September 2016 DISTRIBUTION 33
Intelsat Epic NG expands global reach with new satellite launch
How will the launch of Intelsat 33e , alongside the Intelsat 29e , help Intelsat better meet the needs of its customers , particularly in the Asia-Pacific region ? Terry Bleakley : When we talk to our customers in Asia and their objectives for the next five years , their needs are clear : more throughput while leveraging current hardware , better economics and innovation to simplify satellite solutions for broader use .
Intelsat 33e and the entire Intelsat Epic NG platform are designed to power solutions that address the new and faster growing applications that are being implemented by our enterprise , wireless , mobility and government customer sets . To achieve this , Intelsat Epic NG was designed to be highly efficient , delivering the most throughput per unit of capacity to the end-users via a combination of wide beams and spot beams on a platform design of open architecture and backwards compatibility . Intelsat Epic NG lowers
The second satellite in the Intelsat Epic NG satellite fleet , Intelsat 33e , was scheduled for launch last month on Aug 24 to serve customers in Europe , Africa , the Middle East and Asia . Terry Bleakly ( right ), regional VP , Asia- Pacific sales , Intelsat , tells APB how the new satellite , and the Intelsat Epic NG platform in general , will address the needs of Intelsat customers now and into the future .
the cost per bit for our customers and helps them unlock new applications .
Two trends that are expected to impact the satellite industry are high throughput satellite ( HTS ) and the Internet of Things ( IoT ). How are the Intelsat Epic NG satellites designed to address these trends , and how can we expect the fleet to be further enhanced with new launches , beginning with the Intelsat 35e next year ? Bleakley : Intelsat Epic NG is HTS , designed to lower cost per bit and simplify access — two features that are essential to unlocking access to new sectors such as IoT . But not all HTS platforms are alike . With Intelsat Epic NG , we focused on optimising efficiency to the endusers , not on the total throughput of the satellite .
Tests conducted with Intelsat 29e indicate throughput improvements of up to five times as compared to that of wide-beam capacity and current platforms , and the Intelsat Epic NG platform can also leverage higher order modulation technologies , mean ing our throughput , and that of our customers , will continue to improve as new ground hardware is developed .
But HTS is not an end-game in itself . We think innovation on the ground is as important as in the sky . We have also focused on driving innovation throughout the delivery chain to fully optimise the performance of the platform , and make it easier for end-users to access HTS solutions . The development of smaller , simpler , more cost-efficient ground terminals and hardware , coupled with HTS , will improve the benefits that can be delivered via IoT applications .
Intelsat Epic NG will have seven satellites . Intelsat 29e is already providing services for the Americas , and Intelsat 33e will grow the Intelsat Epic NG footprint across Europe , Africa , the Middle East and Asia . Horizons 3e , being developed under a joint venture between Intelsat and JSAT and expected to launch in 2018 , will further cover Asia-Pacific .
Four additional Intelsat Epic NG satellites , including Intelsat 35e , are scheduled for launch through to 2019 . With each new platform , we will introduce more innovations , evolving the technology with new flexibility features that will take this new generation towards fully software-defined satellite missions .
Thus , we are offering to our current and future customers not only the most powerful and the most consistent space infrastructure ever built , but also an ability to adapt , modify , and improve this infrastructure as the market demands .
Good time to protect your valuable investment by keith adams
TV and radio transmitters are often subject to harsh operating conditions . Although Gates Air transmitters are designed to withstand AC power line surges induced by lightning , or other sources , there can be occasions where the built-in protection is just not enough . With the summer lightning season already upon us , now would be an excellent time to evaluate your transmitter protection .
We always recommend adding good quality AC line transient voltage protection ahead of the transmitter . There are a wide variety of technologies available and many manufacturers have vast experience in dealing with protecting broadcast equipment .
One of the first items to check is the station ground ( Earth ground ). If there is no ground , or a poor ground path , no amount of protection can completely protect your transmitter . We recommend getting the station Earth ground checked by a competent technician , and taking any steps needed to satisfy his recommendations . A ground impedance of 5ohms or less is recommended .
Once the station ground has been verified / updated , check if the existing transient / surge protection device is sized and rated appropriately for the equipment that it is protecting . Some older units may not meet current standards and / or may not perform as well as expected . New transient protection devices should meet UL1449 4th edition ( UL 1449 is a safety and performance standard for Surge Protective Devices ( SPDs )
developed by UL , a global independent safety science company ).
When shopping for a new transient / surge protection device , make sure that it not only meets UL1449 4th edition and is ULlisted , but also has the capability of handling surge currents of at least 200kA . If in doubt , contact one of the major suppliers of such equipment and discuss your specific needs .
Keith Adams is marketing communications manager at GatesAir .