Horizons-2
| Launch Date: |
December 21 |
| Launch Site: |
Kourou, French Guiana |
| Launch Vehicle: |
Ariane 5 |
| Mission Customer: |
Horizons-2 Satellite, LLC |
 Built for Horizons-2 Satellite, LLC, a joint venture between Intelsat and JSAT Corporation of Japan, Horizons-2 was launched aboard an Ariane 5 rocket from Kourou, French Guiana on December 21, 2007. After initial check out, the satellite will be located at 74 degrees West Longitude to help meet the growing demand for Ku-band satellite communications services in North America. The satellite will feature both a continental US (CONUS) beam and an East Coast beam which will extend the spacecraft’s coverage to include the Caribbean and parts of Canada.
Horizons-2 was the third Orbital-built STAR GEO communications satellite launched in 2007. In October, two satellites, Intelsat 11 and Optus D2, were launched aboard the same Ariane 5 rocket, a first for the company.
Designed and developed as a standard bus for commercial telecommunications and direct broadcast missions, Orbital’s STAR bus satellite platform offers small, high power geosynchronous communications with a 15-year mission lifespan. Orbital’s first application of the STAR bus design, IndoStar-1, was launched in 1997. Since then, thirteen STAR GEO satellites have been launched with eight additional GEO communications spacecraft currently in production.
For more Information:
Orbital's Horizons-2 Webpage
Horizons-2 Fact Sheet
Horizons-2 Images
STAR Bus Fact Sheet
Intelsat Website
JSAT Website
Arianespace Website
|