[Satellite Today – 5-19-08] Sea Launch has initiated a 72-hour countdown in advance of the scheduled May 21 launch of Intelsat’s Galaxy 18 satellite, Sea Launch announced. Liftoff is planned at 5:43 a.m. EDT at the opening of a two-hour launch window.
Galaxy 18, built Space Systems/Loral, carries 24 C-band and 24 Ku-band transponders to provide television, data and telecommunications services to Intelsat customers in North America, Hawaii and Puerto Rico.
Sea Launch will provide live coverage of the Galaxy 18 mission via satellite and on its Web site beginning at 5:30 a.m. EDT May 21.