Last Friday, Intelsat reported “a delay in deploying one of the two solar arrays on the Intelsat 19 satellite.” Intelsat 19 was launched earlier Friday by Sea Launch.
An Intelsat release said that, “Intelsat and Space Systems/Loral, the manufacturer of the satellite, are investigating the cause and are pursuing corrective actions. The spacecraft is secure at this time in geostationary transfer orbit.”
Aviation Week reported Tuesday SS/L Reviewing Other 1300 Satellites After Intelsat 19 Issue. The article said, “Engineers at Space Systems/Loral (SS/L) are evaluating whether a solar array deployment problem on the Intelsat 19 satellite launched June 1 will affect other satellites 'under construction.'”
Space Systems/Loral had no news or additional information about the solar array deployment problem on its Website.
“Intelsat 19 will host a prime video neighborhood, with C-band capacity providing enhanced performance for distribution of international video content throughout the Asia-Pacific region and increased Ku-band capacity optimized for DTH,” said Dave McGlade, Intelsat CEO. “Additionally, this satellite is a critical element of what will be the world’s first single operator global broadband mobility network when it is completed in early 2013.”
Intelsat 19 includes three Ku-band beams for the mobility network to provide maritime and aeronautical users with broadband connectivity over the northern and southwest Pacific Ocean.
Neither Intelsat nor Space Systems/Loral indicated what the impact of the delayed solar panel deployment would have on the planned operation of Intelsat 19.
