Spacecraft to Begin Several Weeks of In-Orbit Testing Prior to Commencement of Commercial Service
Mr.
Orbital designed, built and tested the IS-15 spacecraft at the company’s
satellite manufacturing facility in
The IS-15 satellite is one of nine Orbital spacecraft ordered by
-
Galaxy 12 and 14, currently in
orbit providing C-band digital video programming, high-definition
television (HDTV) and other fixed satellite services to the
Continental United States,
Alaska andHawaii . - Galaxy 15, currently in orbit providing services similar to Galaxy 12 and 14 with an additional L-band payload to relay Global Positioning Systems (GPS) navigation data to in-flight aircraft.
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Intelsat 11, a hybrid satellite currently in orbit with a C-band payload serving the continentalUnited States ,Mexico andSouth America , and a Ku-band payload serving DirecTV’s downlink forBrazil , with additional spot coverage. -
Horizons-2, currently in orbit
for a joint venture between
Intelsat andSKY Perfect JSAT ofJapan , to meet the growing demand for Ku-band communications inNorth America . -
Intelsat 16, a high-power Ku-band satellite to provide direct-to-home TV services to Latin andSouth America . The satellite is nearing completion and is schedule to be shipped to the launch site in approximately one month. -
Intelsat 18, a hybrid C- and Ku-band satellite now in production to provide services toEast Asia , the Pacific,French Polynesia andthe United States scheduled for delivery in 2010. -
New Dawn, a hybrid C- and
Ku-band satellite now in production to provide services to
Europe ,Middle East ,North Africa and Sub-Saharan regions scheduled for delivery in 2010.
Orbital’s highly successful geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO) communications satellites are based on the company’s STARTM spacecraft platform, which is able to accommodate all types of commercial communications payloads and is compatible will all major commercial launchers. The company’s STAR product line includes the STAR 2.4 design, which is optimized for smaller satellite missions, generating up to 5.0 kW of payload power. Orbital has also developed the higher-power STAR 2.7 spacecraft design, delivering the next increment of payload power for applications between 5.0 and 7.5 kW, allowing Orbital to offer its innovative and reliable satellite design to the medium-class of communications satellites.
About
About Orbital
Orbital develops and manufactures small- and medium-class rockets and space systems for commercial, military and civil government customers. The company’s primary products are satellites and launch vehicles, including low-Earth orbit, geosynchronous-Earth orbit and planetary spacecraft for communications, remote sensing, scientific and defense missions; human-rated space systems for Earth-orbit, lunar and other missions; ground- and air-launched rockets that deliver satellites into orbit; and missile defense systems that are used as interceptor and target vehicles. Orbital also provides satellite subsystems and space-related technical services to government agencies and laboratories. More information about Orbital can be found at http://www.orbital.com
Note to Editors: A high-resolution image of the IS-15 satellite is available on Orbital’s web site at: http://www.orbital.com/NewsInfo/ImagesMultimedia/Images/SatelliteSpaceSystems
Source:
Orbital
Barron Beneski, 703-406-5528
Public and
Investor Relations
beneski.barron@orbital.com