Space Systems/Loral (SS/L) announced in January 2007 that Intelsat Corporation
has awarded SS/L a contract to manufacture Intelsat 14 (IS 14), a new, high-power
C- and Ku-band fixed satellite service (FSS) satellite.
Intelsat 14, to be located at 45 degrees West longitude, will be the 44th Space
Systems/Loral satellite built over the past four decades for Intelsat, the world's largest
fixed satellite services operator. The satellite will carry 40 C-band and 22 Ku-band
transponders across four different beams, covering the Americas, Europe and Africa.
Intelsat 14 will have a design life of 15 years and will replace the Intelsat 1R (PAS-1R) satellite when the new satellite is delivered
in 2009. Its high efficiency solar arrays and lightweight batteries are designed to
provide uninterrupted electrical power. The satellite is based on SS/L's SSL-1300 platform, which features qualified,
flight proven subsystems and a long record of reliable operation.
The Department of Defense's (DoD) Internet Routing in Space (IRIS) Joint Capability
Technology Demonstration Project is an aditional payload on board and represents the next
generation of space-based communications. IRIS will serve as a computer processor in the
sky, merging communications being received on various frequency bands and transmitting
them to multiple users based on data instructions embedded in the uplink.
The IRIS architecture allows direct IP routing over satellite, eliminating the need for
routing via a ground-based teleport, thereby dramatically increasing the efficiency and
flexibility of the satellite communications link. The IRIS payload will support network
services for voice, video and data communications, enabling military units or allied
forces to communicate with one another using Internet protocol and existing ground
equipment. The IRIS payload will interconnect one C-band and two Ku-band coverage areas.
The IRIS architecture and design allow for flexible IP packet (layer 3) routing or
multicast distribution that can be reconfigured on demand. With the on-board processor
routing the up and down communications links, the IRIS payload is expected to enhance
satellite performance and reduce signal degradation from atmospheric conditions. The
payload will convert to commercial use once testing has been completed.