Boeing recently completed shipment of the second of four 702MP satellites for customer Intelsat S.A., paving the way for a third quarter 2012 launch of another member of the medium-power satellite family Boeing introduced in 2009. The Intelsat 21 satellite will be carried into orbit by a Sea Launch AG Zenit 3SL rocket.

"We continue to deliver the 702MPs for Intelsat on or ahead of schedule, thanks to the satellite's modular design and our focus on continuous improvement," said Craig Cooning, vice president and general manager of Boeing Space and Intelligence Systems.

"With the first satellite, Intelsat 22, on orbit and performing as predicted, we are pleased to advance to this next step in Intelsat's quest to expand its global capacity."

Intelsat 21, which will replace the Intelsat 9 satellite at 302 degrees east, will provide high-capacity video service to media customers in Latin America and the Caribbean.

It also will offer South Atlantic coverage for customers engaged in mobile operations such as shipping and air traffic, as part of Intelsat's global Ku-band coverage scheduled for completion in early 2013.

Boeing introduced the 702MP spacecraft in 2009 to meet the needs of customers seeking satellites in the medium-power ranges.

The 702MP provides the high-capability features inherent in the flight-proven Boeing 702HP satellite model, but with a substantially updated satellite bus structure and simplified propulsion system. The Boeing 702MP is designed to provide 15 or more years of satellite service.

Intelsat is the leading provider of satellite services worldwide. For over 45 years, Intelsat has been delivering information and entertainment for many of the world's leading media and network companies, multinational corporations, Internet service providers and governmental agencies.

Intelsat's satellite, teleport and fiber infrastructure is unmatched in the industry, setting the standard for transmissions of video, data and voice services.

From the globalization of content and the proliferation of HD, to the expansion of cellular networks and broadband access, with Intelsat, advanced communications anywhere in the world are closer, by far.