[November 23, 2009] 'Intelsat launches IS-14 satellite' Tweet (DMeurope Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Satellite operator Intelsat has announced that an Atlas V rocket provided by United Launch Alliance successfully launched the Intelsat 14 satellite on 23 November. Signal acquisition and spacecraft separation occurred nearly two hours later after the liftoff of the Atlas V 431 configuration booster. The satellite, built by Space Systems/Loral, will provide high-powered data services through its C- and Ku-band payload to Intelsat customers throughout Latin America, Europe and Africa. Once IS-14 is operational, it will replace Intelsat's 1R satellite at 315 degrees east, providing customers with capacity that has a useful life slated to last the next sixteen years. The spacecraft also carries a hosted payload for the Internet Router in Space, or IRIS, programme for Cisco. Once in service, the IRIS payload will support network services for voice, video and data communications, enabling US military units and allied forces to communicate with one another using IP and existing ground equipment. ((Comments on this story may be sent to [email protected])) (c) 2009 M2 COMMUNICATIONS [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]