Sea Launch today successfully delivered the Galaxy 18 communications satellite to orbit from its ocean-based platform on the Equator, marking its third successful launch in 2008.
The satellite will be used for Fixed Satellite Services (FSS) providing advanced cable television, data and telecommunications services to customers throughout North America, Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico and Puerto Rico. Weighing approximately 4,650 kilograms at launch, Galaxy 18 has a hybrid communications payload with a total of 48 operating transponders, 24 high-power Ku-band and 24 C-band.
The Galaxy 18 satellite is on its way to a final orbital position at 123 degrees West Longitude. It is joining five other Galaxy spacecraft with key roles in the North American cable arc, which deliver some of the most popular programming to millions of American homes.
“Congratulations to Intelsat on today’s successful mission,” said Rob Peckham, president and general manager of Sea Launch. “This is our sixth successful launch for Intelsat.”
The spacecraft will replace Galaxy 10R, a satellite that was stricken by problems with its xenon ion propulsion system in 2004. The eight-year-old craft was originally designed for a lifetime of 15 years, but the propulsion failure forced its owners to order a replacement earlier than planned. PanAmSat signed the Galaxy 18 construction contract with Space Systems/Loral in 2005, a year before PanAmSat merged with Intelsat.
This will be the third launch since Sea Launch returned to flight in January – following the failed launch which occurred with the NSS-8 for SES New Skies, after the vehicle exploded on the launch pad, destroying both the vehicle and satellite.
AMC-14, the wayward SES Americom satellite that was launched March 14th on a Proton launch vehicle from Russia, was declared a total loss. The satellite was ejected into the wrong orbit and the companies have been looking into efforts to salvage it.
In other news, Wired’s Danger Room has a video clip of the documentary/reenactment/promotional video, about the satellite shoot-down this winter.
I don’t see why the U.S. government shouldn’t have taken advantage of the situation to intercept and destroy Boeing’s billion dollar brick.
It’s just that the federal government’s “cover story” about the danger of hydrazine gas made NASA boss Michael Griffin look like a sycophant. Maybe he’s headed for a cushy job at Lockheed or Boeing. Couldn’t be soon enough.
Related Space and Satellite articles on Dailywireless include ICO Deploys 40 Foot Antenna, AMC-14: Not Dead Yet, Dish Network Testing DVB-SH, ICO G-1 In Space, Vietnam Launches Its First Satellite, AMC-14: Killed by Lawyers?, HughesNet’s Spaceway 3 Now Available, Intelsat & Panamsat to Merge, Global Satellite Providers Now Three, Eutelsat HotBird 8, U.S. Antisatellite Weapon to be Tested, Satellite Shootdown Fallout and To Mars…and Beyond.
