat V -505 | Ford Aerospace | Atlas-Centaur Atlas-Centaur The Atlas-Centaur was an American expendable launch system designed and built by General Dynamics Convair Division in San Diego, CA. It was derived from the SM-65 Atlas missile. It was a member of the Atlas family of rockets, and was used for 61 orbital launches between 1962 and 1983. It was... 60 |
28 September 1982 | Retired | ||
| Intelsat V -506 | Ford Aerospace | Atlas-Centaur Atlas-Centaur The Atlas-Centaur was an American expendable launch system designed and built by General Dynamics Convair Division in San Diego, CA. It was derived from the SM-65 Atlas missile. It was a member of the Atlas family of rockets, and was used for 61 orbital launches between 1962 and 1983. It was... 61 |
19 May 1983 | Retired | ||
| Intelsat V -507 | Ford Aerospace | Ariane 1 Ariane 1 Ariane 1 is the first version of the Ariane launcher family. Ariane 1 was designed primarily to put two telecommunications satellites at a time into orbit, thus reducing costs. As the size of the satellites grew Ariane 1 gave way to the more powerful Ariane 2 and Ariane 3 launchers.- Vehicle... V7 |
18 October 1983 | Retired | ||
| Intelsat V -508 | Ford Aerospace | Ariane 1 Ariane 1 Ariane 1 is the first version of the Ariane launcher family. Ariane 1 was designed primarily to put two telecommunications satellites at a time into orbit, thus reducing costs. As the size of the satellites grew Ariane 1 gave way to the more powerful Ariane 2 and Ariane 3 launchers.- Vehicle... V8 |
4 March 1984 | Retired | ||
| Intelsat V -509 | Ford Aerospace | Atlas G Atlas G The Atlas G, also known as Atlas G Centaur-D1AR was an American expendable launch system derived from the Atlas-Centaur. It was a member of the Atlas family of rockets, and was used to launch seven communication satellites during the mid to late 1980s... |
9 June 1984 | Launch Failure | ||
| Intelsat V -510 | Ford Aerospace | Atlas G Atlas G The Atlas G, also known as Atlas G Centaur-D1AR was an American expendable launch system derived from the Atlas-Centaur. It was a member of the Atlas family of rockets, and was used to launch seven communication satellites during the mid to late 1980s... |
22 March 1985 | Retired | ||
| Intelsat V -511 | Ford Aerospace | Atlas G Atlas G The Atlas G, also known as Atlas G Centaur-D1AR was an American expendable launch system derived from the Atlas-Centaur. It was a member of the Atlas family of rockets, and was used to launch seven communication satellites during the mid to late 1980s... |
29 June 1985 | Retired | ||
| Intelsat V -512 | Ford Aerospace | Atlas G Atlas G The Atlas G, also known as Atlas G Centaur-D1AR was an American expendable launch system derived from the Atlas-Centaur. It was a member of the Atlas family of rockets, and was used to launch seven communication satellites during the mid to late 1980s... |
28 September 1985 | Retired | ||
| Intelsat V -513 | Ford Aerospace | Ariane 2 Ariane 2 Ariane 2 was a European expendable carrier rocket, which was used for six launches between 1986 and 1989. It was a member of the Ariane family of rockets, and was produced by Aérospatiale in France.... V23 |
17 May 1988 | Retired | ||
| Intelsat V -514 | Ford Aerospace | Ariane 2 Ariane 2 Ariane 2 was a European expendable carrier rocket, which was used for six launches between 1986 and 1989. It was a member of the Ariane family of rockets, and was produced by Aérospatiale in France.... V18 |
30 May 1986 | Launch Failure | ||
| Intelsat V -515 | Ford Aerospace | Ariane 2 Ariane 2 Ariane 2 was a European expendable carrier rocket, which was used for six launches between 1986 and 1989. It was a member of the Ariane family of rockets, and was produced by Aérospatiale in France.... V28 |
26 January 1989 | Retired | ||
| Intelsat VI Intelsat VI The Intelsat VI series of satellites were the 8th generation of geostationary communications satellites for the Intelsat Corporation. Designed and built by Hughes Aircraft Company in 1983-1991, there were five VI-series satellites built 601, 602, 603, 604, and 605.- Design :The Intelsat VI... -601 |
Hughes | Ariane 4 Ariane 4 Ariane 4 was an expendable launch system, designed by the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales and manufactured and marketed by its subsidiary Arianespace. Ariane 4 was justly known as the ‘workhorse’ of the Ariane family. Since its first flight on 15 June 1988 until the last, on 15 February 2003, it... 4L V47 |
29 October 1991 | Retired | ||
| Intelsat VI -602 | Hughes | Ariane 4 Ariane 4 Ariane 4 was an expendable launch system, designed by the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales and manufactured and marketed by its subsidiary Arianespace. Ariane 4 was justly known as the ‘workhorse’ of the Ariane family. Since its first flight on 15 June 1988 until the last, on 15 February 2003, it... 4L V34 |
