Maxar Technologies has won the contract to build Intelsat’s next satellite I-40e, one of its next-generation craft and set to be launched in 2020.

The satellite will also carry an important NASA payload (‘Tempo’) which will monitor pollution in the troposphere.

“When it’s launched, Intelsat 40e will be the newest addition to our next-generation Intelsat Epic platform, which is already providing our global customers with flexible, high-performance connectivity they can count on today – and in the future,” said Intelsat CEO Stephen Spengler. “Intelsat continuously invests in innovative new satellite and hybrid technologies that make it easy and affordable for our customers to connect people, devices and networks, even in the most remote locations. We look forward to partnering with Maxar on this next build.”

Maxar says that the new craft is based on its proven 1300-class satellite platform. Intelsat 40e will provide Intelsat customers across North and Central America with flexible, high-throughput, “coast-to-coast” coverage. The additional capacity will also support the growing number of customers utilising Intelsat managed-service offerings, including those working with Intelsat to solve connectivity challenges for commercial and private planes, moving vehicles on land and other mobility applications.

“Maxar and Intelsat have a strategic partnership that goes back more than 40 years, and we are honoured to have been chosen for Intelsat 40e – the 54th satellite that Maxar will build for Intelsat over the course of our long and successful history together,” said Maxar CEO Dan Jablonsky. “Maxar is also honored to have collaborated with NASA for more than 50 years, and we are excited to leverage our strong legacy in bridging commercial and government needs to integrate the agency’s TEMPO payload with Intelsat 40e. Maxar’s recent work with NASA on TEMPO and several other Space Infrastructure missions demonstrate positive momentum for our expanding civil space portfolio.”

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