L-M wins Americom trio

Lockheed Martin Corp has won a contract to build three satellites for GE American Communications, now in the final stages of being acquired by SES Astra. The new satellites will be L-M’s A2100 series spacecraft designed and built for GE Americom and designated GE-10, GE-11, and GE-18, and will provide distribution of premium cable programming across North America.

All three spacecraft will carry twenty-four, 36MHz C-band transponders and provide Conus cover as well as Mexico and the Caribbean. GE-10 will take the place of GE Satcom C-4 and GE-11 will replace GE Satcom C-3, which currently operate from their orbital locations at 135 degrees West and 131 degrees West, respectively. GE-18 is being developed as a ground spare that could operate from either 131 or 135 degrees West Longitude.