spacetoday.net: Intelsat announces joint venture for African satellite

Posted: Wed, Dec 10, 2008, 7:49 AM ET (1249 GMT)
Satellite operator Intelsat has joined forces with South African investors to develop a new satellite to serve Africa. Intelsat and Convergence Partners, a South African investment firm, created the New Dawn joint venture that will fund the construction and launch of a new communications satellite, to be called Intelsat New Dawn. The spacecraft is scheduled to enter service in 2011 and will operate from 33 degrees east in GEO, providing wireless backhaul, broadband, and television programming for the African continent. Over 50 percent of the satellite's 28 C-band and 24 Ku-band transponders are already under contract. Manufacturing and launch arrangements for the satellite were not announced.