VA228 Decollage toucan le 27/01/2016
Intelsat 29e, the first of the new Epic high throughput satellites, has been successfully launched from French Guiana aboard an Ariane 5 vehicle.
Liftoff went ahead at 18:20 ET. The Intelsat 29e satellite separated from the rocket’s upper stage 38 minutes after launch, at 18:58, and signal acquisition has been confirmed.
Manufactured by Boeing and equipped with the most advanced digital payload on a commercial spacecraft, Intelsat 29e will bring high throughput capacity in both C- and Ku-band to North and Latin America and the North Atlantic region. Intelsat 29e will be placed into service at 310 degrees East and replaces Intelsat 1R.
Intelsat 29e is the first satellite of Intelsat’s next generation, all digital Epic satellite platform, which combines wide beams and spot beams with frequency reuse technology and the sector’s most advanced digital payload.
“Today’s launch represents a truly ‘epic’ moment in communication’s history, as we begin a new era of high throughput satellite services for our customers,” stated Stephen Spengler, Chief Executive Officer, Intelsat.
“This is a testament to the innovation and creativity of the Intelsat team who envisioned the Intelsat Epic platform nearly four years ago. Through design expertise and a deep understanding of our customers’ requirements, the Intelsat Epic platform will deliver high performance, improved economics and simplified access that will expand the addressable market for our solutions.”
Intelsat expects to launch the second Intelsat Epic satellite, Intelsat 33e, serving Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, in the third quarter of 2016, also aboard an Arianespace launcher.
