Global satellite services provider Intelsat on Monday announced that an Atlas V rocket provided by United Launch Alliance successfully launched the Intelsat 14 satellite (IS-14), which would provide high-powered data services through its C- and Ku-band payload to Intelsat customers throughout Latin America, Europe and Africa.

Liftoff of the Atlas V 431 configuration booster took place at 01:55 eastern time, followed by signal acquisition and spacecraft separation nearly two hours later at 03:53.

The satellite, built by Space Systems and Loral, once operational, it would replace Intelsat’s 1R satellite at 315º East, providing customers with capacity that has a useful life, expected to last the next 16 years.

“IS-14 kicks off our 11-satellite investment campaign, the largest in our company’s history. This satellite provides capacity for our growing network services and government customers,” said Intelsat CEO Dave McGlade.

“Our customers use our infrastructure as an essential component to deliver in-demand services that include cellular backhaul to enable wireless communications in remote regions, broadband networks for enterprise and oil and gas applications, and Internet Protocol (IP) trunking services for Internet connectivity.”

The spacecraft also carries a hosted payload for the Internet Router in Space (IRIS) programme, for Cisco.

“We believe IRIS will extend broadband services on demand in the sky. The Cisco IRIS payload will merge communications received on various frequency bands and transmit them to multiple users,” said Cisco Global Government Solutions group vice-president Steve Boutelle.

“Once in service, the IRIS payload will support network services for voice, video and data communications, enabling US military units and allied forces to communicate with one another using IP and existing ground equipment.”

“Such hosted payload programmes are prime examples of how governments can take advantage of commercial platforms to meet long-term communication requirements in an economical way,” said Intelsat general corporation president Kay Sears.

Intelsat has been delivering information and entertainment for many of the world’s media and network companies, multinational corporations, Internet service providers and governmental agencies for 45 years.

Intelsat’s satellite, teleport and fiber infrastructure is substantial - setting the standard for transmissions of video, data and voice services.

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