[Satellite Today 01-05-09] Space Systems/Loral (SS/L), has finalized a contract award to provide the Intelsat 17 spacecraft to Intelsat, SS/L announced Dec. 31.
    The C- and Ku-band satellite is scheduled to be available for launch in 2010 and will be located at 66 degrees East orbital slot, where it will replace Intelsat 704.
    The satellite is based on the SS/L 1300 satellite platform and designed to provide service for 15 years or more.
    "This will be the 45th satellite that we have provided to Intelsat," said John Celli, president and COO of Space Systems/Loral. "Like Intelsat 14, it combines heritage, space-proven building blocks with some of the world’s most advanced technologies."