Satellite telecoms company Intelsat has selected SpaceX as its launch partner for Intelsat 40e (IS-40e)
The launch is planned for 2022 on SpaceX’s American-built Falcon 9 launch vehicle.
Intelsat Chief Services Officer Mike DeMarco said, “We look forward to working with SpaceX to launch Intelsat 40e in 2022.
“IS-40e will join the Intelsat Epic high-throughput satellite fleet and integrated IntelsatOne ground network to provide our customers with the managed hybrid-connectivity they need in today’s ever-changing world.”
SpaceX Vice-President of Commercial Sales Tom Ochinero said, “We are honoured Intelsat, one of the world’s premier satellite operators, has selected a flight-proven Falcon 9 to deliver its next geostationary communications satellite to orbit.”
Intelsat 40e is an advanced geostationary satellite that will provide Intelsat’s government and enterprise customers across North and Central America with high-throughput, “coast-to-coast” services. The satellite’s capabilities will support the growing number of customers that depend on Intelsat’s managed services and solutions to easily integrate satellite into their overall networking and communications strategies.
Intelsat has announced in February that Maxar Technologies will manufacture IS-40e.
This is the second launch for Intelsat and SpaceX. In 2017, SpaceX launched Intelsat 35e, a satellite currently providing high-throughput coverage for Intelsat customers in portions of North and South America, Europe and Africa.
