Editing Intelsat (section)

== History ==
[[File:INTELSAT I (Early Bird).jpg|thumb|INTELSAT I ''Early Bird'']]
[[File:INTELSAT IVA.jpg|thumb|An Intelsat-IVA satellite]]
[[John F. Kennedy]] instigated the creation of Intelsat with his speech to the [[United Nations]] on 25 September 1961.<ref>{{citation-attribution|1={{cite web|url=https://www.jfklibrary.org/learn/about-jfk/historic-speeches/address-to-the-united-nations-general-assembly|title=JFK Address at U.N. General Assembly, 25 September 1961|publisher=John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum}} }}</ref> Less than a year later, [[John F. Kennedy]] signed the [[Communications Satellite Act of 1962]]. Intelsat was originally formed as [[International Telecommunications Satellite Organization]] (ITSO) and operated from 1964 to 2001 as an [[International organization|intergovernmental consortium]] owning and managing a constellation of [[communications satellite]]s providing international broadcast services. In 2001, the international satellite market was fully commercialized, and Intelsat was privatized after 2001 as Intelsat was formed up as a private [[Luxembourg]] corporation.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Feder |first=Barnaby J. |date=2001-07-23 |title=TECHNOLOGY; Satellite Company Is Trying Life on Its Own |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/07/23/business/technology-satellite-company-is-trying-life-on-its-own.html |access-date=2022-11-07 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

=== International Governmental Organization (1964–2001) ===
The International Governmental Organization (IGO) began on ({{Start date and age|df=yes|20 August 1964}}), with 7 participating countries.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://treaties.un.org/doc/Publication/UNTS/Volume%20514/volume-514-I-7441-English.pdf|title=United Nations Treaty, 20 August 1964|publisher=United Nations}}</ref> The 1964 agreement was an interim arrangement on a path to a more permanent agreement. The permanent international organization was established in 1973, following inter-nation negotiations from 1969 to 1971. The most difficult issue to "resolve concerned the shift from management of the system by a national entity to management by the international organization itself".<ref name=Leive1981 />{{rp|46}}

On 6 April 1965, Intelsat's first satellite, the [[Intelsat I]] (nicknamed ''Early Bird''), was placed in [[geostationary orbit]] above the [[Atlantic Ocean]] by a [[Delta (rocket family)|Delta D rocket]].

In 1973, the name was changed and there were 81 signatories.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://treaties.un.org/doc/Publication/UNTS/Volume%201220/volume-1220-I-19677-English.pdf|title=United Nations Treaty, 20 August 1971|publisher=United Nations}}</ref><!-- not finding this in Leive1981 --> Intelsat was "governed initially by two international agreements: The Agreement setting forth the basic provisions and principles and structure of the organization, signed by the governments through their [[Ministry of foreign affairs|foreign ministries]], and an Operating Agreement setting forth more detailed financial and technical provisions and signed by the governments or their designated telecommunications entities", — in most cases, the latter are the ministries of communications of the party countries, but in the case of the United States, was the [[COMSAT|Communications Satellite Corporation]] (COMSAT),<ref name=Menter1981>{{cite journal|last=Menter|first=Martin|title=Commercial Participation in Space Activities|url=http://www.spacelaw.olemiss.edu/jsl/back-issues/jsl-9.html|url-status=dead|journal=Journal of Space Law|year=1981|volume=9|issue=45|pages=53–68|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120601005629/http://www.spacelaw.olemiss.edu/jsl/back-issues/jsl-9.html|archive-date=2012-06-01|access-date=5 September 2018}}</ref> a private corporation established by [[Federal government of the United States|federal]] legislation to represent the U.S. in international governance for the global communication satellite system.<ref name=Leive1981/>{{rp|47}} Intelsat<!-- all caps in the early years --> at that time directly owned and managed a global communications satellite system, and structurally consisted of three parts:<ref name=Leive1981>{{cite journal|last=Leive|first=David M.|title=Essential Features of INTEL SAT: Applications for the Future |url=http://www.spacelaw.olemiss.edu/jsl/back-issues/jsl-9.html|url-status=dead|journal=Journal of Space Law|year=1981|volume=9|issue=45|pages=45–52|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120601005629/http://www.spacelaw.olemiss.edu/jsl/back-issues/jsl-9.html|archive-date=2012-06-01|access-date=5 September 2018}}</ref>

* the Assembly of Parties – meeting every two years and concerned with aspects "primarily of interest to the Parties as sovereign States"<ref name=Leive1981/>{{rp|48}}—with each country having one vote.
* the Meeting of Signatories – meeting annually and composed of all the signatories to the Operating Agreement—primarily working on financial, technical and program matters, with each countries' signatory having one vote.
* a Board of Governors, meeting at least four times each year, making decisions on design, development, establishment, operation and maintenance of the in-space assets, appointed by signatories, but weighted to each signatory's "investment share" in the space assets.

