Intelsat Buying Four More Epic Satellites from Boeing

摘要

Satellite fleet operator Intelsat is purchasing four more Epic high-throughput satellites from Boeing in a surprising announcement that positions Boeing as Intelsat's preferred satellite supplier, Boeing and Intelsat announced May 9. El Segundo, Calif-based Boeing Satellite Systems, which inaugurated its second-generation 702 satellite line with a four-satellite order from Intelsat in 2009, is already building the first Epic satellite, the Intelsat 29e, which will be launched in 2015. The four new satellites, all using the Boeing 702MP satellite bus, will be launched on average once per year starting in 2016 and will be replacing existing spacecraft in Intelsat's 50-satellite fleet, Intelsat said. Intelsat Chief Executive David McGlade said in a May 9 conference call with investors that the contract gives Intelsat access to "exclusive Boeing technology" that will be used as part of Intelsat's Epic design. Intelsat has described Epic as applying technologies normally associated with Ka-band consumer broadband high-throughput satellites to the C- and Ku-bands.