27 October 1989 | Retired | ||
| Intelsat VI -603 Intelsat VI The Intelsat VI series of satellites were the 8th generation of geostationary communications satellites for the Intelsat Corporation. Designed and built by Hughes Aircraft Company in 1983-1991, there were five VI-series satellites built 601, 602, 603, 604, and 605.- Design :The Intelsat VI... |
Hughes | Commercial Titan III Commercial Titan III The Commercial Titan III, also known as CT-3 or CT-III was an American expendable launch system, developed by Martin Marietta during the late 1980s and flown four times during the early 1990s. It was derived from the Titan 34D, and was originally proposed as a medium-lift expendable launch system... |
14 March 1990** | Spacecraft successfully re-boosted during STS-49 STS-49 -Mission parameters:*Mass:**Orbiter landing with payload: **Payload: *Perigee: *Apogee: *Inclination: 28.35°*Period: 90.6 min-Space walks:* Thuot and Hieb – EVA 1*EVA 1 Start: 10 May 1992 – 20:40 UTC... Mission, 7 May 1992 |
||
| Intelsat VI -604 | Hughes | Commercial Titan III Commercial Titan III The Commercial Titan III, also known as CT-3 or CT-III was an American expendable launch system, developed by Martin Marietta during the late 1980s and flown four times during the early 1990s. It was derived from the Titan 34D, and was originally proposed as a medium-lift expendable launch system... |
23 June 1990 | Retired | ||
| Intelsat VI -605 | Hughes | Ariane 4 Ariane 4 Ariane 4 was an expendable launch system, designed by the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales and manufactured and marketed by its subsidiary Arianespace. Ariane 4 was justly known as the ‘workhorse’ of the Ariane family. Since its first flight on 15 June 1988 until the last, on 15 February 2003, it... V45 |
14 August 1991 | Retired | ||
| Intelsat K | GE | Atlas II Atlas II Atlas II was a member of the Atlas family of launch vehicles, which evolved from the successful Atlas missile program of the 1950s. Atlas II was the last Atlas to use a three engine, "stage-and-a-half" design: two of its three engines were jettisoned during ascent, but its fuel tanks and other... A (AC-105) |
9 June 1992 | Retired | ||
| Intelsat VII-702 | Space Systems Loral | Ariane 4 Ariane 4 Ariane 4 was an expendable launch system, designed by the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales and manufactured and marketed by its subsidiary Arianespace. Ariane 4 was justly known as the ‘workhorse’ of the Ariane family. Since its first flight on 15 June 1988 until the last, on 15 February 2003, it... 4LP V64 |
17 June 1994 | |||
| Intelsat VII-703 | Space Systems Loral | Atlas II Atlas II Atlas II was a member of the Atlas family of launch vehicles, which evolved from the successful Atlas missile program of the 1950s. Atlas II was the last Atlas to use a three engine, "stage-and-a-half" design: two of its three engines were jettisoned during ascent, but its fuel tanks and other... A (AC-111) |
6 October 1994 | |||
| Intelsat VII-704 | Space Systems Loral | Atlas II Atlas II Atlas II was a member of the Atlas family of launch vehicles, which evolved from the successful Atlas missile program of the 1950s. Atlas II was the last Atlas to use a three engine, "stage-and-a-half" design: two of its three engines were jettisoned during ascent, but its fuel tanks and other... A (AC-113) |
10 January 1995 | Retired | ||
| Intelsat VII-706 | Space Systems Loral | Ariane 4 Ariane 4 Ariane 4 was an expendable launch system, designed by the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales and manufactured and marketed by its subsidiary Arianespace. Ariane 4 was justly known as the ‘workhorse’ of the Ariane family. Since its first flight on 15 June 1988 until the last, on 15 February 2003, it... 4LP V73 |
17 May 1995 | ? | ||
| Intelsat VII-708 Intelsat 708 Intelsat 708 was a telecommunications satellite built by the American company Space Systems/Loral intended to be launched into a geostationary orbit and operated by Intelsat... |
Space Systems Loral | Long March 3B Long March 3B The Long March 3B , also known as the Chang Zheng 3B, CZ-3B and LM-3B, is a Chinese orbital carrier rocket. Introduced in 1996, it is launched from Launch Area 2 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre... |
15 February 1996 | Launch Vehicle Failure | ||
NOTE: * "F" denotes "flight" version. Initial satellites at Intelsat were designed and manufactured as identical copies, where the flight number, for example Flight-2 (F-2) was used to differentiate individual satellites of the series.
