Intelsat 17 is a powerful, state-of-the-art, C- and Ku-band spacecraft for Fixed Satellite Services (FSS). It is scheduled to be available for launch in 2010 and will be located at 66 degrees East, where it will replace Intelsat 704. Based on the SS/L 1300 satellite platform, which provides the flexibility for a broad range of applications, Intelsat 17 is designed to provide service for 15 years or more. Intelsat 17 combines heritage, space-proven building blocks, and some of the world’s most advanced technologies.
“Intelsat 17 was delivered to launch base nearly two months ahead of the contract delivery date,” said John Celli, president of Space Systems/Loral. “We always strive to help customers achieve their business objectives, and in this case, an early launch date was highly desirable. This is the 45th satellite that we have delivered to Intelsat, and our long-term, collaborative relationship helps both our companies maximize efficiencies and ensure the highest quality.”
Intelsat 17 will be positioned at 66 degrees E, effectively next to Intelsat’s successful Asian video distribution neighborhood located at 68.5 degrees E, on the Intelsat 10 satellite, which has been serving customers since 2001. Intelsat 17’s C- and Ku-band capacity and multi-continental coverage will offer programmers distribution in a region that extends across Asia and into Europe and Africa. It will replace Intelsat 702, which was also built by Space Systems/Loral and was launched in June 1994.