Intelsat Galaxy-37/Horizon-4 Satellite encapsulated at SpaceX for launch in August 2023 (photo courtesy of SpaceX)
Intelsat Galaxy-37/Horizon-4 Satellite encapsulated at SpaceX for launch in March 2023.
The Galaxy-37 (Horizons-4) at 127° West spacecraft was orbited on SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The satellite was launched in the early hours on August 3rd, 2023 and marks a milestone for satellite operator Intelsat, that launched their eighth GEO satellite over a period of 10 months.
SpaceX launched the mission on a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 1:00 a.m. EDT on August 3. Intelsat confirmed signal acquisition, and manufacturer Maxar Technologies confirmed the satellite is performing well.
The Galaxy-37 (Horizons-4) at 127° West, constructed by Maxar Technologies in USA, has a C-band payload that will provide broadcast and telecommunication service over North America. The satellite also features a Ku-band payload jointly owned with Intelsat and JSAT International, the U.S. subsidiary of satellite operator SKY Perfect JSATfrom Japan. This payload will provide capacity for mobility, network, and U.S. government customers and marks 20 years of the partnership.
The launch also completed Intelsat’s Galaxy fleet refresh with seven new satellites, and completes launches for Intelsat’s C-band clearing initiative.
Galaxy-37 marks 40 years of the legacy of the Galaxy fleet, which started with Hughes Communications, then was acquired by satellite operator PanAmSat, and is now owned and operated by Intelsat.
The satellite was launched on August 3rd 2023 with a Falcon 9 rocket, operated by SpaceX, to a Supersynchronous Transfer Orbit (SSO), which is higher than Geostationary Orbit. The satellite will arrive at its position in GEO at 127° West in a three week’s time frame and entered service in Q4 2023.