Intelsat 21 Launch Success Refreshes Capacity for Leading Latin America Video Neighborhood; Furthers Mobility Coverage Across South Atlantic Ocean

Intelsat S.A., the world’s leading provider of satellite services, announced today that a Sea Launch Zenit 3SL launch vehicle successfully launched the Intelsat 21 satellite from a mobile platform in the equatorial Pacific Ocean. Liftoff occurred at 2:55 a.m. EDT. Thirty minutes after launch, at 3:25 a.m. EDT, the Intelsat 21 satellite separated from the rocket’s upper stage and continued its ascent toward geosynchronous orbit. Signal acquisition occurred at 3:52 a.m. EDT.
Intelsat 21 will serve the leading direct-to-home (DTH) and cable programmers in Latin America. Replacing Intelsat 9, the satellite is designed to provide more than 18 years of service and features C-band services for South America, North America and Europe, and Ku-band services for North America, the Caribbean, Brazil, Europe and Western Africa.
Intelsat 21 also features a Ku-band mobility beam, providing coverage across the South Atlantic to Intelsat’s maritime and aeronautical customers. Intelsat’s global broadband mobility platform is scheduled for completion in early 2013. The satellite’s final orbital location will be 302° East.
“Intelsat 21 will refresh capacity for Latin America’s premier video neighborhood and will offer vital communications services spanning four continents,” said Intelsat CEO David McGlade. “In addition, Intelsat 21 continues deployment of Intelsat’s Ku-band global broadband mobility platform, designed to support the rapid growth in demand for broadband connectivity for maritime and aeronautical applications.”
Built by Boeing Satellite Systems, Intelsat 21 is the fourth of five Intelsat launches planned for 2012. Intelsat 23 is scheduled for launch later this year aboard a Proton launch vehicle from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
About Intelsat
Intelsat is the leading provider of satellite services worldwide. For over 45 years, Intelsat has been delivering information and entertainment for many of the world’s leading media and network companies, multinational corporations, Internet Service Providers and governmental agencies. Intelsat’s satellite, teleport and fiber infrastructure is unmatched in the industry, setting the standard for transmissions of video, data and voice services. From the globalization of content and the proliferation of HD, to the expansion of cellular networks and broadband access, with Intelsat, advanced communications anywhere in the world are closer, by far.
Intelsat Safe Harbor Statement
Some of the statements in this news release constitute “forward-looking statements” that do not directly or exclusively relate to historical facts. The forward-looking statements made in this release reflect Intelsat’s intentions, plans, expectations, assumptions and beliefs about future events and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside of Intelsat’s control. Known risks include, among others, the risks included in Intelsat’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011 and its other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the political, economic and legal conditions in the markets we are targeting for communications services or in which we operate and other risks and uncertainties inherent in the telecommunications business in general and the satellite communications business in particular. Because actual results could differ materially from Intelsat’s intentions, plans, expectations, assumptions and beliefs about the future, you are urged to view all forward-looking statements contained in this news release with caution. Intelsat does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.