Intelsat has been providing satellite communications services since 1965, beginning with the launch of the first commercial communications satellite, Early Bird. Over the decades, Intelsat's network has grown to deliver broadband services globally to ships, planes and vehicles. Modern satellites have significantly more capacity and throughput than early models due to frequency reuse, concentrated power, digital payloads and smaller antennas. Intelsat is launching new high-throughput satellites like the OneWeb constellation and its own EpicNG satellites to continue expanding coverage and meeting customers' connectivity needs around the world.
3. 3
1965
Early Bird (Intelsat I) is launched into synchronous orbit.
This is the world’s first commercial communications
satellite and “live via satellite” is born.
4. 4
Intelsat transmits television
images of the moon landing
around the world – a record 500
million television viewers
worldwide see astronaut Neil
Armstrong’s first steps on the
moon “live via Intelsat.”
1969
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Frequency reuse
Concentration of power
Digital payload
More capacity
More throughput
Smaller antennas
1. Redefining communication satellites
15. 15
The OneWeb satellite constellation
700 satellites (Constellation – 18 planes
of 36 satellites)
Low latency (<30ms round trip delay)
Look angles > 57◦
OneWeb
First and only fully global, pole-to-pole high throughput satellite system
Credit: Airbus Defence and Space
Total Throughput of the system:
5 terabits per second
16. 16
2. Redefinition of the satellite antenna
Electronically Steered Antennas (ESA)
No moving parts
Ultrathin and light
Metamaterial
Passive array
Active phased array
Panels may be laid
CONFORMABLY