The newest broadcast satellite is equipped with dual C-band and Ku-band payloads designed and built by Space Systems Loral. The Intelsat-34, set to replace the outdated Intelsat-805 and Galaxy-11 satellites, recently launched from the European Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.
The satellite will have an area of coverage similar to that covered by both the Intelsat-805 and Galaxy-11 satellites. The 24 Ku-band, 36-MHz transponders will send broadcast television signals with a downlink frequency from 11.45 to 12.20 GHz and uplink frequency from 14.00 to 14.50 GHz.
The Ku-band beams will be projected into Brazil and North America as the primary regions. The typical edge-of-coverage effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP) is expected to be greater than 44.7 dBW in Brazil and 43.4 dBW in North America.
The beam peak in Brazil will be up to 53.6 dBW with antenna gain-to-noise-temperature (G/T) ranges up to 8.2 dB/K. In North America, the beam peak will be up to 47.3 dBW with G/T ranges around 0.9 dB/K. Another more specialized Ku-band payload on the satellite will be used to establish connections with ships and airplanes.
The satellite also comes with 24 C-band, 36-MHz transponders to provide communications services in North and South America and Europe. The downlink frequencies span 3700 to 4200 MHz, while the uplink frequency ranges from 5925 to 6425 MHz. The C-band beam peak could reach up to 41.2 dBW with antenna G/T ranges to 0.6 dB/K. The edge-of-coverage (EIRP) will typically be greater than 34.8 dBW.
The Intelsat-34 satellite will serve the role originally intended for the Intelsat-27 satellite, which was destroyed in the Pacific Ocean after a launch failure in 2013. The Intelsat-27 satellite also carried an ultra-high frequency (UHF) payload for mobile military communications, but the Department of Defense did not commission a similar payload for Intelsat-34.