** Titan upper stage failed to release.
Active
| Name | Manufacturer | Satellite type | Payload | Orbital location | Launch vehicle | Launch date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intelsat 701 | Space Systems Loral | 180.0°E | Ariane 4 Ariane 4 Ariane 4 was an expendable launch system, designed by the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales and manufactured and marketed by its subsidiary Arianespace. Ariane 4 was justly known as the ‘workhorse’ of the Ariane family. Since its first flight on 15 June 1988 until the last, on 15 February 2003, it... 4LP V60 |
22 October 1993 | ||
| Intelsat 705 | Space Systems Loral | 50.0°W | Atlas II Atlas II Atlas II was a member of the Atlas family of launch vehicles, which evolved from the successful Atlas missile program of the 1950s. Atlas II was the last Atlas to use a three engine, "stage-and-a-half" design: two of its three engines were jettisoned during ascent, but its fuel tanks and other... A (AC-115) |
22 March 1995 | ||
| Intelsat 707 | Space Systems Loral | 53.0°W | Ariane 4 Ariane 4 Ariane 4 was an expendable launch system, designed by the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales and manufactured and marketed by its subsidiary Arianespace. Ariane 4 was justly known as the ‘workhorse’ of the Ariane family. Since its first flight on 15 June 1988 until the last, on 15 February 2003, it... 4LP V84 |
14 March 1996 | ||
| Intelsat 709 | Space Systems Loral | 85.2°E | Ariane 4 Ariane 4 Ariane 4 was an expendable launch system, designed by the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales and manufactured and marketed by its subsidiary Arianespace. Ariane 4 was justly known as the ‘workhorse’ of the Ariane family. Since its first flight on 15 June 1988 until the last, on 15 February 2003, it... 4P V87 |
15 June 1996 | ||
| Intelsat 801 | Lockheed Martin | LM-3000 | 31.5°W | Ariane 4 Ariane 4 Ariane 4 was an expendable launch system, designed by the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales and manufactured and marketed by its subsidiary Arianespace. Ariane 4 was justly known as the ‘workhorse’ of the Ariane family. Since its first flight on 15 June 1988 until the last, on 15 February 2003, it... 4P V94 |
28 February 1997 | |
| Intelsat 802 | Lockheed Martin | LM-3000 | 32.9°E | Ariane 4 Ariane 4 Ariane 4 was an expendable launch system, designed by the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales and manufactured and marketed by its subsidiary Arianespace. Ariane 4 was justly known as the ‘workhorse’ of the Ariane family. Since its first flight on 15 June 1988 until the last, on 15 February 2003, it... V96 |
25 June 1997 | |
| Intelsat 803 | Lockheed Martin | LM-3000 | Ariane 4 Ariane 4 Ariane 4 was an expendable launch system, designed by the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales and manufactured and marketed by its subsidiary Arianespace. Ariane 4 was justly known as the ‘workhorse’ of the Ariane family. Since its first flight on 15 June 1988 until the last, on 15 February 2003, it... V100 |
23 September 1997 | ||
| Intelsat 804 | Lockheed Martin | LM-3000 | Ariane 4 Ariane 4 Ariane 4 was an expendable launch system, designed by the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales and manufactured and marketed by its subsidiary Arianespace. Ariane 4 was justly known as the ‘workhorse’ of the Ariane family. Since its first flight on 15 June 1988 until the last, on 15 February 2003, it... V104 |
21 December 1997 | ||
| Intelsat 805 | Lockheed Martin | LM-3000 | 55.5°W | Atlas II Atlas II Atlas II was a member of the Atlas family of launch vehicles, which evolved from the successful Atlas missile program of the 1950s. Atlas II was the last Atlas to use a three engine, "stage-and-a-half" design: two of its three engines were jettisoned during ascent, but its fuel tanks and other... A (AC-153) |
18 June 1998 | |
| Intelsat 806 | Lockheed Martin | LM-3000 | Atlas II Atlas II Atlas II was a member of the Atlas family of launch vehicles, which evolved from the successful Atlas missile program of the 1950s. Atlas II was the last Atlas to use a three engine, "stage-and-a-half" design: two of its three engines were jettisoned during ascent, but its fuel tanks and other... A (AC-151 |
27 February 1998 | ||
