Intelsat and Azercosmos Announce Successful Launch of Intelsat 38 and Azerspace-2
Luxembourg, 25 September 2018 – Intelsat S.A. (NYSE: I), operator of the world’s first Globalized Network and leader in integrated satellite communications, and Azercosmos, the national satellite operator of Azerbaijan, announced the successful launch of the Intelsat 38 and Azerspace-2 satellite aboard an Ariane 5 launch vehicle from the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana. Liftoff occurred at 6:38 pm EDT. The Intelsat 38 and Azerspace-2 satellite separated from the rocket’s upper stage at 7:21 pm EDT. Signal acquisition has been confirmed.
Intelsat 38 is a Ku-band satellite to be placed at the 45ºE orbital location. It will replace Intelsat 12 and host Direct-to-Home (DTH) platforms for Central and Eastern Europe as well as the Asia-Pacific region. Intelsat 38 will also provide connectivity for corporate networks and government applications in Africa. Intelsat 38 was built by SSL, a Maxar Technologies Ltd. company (formerly MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd.) (NYSE and TSX: MAXR).
“Today’s successful launch is a great example of the power and value derived from collaborating with other satellite operators,” said Stephen Spengler, chief executive officer, Intelsat. “Intelsat’s partnership with Azercosmos reflects a mutually beneficial collaboration that optimizes capital investments, leverages spectrum rights and facilitates refreshed and expanded capacity for customer growth. Intelsat 38’s leading DTH platform will provide media customers with an opportunity to further expand their business as well as deliver enhanced services and differentiated content to viewers across Central and Eastern Europe and the Asia Pacific regions. It will also provide fast, resilient and redundant broadband connectivity to enterprise and government customers looking to expand their services in Africa.”
Azerspace-2 will help Azercosmos meet the growing demand for direct-to-home (DTH) television, government, and network services in Europe, Central and South Asia, the Middle East and Sub-Saharan Africa. The satellite will also provide high power Ku-band connectivity to the African continent from 45 degrees East. Azerspace-2 is ideally designed for smaller antennas and will deliver cross connectivity between East Africa, West Africa and Central Africa, Europe and Central Asia.
“Azerpsace-2 is Azercosmos’ second telecommunications satellite and will further expand the service
currently available from Azerspace-1,” said Rashad Nabiyev, chairman and chief Executive officer of Azercosmos. “The satellite will also enable us to provide more reliable service by serving as back-up for Azerspace-1 located at 46 degrees East, which is only one degree away from Azerspace-2. We are pleased to have collaborated with leaders of the global satellite industry throughout the implementation of this project.”
Intelsat 38 and Azercosmos-2 are expected to enter into service in the first quarter of 2019.
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About Intelsat
Intelsat S.A. (NYSE: I) operates the world’s first Globalized Network, delivering high-quality, cost-effective video and broadband services anywhere in the world. Intelsat’s Globalized Network combines the world’s largest satellite backbone with terrestrial infrastructure, managed services and an open, interoperable architecture to enable customers to drive revenue and reach through a new generation of network services. Thousands of organizations serving billions of people worldwide rely on Intelsat to provide ubiquitous broadband connectivity, multi-format video broadcasting, secure satellite communications and seamless mobility services. The end result is an entirely new world, one that allows us to envision the impossible, connect without boundaries and transform the ways in which we live. For more information, visit www.intelsat.com.
About Azercosmos
Azercosmos is the premier satellite operator in the South Caucasus. Azerspace-1, the telecommunication satellite operated by Azercosmos, provides highly-reliable broadband and broadcast solutions to its customers in Europe, Africa, Middle East, the Caucasus, and Central Asia. The satellite, to operate in orbit for at least 15 years, was launched in February 2013 and is equipped with 36 transponders: 24 in C-band and 12 in Ku-band at 46° East longitude. In December 2014, Azercosmos took over the rights to operate and commercialize Azersky, high resolution (1.5m imagery products) optical Earth observation satellite, and entered into the commercial business of Earth observation services, including Geo-Information services. Strategic development plans of the company include enhancing the coverage area and spectrum of services. For this, the company launched the second telecommunications satellite Azerspace-2 at 45° East longitude in 2018. For more information, visit: www.azercosmos.com.
Intelsat Safe Harbor Statement
Statements in this news release constitute “forward-looking statements” that do not directly or exclusively relate to historical facts. When used in this release, the words “may,” “will,” “might,” “should,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “project,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “intend,” “potential,” “outlook,” and “continue,” and the negative of these terms, and other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements and information.
The forward-looking statements reflect Intelsat’s intentions, plans, expectations, anticipations, projections, estimations, predictions, outlook, assumptions and beliefs about future events and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside of Intelsat’s control. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the expectations expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements include known and unknown risks. Known risks include, among others, the risks described in Intelsat’s annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2017, its quarterly report on Form 6-K for the quarter ended June 30, 2018 and its other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Because actual results could differ materially from Intelsat’s intentions, plans, expectations, anticipations, projections, estimations, predictions, outlook, assumptions and beliefs about the future, you are urged to view all forward-looking statements with caution. Intelsat does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Contact for Azercosmos:
Aysel Soltanova
Corporate Communications Director
[email protected]
+994 12 565-00-55
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