spacetoday.net: Intelsat orders Atlas 5

Posted: Tue, May 11, 2004, 11:40 PM ET (0340 GMT)
Atlas 5 launch of Rainbow 1 (ILS)

Intelsat has ordered an Atlas 5 for the future launch of an unidentified satellite, an order that may be part of a bigger deal announced Tuesday. International Launch Services, which markets the Atlas, said that Intelsat ordered the Atlas 5 "for the launch of a future satellite", but neither ILS nor Intelsat offered additional details. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. At the same time the Atlas 5 contract was announced, Lockheed Martin, which builds the Atlas 5, reported that it was selling its COMSAT General division, which provides satellite communications services, to Intelsat for $90 million. The press release that announced the COMSAT General deal also stated that Intelsat would buy an Atlas 5 from Lockheed Martin, suggesting the vehicle purchase was part of the overall deal.