The 1973 Agreement called for a seven-year transition from national to international management, but continued until 1976 to carve out "technical and operational management of the system [to the U.S. signatory] the Communications Satellite Corporation [which had also] served as the Manager of the global system under the interim arrangements in force from 1964 to 1973".<ref name=Leive1981 />{{rp|49}} Later phases of the transition resulted in full international governance by 1980. Financial contribution to the organization, its so-called "investment share", was strictly proportional to each member's use of the system, determined annually; and this corresponded to the weighted vote each would have on the Board of Governors.<ref name=Leive1981 />{{rp|50}}

{{As of|2018|post=,}} Intelsat provides service to over 600 Earth stations in more than 149 countries, territories and dependencies. By 2001, Intelsat had over 100 members.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ObiEDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA29|title=The Political Economy of the Space Age: How Science and Technology Shape the Evolution of Human Society|last=Sommariva|first=Andrea|date=2018-02-28|publisher=Vernon Press|isbn=978-1-62273-264-7|page=29}}</ref> It was also this year that Intelsat privatized and changed its name to Intelsat.{{clarify|date=September 2018}}

Since its inception, Intelsat has used several versions (blocks) of its dedicated Intelsat satellites. Intelsat completes each block of spacecraft independently, leading to a variety of satellite manufacturing contractors over the years. Intelsat's largest spacecraft supplier by 2012 was [[SSL (company)|Space Systems/Loral]], having built 47 spacecraft ([[Intelsat 20]]) by that time.<ref name="Display">{{citation-attribution|1={{cite web |url=https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=2012-043A|title=Intelsat 20 2012-043A|publisher=NASA|date=10 February 2021|access-date=29 March 2021}} }}</ref>

The network in its early years was not as robust as it is now. A failure of the Atlantic satellite in the spring of 1969 threatened to stop the ''[[Apollo 11]]'' mission; a replacement satellite went into a bad orbit and could not be recovered in time; [[NASA]] used undersea cable telephone circuits as an alternative to route Apollo's communications to NASA during the mission.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oldradio.com/archives/warstories/dk.htm|title=Camelot on the Moon|author=Donald E. Kimberlin|date=1 June 1994|access-date=22 September 2006}}</ref> During the Apollo 11 [[Extravehicular activity|moonwalk]], the [[Moon]] was over the [[Pacific Ocean]], and so other antennas were used, as well as Intelsat III, which was in geostationary orbit over the Pacific.<ref name=Parkes>{{cite web|url=http://www.parkes.atnf.csiro.au/apollo11/pasa/on_eagles_wings.pdf|title=On Eagle's Wings: The Parkes Observatory's Support of the Apollo 11 Mission|publisher=Astronomical Society of Australia|date=1 July 2001|access-date=22 September 2006|archive-date=10 August 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070810003829/http://www.parkes.atnf.csiro.au/apollo11/pasa/on_eagles_wings.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>

=== Commercialization ===
By the 1990s, building and launching satellites was no longer exclusively a government domain and as country-specific telecommunications systems were privatized, several private satellite operators arose to meet the growing demand. In the U.S., satellite operators such as [[PanAmSat]], Orion Communications, Columbia Communications, [[Iridium Satellite LLC|Iridium]], [[Globalstar]], [[TRW Inc.|TRW]] and others formed under the umbrella of the '''Alliance for Competitive International Satellite Services'''<!-- bolded per [[MOS:BOLD]] as a redirect target --> (ACISS) to press for an end to the exclusively-intergovernmental organizations operating communication satellites and the monopoly position of [[COMSAT]] the U.S. signatory to Intelsat and [[Inmarsat]]. In March 2001, the [[United States Congress|U.S. Congress]] passed the [[List of acts of the 106th United States Congress|Open-market Reorganization for the Betterment of International Telecommunications]] (ORBIT) Act<ref>{{cite web|url=http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=2001_register&docid=01-8065-filed|title=ORBIT Act}}</ref> to privatize COMSAT. In April 1998, to address [[Federal government of the United States|U.S. government]] concerns about market power, Intelsat's senior management spun off five of its older satellites to a private Dutch entity, [[SES World Skies|New Skies Satellites]], which became a direct competitor to Intelsat.{{Citation needed|date=July 2011}}

