Galaxy 18 is a Space Systems/Loral (SS/L) 1300-series hybrid communications satellite owned by Intelsat and located in geosynchronous orbit at 123° W longitude, serving the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico, and Canada with 24 C-band, and 24 Ku band transponders. Galaxy 18 is intended to replace Galaxy 10R which was nearing the end of its design life.
While this spacecraft is designed for a 15-year service life on orbit, Sea Launch’s direct insertion into equatorial orbit is expected to yield additional years of fuel life. Galaxy 18 was scheduled to be launched by Sea Launch on May 8, 2008 but was pushed to May 25. It was subsequently moved up to 21 May. The launch took place successfully at 09:43 GMT.
Read more about Galaxy 18: Free-to-air Television
Famous quotes containing the word galaxy:
“for it is not so much to know the self
as to know it as it is known
by galaxy and cedar cone,
as if birth had never found it
and death could never end it:”
—Archie Randolph Ammons (b. 1926)