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Dedicated Mission

Galaxy-15 (G-15) at 133° West


Position

133° West

Region

North America Region

Manufacturer

Orbital ATK

Operator

Intelsat

Launch operator

Arianespace

Launch vehicle

Ariane 44LP

Launch date

October 13th, 2005

Expected lifetime

15 Years

In early 2001 satellite operator PanAmSat ordered a new C-band GEO satellite with Orbital Sciences Corp. (Orbital ATK – Northrop Grumman), designated Galaxy-12, to be located at 72° W longitude. In late 2001 PanAmSat exercised an option for two additional C-band spacecraft. The satellites would distribute entertainment and information to cable television systems, TV broadcast affiliates, DTH-television operators, ISP’s, telecommunications companies and corporations.

In the autumn of 2003, PanAmSat, modified its contract with Orbital for Galaxy-15, the third Star-2 spacecraft under construction for its North American fleet. A second U.S. Government sponsored L-band Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS-GEO 3) payload was added to the satellite’s original C-band commercial payload as part of the Geostationary Communications and Control Segment (GCCS) program being integrated by Lockheed Martin for the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. Galaxy-15 relays GPS navigation information to in-flight aircraft, providing super-accurate guidance to pilots at thousands of airports and airstrips where there is currently no precision landing capability.

In 2010 Galaxy-15 stopped reacting to ground commands and began drifting along the geostationary arc, with the transponders still broadcasting. After a monthlong journey, the batteries were finally drained in December 2010 leading to a reset of the systems. After that, control was regained over the satellite.

In February 2007, after the acquisition of PanAmSat, satellite operator Intelsat officially named the satellite Galaxy-15.

In August 2022 Intelsat lost control over their Galaxy 15 (G-15) satellite and Intelsat engineers have shut down the satellite’s payload. G-15 was no longer transmitting signals back to Earth and operators were re-programming the services as the spacecraft drifted out of its orbital position. Intelsat is coordinated “fly-by” procedures to avoid physical collision with another spacecraft. G-15 customers were moved to Galaxy 23 for the time being, until G-15’s replacement, Galaxy 33, launches in October 2022.

Galaxy-15 was successfully launched on October 13th, 2005, on an Ariane 44L rocket, operated by launch operator Arianespace, from the Kourou Space Port in French Guyana.

Dedicated Mission

Galaxy-15 (G-15) at 133° West


Ariane 44LP rocket launch launching Nimiq 4
Inmarsat-3 satellite in orbit

Dedicated Mission

Galaxy-15 (G-15) at 133° West


Intelsat Galaxy-15 C-band North Afric beam