Boeing

The Odyssey Launch Platform and the Sea Launch Commander have embarked on their transit to the Equator for the launch of the Galaxy XIII/Horizons-1 satellite for PanAmSat Corporation and JSAT Corporation. Liftoff is scheduled for September 30, during a 39-minute launch window that opens at 9:03 pm PDT (4:03:00 GMT, October 1).

The Sea Launch vessels are sailing from Sea Launch Home Port, in the Port of Long Beach, Calif., to the launch site on the Equator at 154° West Longitude. Upon arrival, the launch team will initiate a 72-hour countdown, ballasting the Launch Platform to launch depth and performing final tests on the rocket and spacecraft. The three-stage Zenit-3SL rocket will lift the 4090 kg (9,081 lb) Galaxy XIII/Horizons-1 satellite to geosynchronous transfer orbit. This is the third mission Sea Launch is executing for PanAmSat, having previously launched PAS-9 in July 2000 and Galaxy IIIC in June 2002.

The Boeing-built 601 HP spacecraft is designed to offer a variety of digital video, Internet and data services to North America, Central America, Alaska and Hawaii. The spacecraft's Ku-band payload, designated Horizons-1, supports the Horizons joint venture of PanAmSat and JSAT. This venture provides expanded Ku-band services in North America and extended services to Japan and Asia via a Hawaii-based relay station. The C-band portion is known as Galaxy XIII and will be operated separately as part of PanAmSat's Galaxy cable neighborhood, which serves the U.S. cable industry.