...with COM DEV-built equipment onboard. As announced earlier this week by Intelsat S.A. and International Launch Services (ILS), an ILS Proton M vehicle successfully launched the Intelsat 22 satellite from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Liftoff occurred on March 26th at 8:10 a.m. EDT (18:10 in Baikonur). After a 15 hour and 30 minute mission, at 11:40 p.m. EDT, the Breeze M successfully released the Intelsat 22 satellite, weighing 6199 kg, into supersynchronous transfer orbit (SSTO) at a 65,000 km apogee.
Built by Boeing Space & Intelligence Systems, the satellite will provide C- and Ku-band capacity for media, government and network services customers in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. In addition, Intelsat 22 will host a specialized UHF communications payload for the Australian Defence Force (ADF). Once operational in May, it will replace Intelsat 709 at 72 degrees East and is expected to have a useful life of approximately 18 years.
Two COM DEV divisions played a role on Intelsat 22. COM DEV International Products designed and built the multiplexer assemblies and switches which form the heart of the primary communications payload on the satellite. COM DEV USA provided key equipment for the hosted payload portion of the spacecraft.