March 31, 1998: The 22nd meeting of the Intelsat Assembly of Parties unanimously approved the creation of a private, independent spin-off company, New Skies Satellites, to be based in The Hague, Netherlands. As part of the agreement, Intelsat transferred working capital, five in-orbit satellites, one in-construction satellite and their associated orbital positions to the newly created company

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The SSPI Satellite Timeline is the first interactive site on the Web to chronicle the rich and diverse history of the commercial satellite industry. Launched in October 2007 – the 50th anniversary of Sputnik – the Timeline is a learning tool for satellite professionals, students, the news media and the innovative companies that make up the industry