LUXEMBOURG--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sep. 25, 2018--
Intelsat S.A. (NYSE: I), operator of the world’s first Globalized
Network and leader in integrated satellite communications, and
Azercosmos, the national satellite operator of Azerbaijan, announced the
successful launch of the Intelsat 38 and Azerspace-2 satellite aboard an
Ariane 5 launch vehicle from the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French
Guiana. Liftoff occurred at 6:38 pm EDT. The Intelsat 38 and Azerspace-2
satellite separated from the rocket’s upper stage at 7:21 pm EDT. Signal
acquisition has been confirmed.
Intelsat 38 is a Ku-band satellite to be placed at the 45ºE orbital
location. It will replace Intelsat 12 and host Direct-to-Home (DTH)
platforms for Central and Eastern Europe as well as the Asia-Pacific
region. Intelsat 38 will also provide connectivity for corporate
networks and government applications in Africa. Intelsat 38 was built by
SSL, a Maxar Technologies Ltd. company (formerly MacDonald, Dettwiler
and Associates Ltd.) (NYSE and TSX: MAXR).
“Today’s successful launch is a great example of the power and value
derived from collaborating with other satellite operators,” said Stephen
Spengler, chief executive officer, Intelsat. “Intelsat’s partnership
with Azercosmos reflects a mutually beneficial collaboration that
optimizes capital investments, leverages spectrum rights and facilitates
refreshed and expanded capacity for customer growth. Intelsat 38’s
leading DTH platform will provide media customers with an opportunity to
further expand their business as well as deliver enhanced services and
differentiated content to viewers across Central and Eastern Europe and
the Asia Pacific regions. It will also provide fast, resilient and
redundant broadband connectivity to enterprise and government customers
looking to expand their services in Africa.”
Azerspace-2 will help Azercosmos meet the growing demand for
direct-to-home (DTH) television, government, and network services in
Europe, Central and South Asia, the Middle East and Sub-Saharan Africa.
The satellite will also provide high power Ku-band connectivity to the
African continent from 45 degrees East. Azerspace-2 is ideally designed
for smaller antennas and will deliver cross connectivity between East
Africa, West Africa and Central Africa, Europe and Central Asia.
“Azerpsace-2 is Azercosmos’ second telecommunications satellite and will
further expand the service currently available from Azerspace-1,” said
Rashad Nabiyev, chairman and chief Executive officer of Azercosmos. “The
satellite will also enable us to provide more reliable service by
serving as back-up for Azerspace-1 located at 46 degrees East, which is
only one degree away from Azerspace-2. We are pleased to have
collaborated with leaders of the global satellite industry throughout
the implementation of this project.”
Intelsat 38 and Azercosmos-2 are expected to enter into service in the
first quarter of 2019.
Supporting Resources
About Intelsat
Intelsat S.A. (NYSE: I) operates the world’s first Globalized Network,
delivering high-quality, cost-effective video and broadband services
anywhere in the world. Intelsat’s Globalized Network combines the
world’s largest satellite backbone with terrestrial infrastructure,
managed services and an open, interoperable architecture to enable
customers to drive revenue and reach through a new generation of network
services. Thousands of organizations serving billions of people
worldwide rely on Intelsat to provide ubiquitous broadband connectivity,
multi-format video broadcasting, secure satellite communications and
seamless mobility services. The end result is an entirely new world, one
that allows us to envision the impossible, connect without boundaries
and transform the ways in which we live. For more information, visit www.intelsat.com.
About Azercosmos
Azercosmos is the premier satellite operator in the South Caucasus.
Azerspace-1, the telecommunication satellite operated by Azercosmos,
provides highly-reliable broadband and broadcast solutions to its
customers in Europe, Africa, Middle East, the Caucasus, and Central
Asia. The satellite, to operate in orbit for at least 15 years, was
launched in February 2013 and is equipped with 36 transponders: 24 in
C-band and 12 in Ku-band at 46° East longitude. In December 2014,
Azercosmos took over the rights to operate and commercialize Azersky,
high resolution (1.5m imagery products) optical Earth observation
satellite, and entered into the commercial business of Earth observation
services, including Geo-Information services. Strategic development
plans of the company include enhancing the coverage area and spectrum of
services. For this, the company launched the second telecommunications
satellite Azerspace-2 at 45° East longitude in 2018. For more
information, visit: www.azercosmos.com.
Intelsat Safe Harbor Statement:
Statements in this news release constitute “forward-looking statements”
that do not directly or exclusively relate to historical facts. When
used in this release, the words “may,” “will,” “might,” “should,”
“expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “project,” “believe,” “estimate,”
“predict,” “intend,” “potential,” “outlook,” and “continue,” and the
negative of these terms, and other similar expressions are intended to
identify forward-looking statements and information.
The forward-looking statements reflect Intelsat’s intentions, plans,
expectations, anticipations, projections, estimations, predictions,
outlook, assumptions and beliefs about future events and are subject to
risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside of
Intelsat’s control. Important factors that could cause actual results to
differ materially from the expectations expressed or implied in the
forward-looking statements include known and unknown risks. Known risks
include, among others, the risks described in Intelsat’s annual report
on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2017, its quarterly report
on Form 6-K for the quarter ended June 30, 2018 and its other filings
with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Because actual results could differ materially from Intelsat’s
intentions, plans, expectations, anticipations, projections,
estimations, predictions, outlook, assumptions and beliefs about the
future, you are urged to view all forward-looking statements with
caution. Intelsat does not undertake any obligation to update or revise
any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information,
future events or otherwise.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180925006265/en/
Source: Intelsat
Intelsat:
Michele Loguidice
Director, Corporate
Communications
michele.loguidice@intelsat.com
+1-703-559-7372
or
Azercosmos:
Aysel
Soltanova
Corporate Communications Director
aysel.soltanova@azercosmos.az
+994
12 565-00-55