| Intelsat 901 | Space Systems Loral | FS-1300 | 18.0°W | Ariane 4 Ariane 4 Ariane 4 was an expendable launch system, designed by the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales and manufactured and marketed by its subsidiary Arianespace. Ariane 4 was justly known as the ‘workhorse’ of the Ariane family. Since its first flight on 15 June 1988 until the last, on 15 February 2003, it... 4L-3 V141 |
9 June 2001 | |
| Intelsat 902 | Space Systems Loral | FS-1300 | 62.0°E | Ariane 4 Ariane 4 Ariane 4 was an expendable launch system, designed by the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales and manufactured and marketed by its subsidiary Arianespace. Ariane 4 was justly known as the ‘workhorse’ of the Ariane family. Since its first flight on 15 June 1988 until the last, on 15 February 2003, it... 4L-3 V143 |
29 August 2001 | |
| Intelsat 903 | Space Systems Loral | FS-1300 | 34.5°W | Proton-K Proton-K The Proton-K, also designated Proton 8K82K after its GRAU index, 8K82K, is a Russian, previously Soviet, carrier rocket derived from the earlier Proton. It was built by Khrunichev, and is launched from sites 81 and 200 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan... /Block DM-3 #28L |
30 March 2002 | |
| Intelsat 904 | Space Systems Loral | FS-1300 | 60.0°E | Ariane 4 Ariane 4 Ariane 4 was an expendable launch system, designed by the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales and manufactured and marketed by its subsidiary Arianespace. Ariane 4 was justly known as the ‘workhorse’ of the Ariane family. Since its first flight on 15 June 1988 until the last, on 15 February 2003, it... 4L V148 |
23 February 2002 | |
| Intelsat 905 | Space Systems Loral | FS-1300 | 24.5°W | Ariane 4 Ariane 4 Ariane 4 was an expendable launch system, designed by the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales and manufactured and marketed by its subsidiary Arianespace. Ariane 4 was justly known as the ‘workhorse’ of the Ariane family. Since its first flight on 15 June 1988 until the last, on 15 February 2003, it... 4L V152 |
6 June 2002 | |
| Intelsat 906 | Space Systems Loral | FS-1300 | 64.2°E | Ariane 4 Ariane 4 Ariane 4 was an expendable launch system, designed by the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales and manufactured and marketed by its subsidiary Arianespace. Ariane 4 was justly known as the ‘workhorse’ of the Ariane family. Since its first flight on 15 June 1988 until the last, on 15 February 2003, it... 4L V154 |
6 September 2002 | |
| Intelsat 907 | Space Systems Loral | FS-1300 | 27.5°W | Ariane 4 Ariane 4 Ariane 4 was an expendable launch system, designed by the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales and manufactured and marketed by its subsidiary Arianespace. Ariane 4 was justly known as the ‘workhorse’ of the Ariane family. Since its first flight on 15 June 1988 until the last, on 15 February 2003, it... 4L V159 |
15 February 2003 | |
| Intelsat 10-02 | Astrium | Eurostar E3000 Eurostar (spacecraft) Eurostar is the brand name for a satellite bus made by Astrium which has been used for a series of spacecraft providing telecommunications services in geosynchronous orbit . More than 60 Eurostar satellites have been ordered to date, of which 45 have been successfully launched since October 1990... |
1.0°W | Proton-M Proton-M The Proton-M, GRAU index 8K82M or 8K82KM, is a Russian carrier rocket derived from the Soviet-developed Proton. It is built by Khrunichev, and launched from sites 81 and 200 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Commercial launches are marketed by International Launch Services , and generally... /Briz-M Briz-M The Briz-M , is a Russian orbit insertion upper stage manufactured by Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center and used on the Proton-M rocket.- Characteristics :... |
16 June 2004 | |
| Galaxy 28 (Intelsat Americas-8) | Space Systems Loral | FS-1300 | 89.0°W | Sea Launch Sea Launch Sea Launch is a spacecraft launch service that uses a mobile sea platform for equatorial launches of commercial payloads on specialized Zenit 3SL rockets... Zenit-3SL Zenit-3SL The Zenit-3SL is an expendable carrier rocket operated by Sea Launch. First flown in 1999, it has been launched 30 times, with two failures and one partial failure. It is a member of the Zenit family of rockets, and is built by the Yuzhnoye Design Bureau. RKK Energia produces the Block DM-SL upper... |
23 June 2005 | |
