Intelsat IS-11

Spacecraft nº:

Comm. spacecraft nº:

Launch data: Designation  32253 / 07044B Launch date  05 Oct 2007 - 22:02 UT Launch site  Ko, ELA3 Launch vehicle  Ariane 5GS (V-178) Mission  Comsat Geostationary orbit: Perigee / Apogee  35778 x 35797 km Inclination  0.06° Period  1436.14 min

Credit: OSC

Description:

• Intelsat 11, or Intelsat IS-11 or PAS-11, is a 2,450-kg communications satellite that carries 25 C-band and 18 Ku-band transponders to provide direct-to-home (DTH) voice and video transmissions in Latin America. It will be phased-in to eventually replace Intelsat's 6B and 3R satellites.

Mission details:

• Intelsat IS-11 and Optus D2 were launched by Ariane 5GS vehicle L526, on Oct 5. Both are Orbital Star-2 communications satellites; IS-11 provides Atlantic region C and Ku-band comms for Intelsat, and Optus D2 is a Ku-band satellite for Australia/New Zealand region TV, internet, telecom and data.
• At 2328 UTC, the EPS third stage of Ariane 5GS vehicle L526 reignited in the first in-orbit restart test of an Aestus engine. The test, which followed successful deployment of the Intelsat IS-11 and Optus D-2 satellites, sets ESA up for the launch of the Jules Verne ATV cargo ship in 2008. The burn lowered the orbit slightly from 590 x 35790 km to 358 x 33480 km.
• By Oct 12 both had reached geosynchronous altitude.

Astrophilately covers:

Launch cancel Kourou.

Headquarter cancel Paris.