Boeing-built Intelsat 29e satellite launches with most advanced digital payload available commercially

EL SEGUNDO, Calif., 28 Jan. 2016. Intelsat (NYSE:I), a top provider of satellite services, has launched the first of six Intelsat EpicNG satellites, built by Boeing (NYSE:BA), from French Guiana aboard an Ariane 5 rocket from Arianespace, considered the first commercial launch service provider in France.

“The Intelsat EpicNG satellites offer the most advanced digital payload available commercially, providing unmatched flexibility by allowing connectivity in any bandwidth increment from any beam to any beam,” officials describe. For example, a satellite beam serving a particular region can be digitally redirected to connect customers in an area with greater demand. This feature, unique to Boeing satellites, benefits Intelsat’s customers by eliminating wasted bandwidth.

“Boeing’s digital satellite technology enables Intelsat to shift bandwidth to where it’s needed most over the life of the satellite, enabling their customers to rapidly adapt and meet changing market demands,” says Mark Spiwak, president, Boeing Satellite Systems International.

This first satellite in the constellation, named Intelsat 29e, launched on 27 Jan. 2016 and sent signals from space. The next Intelsat EpicNG satellite, Intelsat 33e, is currently in production and is scheduled to launch in the second half of 2016. A customer for more than four decades, Intelsat has ordered more than 40 satellites from Boeing.

Intelsat EpicNG’s debut follows the 2015 introduction of the Boeing 702SP (small platform) satellite, the world’s first all-electric propulsion satellite.

A unit of The Boeing Company, Defense, Space & Security is a defense, space, and security business specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and a versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Defense, Space & Security is a $31 billion business with about 50,000 employees worldwide.

Cover image is of another Intelsat satellite built by Boeing, the IS-22. Above is the Boeing-built Intelsat 29e.