| Galaxy 16 (PanAmSat 16) | Space Systems Loral | FS-1300 | 99.0°W | Sea Launch Sea Launch Sea Launch is a spacecraft launch service that uses a mobile sea platform for equatorial launches of commercial payloads on specialized Zenit 3SL rockets... Zenit-3SL Zenit-3SL The Zenit-3SL is an expendable carrier rocket operated by Sea Launch. First flown in 1999, it has been launched 30 times, with two failures and one partial failure. It is a member of the Zenit family of rockets, and is built by the Yuzhnoye Design Bureau. RKK Energia produces the Block DM-SL upper... |
18 June 2006 | |
| Galaxy 17 | Alcatel | FS-1300 | 91.0°W | Ariane 5 Ariane 5 Ariane 5 is, as a part of Ariane rocket family, an expendable launch system used to deliver payloads into geostationary transfer orbit or low Earth orbit . Ariane 5 rockets are manufactured under the authority of the European Space Agency and the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales... -ECA V176 |
5 May 2007 | |
| Galaxy 25 Galaxy 25 Galaxy 25 launched in 1997, formerly known as Intelsat Americas 5 until February 15, 2007 when it was renamed as result of the merger between owner Intelsat and PanAmSat or Telstar 5) is a medium-powered communications satellite formerly in a geostationary orbit at , above a point in the Pacific... |
93.5°W | Proton-K Proton-K The Proton-K, also designated Proton 8K82K after its GRAU index, 8K82K, is a Russian, previously Soviet, carrier rocket derived from the earlier Proton. It was built by Khrunichev, and is launched from sites 81 and 200 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan... /Block DM-4 |
24 May 1997 | |||
| Intelsat-11 | Orbital Sciences | Star-2 | 43.1°W | Ariane 5 Ariane 5 Ariane 5 is, as a part of Ariane rocket family, an expendable launch system used to deliver payloads into geostationary transfer orbit or low Earth orbit . Ariane 5 rockets are manufactured under the authority of the European Space Agency and the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales... GS V178 |
5 October 2007 | |
| Horizons-2 | Orbital Sciences | Star-2 | 74.0°W | Ariane 5 Ariane 5 Ariane 5 is, as a part of Ariane rocket family, an expendable launch system used to deliver payloads into geostationary transfer orbit or low Earth orbit . Ariane 5 rockets are manufactured under the authority of the European Space Agency and the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales... GS V180 |
21 December 2007 | |
| Galaxy 18 Galaxy 18 Galaxy 18 is a Space Systems/Loral 1300-series hybrid communications satellite owned by Intelsat and located in geosynchronous orbit at 123° W longitude, serving the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico, and Canada with 24 C-band, and 24 Ku band transponders... (PanAmSat Galaxy 18) |
Space Systems Loral | FS-1300 | 123.0°W | Sea Launch Sea Launch Sea Launch is a spacecraft launch service that uses a mobile sea platform for equatorial launches of commercial payloads on specialized Zenit 3SL rockets... Zenit-3SL Zenit-3SL The Zenit-3SL is an expendable carrier rocket operated by Sea Launch. First flown in 1999, it has been launched 30 times, with two failures and one partial failure. It is a member of the Zenit family of rockets, and is built by the Yuzhnoye Design Bureau. RKK Energia produces the Block DM-SL upper... |
21 May 2008 | |
| Galaxy 19 (Intelsat Americas 9) | Space Systems Loral | FS-1300 | 97.0°W | Sea Launch Sea Launch Sea Launch is a spacecraft launch service that uses a mobile sea platform for equatorial launches of commercial payloads on specialized Zenit 3SL rockets... Zenit-3SL Zenit-3SL The Zenit-3SL is an expendable carrier rocket operated by Sea Launch. First flown in 1999, it has been launched 30 times, with two failures and one partial failure. It is a member of the Zenit family of rockets, and is built by the Yuzhnoye Design Bureau. RKK Energia produces the Block DM-SL upper... |
24 September 2008 | |
| Intelsat 14 | Space Systems Loral | FS-1300 | 315° EL | Atlas V 431 Atlas An atlas is a collection of maps; it is typically a map of Earth or a region of Earth, but there are atlases of the other planets in the Solar System. Atlases have traditionally been bound into book form, but today many atlases are in multimedia formats... |
24 November 2009 | |
