INTELSAT VIII/VIIIA program

The INTELSAT VIII/VIIIA satellite program is comprised of six satellites, each utilizing a common spacecraft bus design. The first four satellites (801-804) are INTELSAT VIIIs, providing hybrid C- and Ku-band transoceanic coverage from one of four regions, Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean, and Asia Pacific. The last two satellites (805-806) are INTELSAT VIIIAs, providing high power C- and Ku-band continental land mass coverage. The deployment of these satellites began in early 1997 with the successful launch of INTELSAT 801 on an Ariane 44P on 28 February. Subsequently, both the 802 and 803 spacecraft have been launched, on 25 June and 23 September, 1997, respectively. The 804 spacecraft is nearing shipment and is expected to launch by the close of 1997. All four launches are on Ariane 4 launch vehicles from the Centre Spatial Guyanais, French Guyana. The VIIIA spacecraft will both be shipped by early 1998, with launches planned on the Atlas IIAS launch vehicle in mid-1998