[SatNews] Space Systems/Loral (SSL) has been selected to provide a communications satellite to Intelsat S.A (NYSE:  I)—Intelsat 36 is designed to provide media and content distribution services in Africa and South Asia.

The satellite design is based on the highly reliable SSL 1300 satellite platform that provides the flexibility for a broad range of applications and technology advances and is scheduled for launch in 2016.  With Intelsat 36, SSL will have a total of four Intelsat spacecraft under construction in its manufacturing facility. The satellite will be located over the Indian Ocean to provide both Ku- and C-band services, with MultiChoice, Africa’s leading payTV provider, using the Ku-band payload. The C-band payload will provide video services to other customers who distribute content to South Asian cable communities.

“Intelsat and SSL have a history of four decades of working together,” said John Celli, president of SSL. “There is no better endorsement of our capabilities than repeat business from a long term customer. We would like to thank Intelsat for its ongoing trust and confidence in SSL and we look forward to working closely together on the Intelsat 36 program.”
 
“With one of our fastest growing DTH customers looking for additional satellite bandwidth to expand their subscriber services, the IS-36 satellite is very important to our media business in Africa,” said Thierry Guillemin, EVP and Chief Technical Officer of Intelsat. “SSL’s strong track record of working with Intelsat makes us confident that they will meet the exacting requirements necessary to help our customers further expand their business.”

Information regarding SSL's 1300 platform is available at: http://www.sslmda.com/html/products/1300.html