=== Privatization ===
On 18 July 2001, Intelsat became a private company, 37 years after formation. Prior to Intelsat's privatization in 2001, ownership and investment in Intelsat (measured in shares) was distributed among Intelsat members{{clarify|were these all governments or government orgs at the time|date=May 2020}} according to their use of services. Investment shares determined each member's percentage of the total contribution needed to finance capital expenditures. The organization's primary source of revenue was satellite usage fees which, after deduction of operating costs, was redistributed to Intelsat members in proportion to their shares as repayment of capital and compensation for use of capital. Satellite services were available to any organization (both Intelsat members and non-members), and all users paid the same rates.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Wilson |first1=Kevin G. |title=Deregulating Telecommunications: U.S. and Canadian Telecommunications, 1840-1997 |date=2000 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |isbn=978-0-8476-9825-7 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QDiH0zLUamIC |language=en}}</ref>{{rp|149}}

[[Galaxy 27|Intelsat Americas-7]] (known formerly as [[Galaxy 27|Telstar 7]] and known as Galaxy 27 since on 1 February 2007) experienced a several-day power failure on 29 November 2004.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://portal.wikinerds.org/node/152|title=Wikinerds.org posting concerning IA-7 outage|access-date=2005-08-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051027113449/http://portal.wikinerds.org/node/152 |archive-date=2005-10-27|url-status=dead}}</ref> The satellite returned to service with reduced capacity.<ref>{{cite web|last=Krebs|first=Gunter D. |title=Telstar 5, 6, 7 → Intelsat Americas 5, 6, 7 → Galaxy 25, 26, 27|publisher=Gunter's Space Page|access-date=4 December 2022|url=https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/telstar-5.htm}}</ref>

[[File:Intelsat headquarters.JPG|thumb|The former [[Intelsat headquarters|Intelsat administrative headquarters]] in [[Washington, D.C.]]]]

Intelsat was sold for US$3.1 billion in January 2005 to four [[private equity]] firms: [[Madison Dearborn Partners]], [[Apax Partners]], [[Permira]] and [[Apollo Global Management]]. The company acquired [[PanAmSat]] on 3 July 2006, and was then the world's largest provider of fixed satellite services, operating a fleet of 52 satellites in prime orbital locations.{{citation needed|date=May 2020}}

In June 2007, [[BC Partners]] announced they had acquired 76% of Intelsat for about €3.75 billion.<ref name=spacemart20070620>{{cite web |url=http://www.spacemart.com/reports/BC_Partners_Wins_Control_Of_Satellite_Group_Intelsat_999.html|title=BC Partners Wins Control Of Satellite Group Intelsat|publisher=SpaceDaily|date=20 June 2007}}</ref>

=== Intelsat S.A. (Luxembourg) ===
In April 2013, the renamed Intelsat S.A. undertook an [[initial public offering]] on the New York Stock Exchange, raising a net US$550 million, of which US$492 million was paid immediately to reduce outstanding company debts of US$15.9 billion. In May 2013, the company announced it would be purchasing four new high-performance [[Boeing]] [[Boeing 702|EpicNG 702 MP]] satellites.<ref name=wswj20130418>
{{cite web|url=https://blogs.wsj.com/moneybeat/2013/04/18/intelsat-ipo-misses-target-on-launch/|title=Intelsat IPO Misses Target on Launch|newspaper=The Wall Street Journal|date=18 April 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.satellitetoday.com/telecom/2013/05/10/intelsat-signs-new-major-boeing-deal-releases-first-quarter-results/|title=Intelsat Signs New Major Boeing Deal, Releases First Quarter Results|author=Veronica Magan|date=10 May 2013 |publisher=Satellite Today}}</ref>

