SSL selected to provide satellite to Intelsat
July 23, 2013
Space Systems/Loral has been selected
to provide a communications satellite to Intelsat S.A.
"Our four decade history with Intelsat
goes back to some of the earliest commercial satellites ever
built," said
John Celli, president of
SSL. "Over the years we have developed a highly effective
process of working together and an excellent spirit of
collaboration. I would like to thank Intelsat for its
continued confidence in SSL as a responsive supplier that makes
a commitment with every contract to provide the best possible
quality and value."
Intelsat 34 will serve the role
originally intended for Intelsat 27. This includes providing
capacity to meet the growing needs of Latin American media
customers, as well as broadband for aeronautical companies
serving the busy North Atlantic routes.
Scheduled for launch in 2015, Intelsat
34 will replace Intelsat 805 and Galaxy 11 at 304.5 degrees East
longitude. Intelsat 34 is designed to deliver service for
15 years or longer.
"SSL has delivered to Intelsat some of
the world's most reliable and advanced satellites, enabling our
customers to expand their businesses and reach new frontiers,"
said
Thierry Guillemin, EVP and
CTO of Intelsat. "This 50th spacecraft is an
important milestone for Intelsat and SSL, and we look forward to
another successful program."
Intelsat 34 is based on the SSL 1300
space-proven platform, which has the flexibility to support a
broad range of applications and technology advances, including
electric propulsion. SSL's heritage electric propulsion
system, the SPT-100, significantly reduces the propellant mass
needed to operate a satellite. This enables more payload
mass to be launched on the same size launch vehicle or reduced
launch mass, which allows for lower price launch solutions.
SSL first used electric propulsion on
a geostationary communications satellite in 2004. Intelsat 34
will be the 24th satellite constructed by SSL that
includes electric propulsion. With more than 25,000 hours
of on orbit operation, all SPT-100 subsystems launched are
operating nominally.
