Space Systems/Loral (SSL), which is a leading provider of commercial satellites, is selected to provide a communications satellite to Azercosmos, the national satellite operator of Azerbaijan. Under the strategic agreement with Intelsat (NYSE: I), the world’s leading provider of satellite services, the satellite will be located at the 45 degrees east orbital location where it will provide service in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East.
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151020/278730)
“SSL has a long history of partnering with satellite operators,” said John Celli, President of SSL. “We look forward to supporting Azercosmos in its collaborative project with Intelsat by building the spacecraft that will help both Azercosmos and Intelsat meet their growth objectives.”
Azerspace-2 will be Azercosmos’ second telecommunications satellite, and will expand on the current capacity of Azerspace-1. It will support growing demand for DTH, government, and network services in Europe, Central and South Asia, the Middle East and Sub-Saharan Africa.
For Intelsat, the satellite will provide continuity of service for the Intelsat 12 satellite currently stationed at 45 degrees East, an orbital location which hosts DTH platforms for Central and Eastern Europe as well as the Asia-Pacific region. Intelsat 38 will also provide connectivity for corporate networks and government applications in Africa. Intelsat 12 was also built by SSL and launched in 2000.
“This new satellite will provide Azercosmos with additional capacity for the increasing demand in the region, and will allow us to continue to bring the best service to our customers,” stated Rashad Nabiyev, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Azercosmos. “We are pleased to collaborate with two world leaders in the satellite industry.”
“Intelsat 38 is an example of the collaboration taking place across the satellite industry today,” said Thierry Guillemin, EVP and Chief Technical Officer of Intelsat. “Our partnership with Azercosmos and SSL will enable us to meet the content distribution demands of viewers in Central Europe and Asia and provide corporate networks in Africa with the broadband connectivity they need to build and expand their businesses.”
The satellite Azerspace-2/Intelsat 38, will be designed and built by SSL, a U.S. company based in Palo Alto, California, and owned by MDA. As part of the agreement, MDA, a global communications and information company headquartered in Canada, will provide knowledge transfer cooperation related to radar Earth observation directly to Azercosmos.The satellite design is based on the highly reliable SSL 1300 satellite platform that provides the flexibility for a broad range of applications and technology advances. It is scheduled for launch in 2017.
About Azercosmos
Azercosmos is the premier satellite operator in the Caucasus. Azerspace-1, the telecommunication satellite operated by Azercosmos, provides highly-reliable broadband and broadcast solutions to its customers in Europe, Africa, Middle East, the Caucasus, and Central Asia. The satellite, to operate in orbit for at least 15 years, was launched in February 2013 and is equipped with 36 transponders: 24 in C-band and 12 in Ku-band at 46° East longitude. In December 2014, Azercosmos took over the rights to operate and commercialize Azersky, high resolution (1.5m imagery products) optical Earth observation satellite, and entered into the commercial business of Earth observation services, including Geo-Information services. Strategic development plans of the company include enhancing the coverage area and spectrum of services by launching the second telecommunications satellite Azerspace-2 at 45° East longitude in 2017 and a very high resolution optical Earth observation satellite in upcoming years. For more information, visit: www.azercosmos.az.
About Intelsat
Intelsat S.A. (NYSE: I) is the world’s leading provider of satellite services, delivering high performance connectivity solutions for media, fixed and mobile broadband infrastructure, enterprise and government and military applications. Intelsat’s satellite, teleport and fiber infrastructure is unmatched in the industry, setting the standard for transmissions of video and broadband services. From the globalization of content and the proliferation of HD, to the expansion of cellular networks and mobile broadband access, with Intelsat, envision your future network, connect using our leading satellite technology and transform your opportunities. Envision…Connect…Transform…with Intelsat. For more information, visit www.intelsat.com.
About SSL
Space Systems/Loral (SSL), a subsidiary of MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. (MDA), is a leading provider of commercial satellites with broad expertise to support satellite operators and innovative space related missions. The company designs and manufactures spacecraft for services such as direct-to-home television, video content distribution, broadband Internet, mobile communications, and Earth observation. As a Silicon Valley innovator for more than 50 years, SSL’s advanced product line also includes state-of-the-art small satellites, and sophisticated robotics and automation solutions for remote operations. For more information, visit www.sslmda.com.
