Arianespace to Launch Intelsat’s Galaxy 30 and MEV 2

Example of a GeoStar 2 satellite, which is the bus Galaxy 30 is based on. Photo: Orbital ATK.

Arianespace has signed an agreement to launch two satellites for Intelsat. The first launch will carry Intelsat’s Galaxy 30 satellite together with the Orbital ATK Mission Extension Vehicle 2 (MEV 2) as a stacked pair.

Galaxy 30 will be the first replacement satellite for the North American Galaxy fleet and in addition to its C-band payload, Galaxy 30 will include Ku- and Ka-band payloads to support broadband applications in North America.

Intelsat will be the first customer of the MEV 2, which is owned by Orbital ATK’s Space Logistics subsidiary. The MEV 2 provides life-extending services by taking over the orbit maintenance and attitude control functions of a client’s spacecraft.

Arianespace will launch the first pair of satellites, Intelsat’s Galaxy 30 satellite and the MEV 2, in early 2020 from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana aboard an Ariane 5 launch vehicle. Under the contract, Arianespace will also launch an additional satellite — yet unannounced — for Intelsat in the second half of 2020.