Intelsat has said that the south solar array on Intelsat 19 has deployed and the satellite was successfully transferred to geostationary orbit. All of the satellite’s communications antennas are now in their operational positions, and the communications payload is being tested.
Both C- and Ku-band capacity on the satellite will be made available to customers. It is estimated that the maneuverable life of the satellite will be approximately 15 years. Data received from the satellite indicate that the south solar array is damaged, and that the power available to the satellite will be reduced. In-orbit testing is expected to be completed by mid-July.
Intelsat 19 is the planned replacement for Intelsat 8 at 166 degrees East, which serves customers in the north and southwest Pacific region. The satellite and launch are insured, and no customer services were affected.
