Intelsat 20

Intelsat 20 is one of the most powerful FSS (Fixed Satellite Services) Communications Satellites ever built. It was manufactured by Space Systems Loral of Palo Alto, California, and is based on the company’s flexible LS-1300 Satellite Bus. The vehicle has a launch mass of 5,800 Kilograms. The satellite’s operator is Intelsat, Luxembourg.

The Satellite is equipped with a powerful communications Payload consisting of 24 C-Band Transponders, 54 Ku-Band Transponders and a single Ka-Band Transponder. The Payload is optimized for high-power distribution of video, voice and data network services. The Vehicle has two deployable solar arrays and on-board batteries for power generation and storage. The vehicle is equipped with a R-4D Main Engine as part of its propulsion system.

R-4D has a dry mass of 3.76 Kilograms and is 0.55 meters in length with a nozzle diameter of 0.3 meters. It provides 489 Newtons of thrust burning Monomethylhydrazine and Mixed Oxides of Nitrogen as propellants. The engine has no burn limitations; its longest demonstration burn was 200 minutes in duration. The Intelsat 20 spacecraft will replace Intelsat 7 and 10 which are co-located at an Orbital Position of 68.5 East Longitude. From there, Intelsat 20 will cover Europe, Africa and the Middle East. The Spacecraft will operate for at least 15 years.