Space Systems/Loral (SS/L), a subsidiary of Loral Space & Communications and a provider of commercial satellites, announced that it has been selected to provide a satellite for Telesat, one of the world’s leading fixed satellite services operators. The new satellite, called Telstar 14R, will replace Telesat’s Telstar 14/Estrela do Sul, utilizing SS/L’s 1300 bus to deliver high-powered Ku-band services to growing markets throughout the Americas and over the Atlantic Ocean.
“Telstar 14R is the fifth satellite that we will add to our backlog this year, and it demonstrates the versatility of our satellite platform,” said John Celli, President and Chief Operating Officer of Space Systems/Loral. “The satellite’s five beams and reconfigurable transponder capacity will enable Telesat to address growing demand for broadband and video services in the Americas, and to match satellite capacity to market need.”
Space Systems/Loral designed Telstar 14R with five antenna beams that have high-power transponders with substantial on-orbit switching capability. The satellite will provide additional capacity and improved capabilities in its coverage areas, which include: Brazil, the Continental United States (including the Gulf of Mexico and northern Caribbean), the Southern Cone of South America, the Andean region (including Central America and southern Caribbean), and the North and Mid-Atlantic Ocean.
The new Ku-band satellite will replace Telstar 14 at its 63 degrees West orbital location and will have 46 active transponders, of which 27 will be fixed and 19 will be switchable. Telstar 14R is based on the SS/L 1300 platform, which has a long history of reliability and the flexibility for a broad range of applications. Scheduled for launch in the second half of 2011, the satellite is designed to provide service for 15 years or more.