| Intelsat 15 | Orbital Sciences Corp | Star 2 | 85° EL | Land Launch Land Launch Land Launch, a subsidiary of Sea Launch, conducts commercial launches of Zenit rockets from Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 45. It operates two-stage Zenit-2SLB and three stage Zenit-3SLB rockets.... Zenit-3SL Zenit-3SL The Zenit-3SL is an expendable carrier rocket operated by Sea Launch. First flown in 1999, it has been launched 30 times, with two failures and one partial failure. It is a member of the Zenit family of rockets, and is built by the Yuzhnoye Design Bureau. RKK Energia produces the Block DM-SL upper... |
30 November 2009 | |
| Intelsat 16 Intelsat 16 Intelsat 16 is a communications satellite owned by Intelsat planned to be located at 58°W.L.. It was built by Orbital Sciences Corporation, on a Star-2 Bus. Intelsat 16 was formerly known as PAS-11R. It was launched on February 12, 2010 by ILS Proton-M launch vehicle.... |
Orbital Sciences Corp | Star-2 | 58 West | Proton | 12 February 2010 | |
| Intelsat 17 | Space Systems Loral | FS-1300 | 66 East | Ariane 5 Ariane 5 Ariane 5 is, as a part of Ariane rocket family, an expendable launch system used to deliver payloads into geostationary transfer orbit or low Earth orbit . Ariane 5 rockets are manufactured under the authority of the European Space Agency and the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales... ECA V198 |
26 November 2010 | |
| Intelsat New Dawn | Orbital Sciences Corporation (OSC) | Star-2.4 Bus | 32.8°E | Ariane 5 Ariane 5 Ariane 5 is, as a part of Ariane rocket family, an expendable launch system used to deliver payloads into geostationary transfer orbit or low Earth orbit . Ariane 5 rockets are manufactured under the authority of the European Space Agency and the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales... |
22 April 2011 | |
| Intelsat 18 | Orbital Sciences Corporation (OSC) | Star-2.4 Bus | 180 East | Zenit-3SLB Zenit-3SLB The Zenit-3SLB or Zenit-3M is a Ukrainian expendable carrier rocket derived from the Zenit-2SLB. It is a member of the Zenit family of rockets, which were designed by the Yuzhnoye Design Bureau... |
05 October 2011 | |
Satellites under construction
As of June 2009, Intelsat has announced several upcoming satellite launches.| Name | Satellite type | Orbital location | Launch date | Launch vehicle | Payload |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intelsat 19 Intelsat 19 Intelsat 19 is a geostationary communications satellite which will be operated by Intelsat. It is being constructed by Space Systems Loral, based on the LS-1300 satellite bus. It is scheduled for launch in 2012, and will replace the Intelsat 8 satellite at 166º East Longitude.Intelsat 19 will carry... |
SS/L-1300Space Systems/Loral (SS/L) | 166 East | launch in 2012 | Zenit-3SL | unprecedented capacity to provide services for broadband, video and voice applications |
| Intelsat 20 Intelsat 20 Intelsat 20 is a geostationary communications satellite which is to be operated by Intelsat. It is currently being constructed by Space Systems Loral, and is based on the LS-1300 satellite bus... |
SS/L-1300Space Systems/Loral (SS/L) | 68.5 East | launch in 2012 | Ariane-5ECA | 28 C-band transponders, 46 Ku-band transponders |
| Intelsat 21 Intelsat 21 Intelsat 21 is a new satellite under construction by Boeing Space Systems for the Intelsat Corp. It is scheduled for launch in third quarter of 2012, and will replace the Intelsat 9 satellite at 58º West Longitude.... |
Boeing Satellite Systems (BSS-702MP) | 58 West | launch in 2012 | Proton-M Briz-M | 40 C and 40 Ku |
| Intelsat 22 Intelsat 22 Intelsat 22 is a new satellite under construction by Boeing Space Systems for the Intelsat Corp. The satellite is planned to be located at 72 degrees East Longitude over the Indian Ocean.... |
Boeing Satellite Systems (BSS-702MP) | 72 East | 1Q 2012 | Zenit-3SL | 48 C and 24 Ku and 18 UHF |
| Intelsat 23 | Orbital (Star-2 Bus 2.4) | 53 West | 2011 | Proton-M Briz-M | 24 C and 15 Ku |
In-space refueling demonstration project
, Intelsat has agreed to purchase one-half of the 2000 kilograms (4,409.2 lb) propellant payload that an MDA Corporation spacecraft satellite-servicingPropellant depot
An orbital propellant depot is a cache of propellant that is placed on an orbit about the Earth or another body to allow spacecraft to be fuelled in space. Launching a spacecraft separately from some of its propellant enables missions with more massive payloads...
