Proton delay to Intelsat launch
May 24, 2016
By Chris Forrester
Reports suggest that Intelsat is likely to have to accept a forced delay on the upcoming launch of its important I-31 satellite.
The satellite had been expected to launch this coming weekend, on May 28th, from the International Launch Services (ILS) launch site at Baikonur in Kazakhstan.
But Russian Space News is reporting that there’s a forced delay on the use of a Proton rocket owing to non-specified “technical reasons”, and quoting Russia’s Khrunichev, which build the Proton.
Intelsat 31 is a giant 82-transponder C- and Ku-band satellite that was manufactured by Space Systems Loral (SSL). The C-band payload will enhance Intelsat’s C-band infrastructure serving Latin America and DIRECTV Latin America and will use the Ku-band payload to expand its current DTH entertainment offerings for Pan Americana as well as provide backup and restoration services.
I-31, when launched, will be co-located with Galaxy 3C at 95 degrees West.