In late May, the Intelsat IS-19 telecommunications satellite launched from a floating platform near the equator in the Pacific Ocean. Built by Space Systems/Loral of Palo Alto, Calif., the Intelsat 19 was equipped with several solar panel arrays designed to provide a 15 kilowatt boost of power to its payload at the end of the satellite’s service life.
Less than a month after launch, however, company officials say the satellite’s south solar array has sustained permanent damage, reducing its electrical output by a yet-undetermined percentage. According to Space News, the damage is thought to have occurred during launch, when the solar array failed to deploy as it should have. The company finally managed to get the solar panels deployed almost two weeks later, allowing for easier control of the satellite, but the damage had already been done.
One official said it looked like half the array’s power-generating capability might be intact, which would mean IS-19 has 75 percent of the total electric power it was designed to use during its 15-year life. The company will await further testing before issuing an official statement on the satellite’s health.
In addition to providing television and telecommunications services to the Pacific Ocean region, Intelsat 19 is equipped with Ku-band capacity for mobile broadband communications with ships in the Indian Ocean region.
Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time this problem has stunted a satellite’s potential. A similar event occurred in 2004 with the launch of another Space Systems/Loral satellite when its solar array never deployed.
Photo credit: Space Systems/Loral