Intelsat has an RfP out for the manufacture of two new satellites as part of the launch of its EpicNG satellite platform.
The two satellites, Intelsat-29e and Intelsat-33e, will contain a mix of C-, Ku- and Ka-band and are expected to be in service in…
Intelsat has an RfP out for the manufacture of two new satellites as part of the launch of its EpicNG satellite platform.
The two satellites, Intelsat-29e and Intelsat-33e, will contain a mix of C-, Ku- and Ka-band and are expected to be in service in 2015 and 2016 respectively. Intelsat told SatelliteFinance that the satellites are covered in its current guidance for capital expenditure.
The satellite operator also stated that these satellites are only the initial deployment and there are plans to announce additional launches in the future.
Intelsat describes EpicNG as a high performance satellite platform based on an open architecture, designed to deliver carrier-grade, dedicated high throughput capacity. The service intends to use a combination of both spot and wide beams in concert with a multiple spectrum design to offer a variety of services.
Among the customers that Intelsat EpicNG is targeting are those requiring mobile satellite services, including the maritime and aeronautical markets. Indeed, the establishment of this platform is a furtherance of Intelsat’s increasing presence in what was traditionally seen as the domain of MSS operators.
To that end, one industry analyst suggested that the launch of EpicNG was a direct challenge to Inmarsat’s forthcoming Ka-band constellation Global Xpress. Both companies are looking to provide increased mobile broadband connectivity with their next generation systems.
Intelsat is yet to announce any distribution partners for EpicNG, although there has been speculation that Panasonic Avionics is likely to be its aeronautical partner, with the latter reportedly ramping up its investment in a new Ku-band satellite network for in-flight connectivity that will be launched in 2015.