demonstration project would take to geostationary orbit
Geostationary orbit
A geostationary orbit is a geosynchronous orbit directly above the Earth's equator , with a period equal to the Earth's rotational period and an orbital eccentricity of approximately zero. An object in a geostationary orbit appears motionless, at a fixed position in the sky, to ground observers...
. Catching up
Orbital maneuver
In spaceflight, an orbital maneuver is the use of propulsion systems to change the orbit of a spacecraft.For spacecraft far from Earth—for example those in orbits around the Sun—an orbital maneuver is called a deep-space maneuver .-delta-v:...
in orbit with four or five Intelsat communication satellites, a fuel load of 200 kilograms (440.9 lb) of fuel delivered to each satellite would add somewhere between two and four years of additional service life.
A near-end-of-life Intelsat satellite will be moved to a graveyard orbit 200 to 300 km (124.3 to 186.4 mi) above the geostationary belt where the refueling will be done, "without consequence" to the Intelsat business.
, the business model was still evolving. MDA "could ask customers to pay per kilogram of fuel successfully added to [each] satellite, with the per-kilogram price being a function of the additional revenue the operator can expect to generate from the spacecraft’s extended operational life."
The plan is that the fuel-depot
Propellant depot
An orbital propellant depot is a cache of propellant that is placed on an orbit about the Earth or another body to allow spacecraft to be fuelled in space. Launching a spacecraft separately from some of its propellant enables missions with more massive payloads...
vehicle would maneuver to several satellites, dock at the target satellite’s apogee-kick motor
Apogee kick motor
An apogee kick motor refers to a rocket motor that is regularly employed on artificial satellites destined for a geostationary orbit. As the vast majority of geostationary satellite launches are carried out from spaceports at a significant distance away from Earth's equator, the carrier rocket...
, remove a small part of the target spacecraft’s thermal protection blanket, connect to a fuel-pressure line and deliver the propellant. "MDA officials estimate the docking maneuver would take the communications satellite out of service for about 20 minutes."
See also
- EutelsatEutelsatEutelsat S.A. is a French-based satellite provider. Providing coverage over the entire European continent, as well as the Middle East, Africa, India and significant parts of Asia and the Americas, it is one of the world's three leading satellite operators in terms of revenues.Eutelsat’s satellites...
- InmarsatInmarsatInmarsat plc is a British satellite telecommunications company, offering global, mobile services. It provides telephony and data services to users worldwide, via portable or mobile terminals which communicate to ground stations through eleven geostationary telecommunications satellites...
- IntersputnikIntersputnikThe Intersputnik International Organization of Space Communications commonly known as Intersputnik is an international satellite communications services organization founded on November 15, 1971, in Moscow by the Soviet Union along with a group of eight formerly socialist states...
- Intelsat AmericasIntelsat AmericasIntelsat Americas, was the re-designation given to the several Telstar satellites serving North America following their sale to Intelsat by Loral Space & Communications in 2003...
- SES S.A.
- COMSATCOMSATThe Communications Satellite Corporation is a global telecommunications company, based in the USA, and with branches in Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, Venezuela and several other countries in the Americas. It is present also in Turkey...
- Intelsat 708Intelsat 708Intelsat 708 was a telecommunications satellite built by the American company Space Systems/Loral intended to be launched into a geostationary orbit and operated by Intelsat...
External links
- Intelsat, Ltd.
- Market Developments in the Global Satellite Services Industry and the Implementation of the ORBIT Act GAO-05-550T April 14, 2005