Boeing Launch Services Announces Contract with Intelsat for Sea Launch Mission
Boeing Launch Services, Inc. (BLS), a wholly owned subsidiary of The Boeing Company [NYSE:BA], today announced an agreement with Intelsat LLC, for a launch on a Sea Launch rocket in 2003.
"This is a significant win for Boeing Launch Services and it is the first we've announced since forming the new organization. Signing with an industry leader like Intelsat validates our customer focused approach and further elevates Sea Launch's position in the global marketplace," said Will Trafton, president of BLS. "It also represents confidence in Sea Launch's growing record of reliability and accuracy, as well as the system's evolving performance capability to 6,000 kg."
The contract, signed Dec. 12, 2001, calls for a Sea Launch Zenit-3SL rocket to place a powerful Intelsat X spacecraft, weighing up to 5700 kg (12,540 lb.), into geosynchronous transfer orbit. Designed and built by Astrium, Europe's leading space company, the satellite will be positioned over the Atlantic Ocean with both C-band and Ku-band transponders to provide a variety of communication services. The power of this payload is in the order of 8 kW and uses the latest high power version of Astrium's Eurostar series, the E3000, to provide operators with the large number of transponders they require.
"We're delighted that Intelsat has selected Sea Launch for this important mission," said Jim Maser, president of Sea Launch. "Our mission managers and launch team are prepared to meet all the needs of our highly experienced customer. We look forward to working with the Intelsat and Astrium teams and building a lasting relationship with both."
Through capacity on 21 satellites, Intelsat offers wholesale Internet, broadcast, telephony and corporate network solutions to leading service providers in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. Intelsat offers a wide range of global satellite communications services with superior quality and reliability.
The Sea Launch Company, LLC, is the world's leading reliable heavy-lift launch services provider for commercial satellite customers. From an ocean-based launch site on the equator, Sea Launch offers the most direct and cost-effective route to geostationary orbit. The Sea Launch Zenit-3SL rocket can lift a heavier spacecraft mass or place a payload into a higher perigee, helping satellite operators attain a longer satellite service capability.
Boeing Launch Services, Inc., is the commercial marketing and sales organization for Sea Launch and Boeing Delta launch services. Established in 2001, BLS has a world-class team that represents a family of vehicles that meet every payload lift requirement, from 1,000 kg-13,000 kg to geosynchronous transfer orbit.
Boeing Space and Communications (S&C), headquartered in Seal Beach, Calif., is the world's largest space and communications company. A unit of The Boeing Company, S&C provides integrated solutions in launch services, human space flight and exploration, missile defense, and information and communications. It is NASA's largest contractor; a leading provider of space-based communications; the primary systems integrator for U.S. missile defense; and a leading provider of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. The global enterprise has customers worldwide and manufacturing operations throughout the United States and Australia.
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