Intelsat S.A., the world’s leading provider of satellite services, announced today that a Sea Launch Zenit 3SL launch vehicle successfully launched the Intelsat 19 satellite from a mobile launch platform in the Pacific Ocean. Liftoff occurred at 1:23 a.m. EDT. Sixty minutes after launch, at 2:23 a.m. EDT, the Intelsat 19 satellite separated from the rocket’s upper stage and continued its ascent toward geosynchronous orbit.
Built by Space Systems/Loral, Intelsat 19 will provide C- and Ku-band capacity for media, government and network services customers in the western United States and the Asia-Pacific region, hosting video neighborhoods with global programmers such as Discovery, Turner and Disney. It also carries three specially designed Ku-band mobility beams that will provide maritime and aeronautical users with always-on broadband connectivity throughout the northern and southwestern Pacific Ocean.
Once operational in July, Intelsat 19 will replace Intelsat 8 at 166* East and is expected to have a useful life of more than 18 years.
“Intelsat 19 will host a prime video neighborhood, with C-band capacity providing enhanced performance for distribution of international video content throughout the Asia-Pacific region and increased Ku-band capacity optimized for DTH,” said Intelsat CEO Dave McGlade. “Additionally, this satellite is a critical element of what will be the world’s first single operator global broadband mobility network when it is completed in early 2013.”
Intelsat plans to launch three more satellites this year – Intelsat 20, Intelsat 21 and Intelsat 23 – all of which are scheduled for launch in the third quarter.
About Intelsat
Intelsat is the leading provider of satellite services worldwide. For over 45 years, Intelsat has been delivering information and entertainment for many of the world’s leading media and network companies, multinational corporations, Internet Service Providers and governmental agencies. Intelsat’s satellite, teleport and fiber infrastructure is unmatched in the industry, setting the standard for transmissions of video, data and voice services. From the globalization of content and the proliferation of HD, to the expansion of cellular networks and broadband access, with Intelsat, advanced communications anywhere in the world are closer, by far.
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