In 2015, Intelsat [[Delaware General Corporation Law|reincorporated in Delaware]]{{why|date=May 2020}} and became Intelsat Corporation.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Satellite Operator Intelsat Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy - SWFI |url=https://www.swfinstitute.org/news/79694/satellite-operator-intelsat-files-for-chapter-11-bankruptcy |access-date=2022-11-07 |website=www.swfinstitute.org}}</ref>

There were negotiations in 2017 that Intelsat could potentially merge with [[SoftBank Group|Softbank]]-backed [[Eutelsat OneWeb|OneWeb]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-oneweb-intelsat-m-a-idUSKBN1671CW |title=Merger of OneWeb and Intelsat|work=Reuters|date=28 February 2017|last1=Medhora|first1=Irene Klotz}}</ref> However, on 1 June 2017, it was announced that the bondholders would not accept the offer and that the potential merger would be terminated as of 2 June 2017.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-06-01/intelsat-bondholders-said-to-reject-proposed-merger-with-oneweb|access-date=2017-06-05|title=SoftBank's Satellite Merger Disintegrates as Debt Deal Rejected|website=[[Bloomberg News]] |date=June 2017 }}</ref>

=== Operations ===
After 2014, Intelsat maintained its corporate administrative headquarters<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.intelsat.com/contact/locations/|title=Intelsat Global Office Locations|publisher=Intelsat}}</ref>{{primary source inline|date=May 2020}} in [[Tysons, Virginia]],<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/macerichs-tysons-tower-signs-intelsat-as-anchor-office-tenant-181902481.html|title= Macerich's Tysons Tower Signs Intelsat as Anchor Office Tenant|date=3 December 2012|access-date=3 December 2022}}</ref> where a majority of its employees worked at the time.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.bizjournals.com/washington/breaking_ground/2014/08/a-look-inside-intelsat-s-a-s-new-tysons-corner.html| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140822141700/http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/breaking_ground/2014/08/a-look-inside-intelsat-s-a-s-new-tysons-corner.html| archive-date = 2014-08-22| title = Inside Intelsat S.A.'s new Tysons Corner headquarters (Video) - Washington Business Journal}}</ref> Intelsat maintains constantly staffed global network operations centers in its Tysons Corner location and in [[Ellenwood, Georgia]].<ref name=intelsatDATEnotProvided>{{cite web|url=http://www.intelsat.com/news/blog/intelsats-new-noc-designed-for-smoother-customer-service/|title=Intelsat's New NOC|date=December 2016}}</ref>{{primary source inline|date=May 2020}} A highly international business, Intelsat sources the majority of its revenue from non-U.S. located customers.{{when|date=May 2020}} In addition to its satellite fleet, Intelsat owns and operates eight teleports{{clarify|date=May 2020}} around the world.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.intelsat.com/global-network/intelsatone/teleports/|title=Intelsat Teleports|website=Intelsat|access-date=16 January 2019|archive-date=16 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190116043649/http://www.intelsat.com/global-network/intelsatone/teleports/|url-status=dead}}</ref>{{Primary source inline|date=May 2020}}
<!-- missing or outdated info: Spacecraft operations are controlled through ground stations in [[Hagerstown, Maryland]] (USA), [[Riverside, California]] (USA), and [[Fuchsstadt]], [[Germany]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.intelsat.com/aboutus/careers/locations.aspx|title=Intelsat About Us|work=Leading Provider of Satellite Services Worldwide|publisher=Intelsat S.A.}}</ref> -->

=== Bankruptcy ===
Intelsat filed for a [[Chapter 11, Title 11, United States Code|Chapter 11 bankruptcy]] in U.S. courts on 13 May 2020, just before the new [[5G]] [[spectrum auction]]s, with over US$15 billion in total debt.<ref name=sn20200514>{{cite news|title=Intelsat declares bankruptcy as means to fund C-band spectrum clearing|url=https://spacenews.com/intelsat-declares-bankruptcy-as-means-to-fund-c-band-spectrum-clearing/ |last=Henry|first=Caleb|publisher=SpaceNews|date=14 May 2020|access-date=15 May 2020}}</ref><ref name=bloomberg20200514>{{cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-05-14/intelsat-files-for-chapter-11-before-5g-spectrum-sales|title=Intelsat files for Chapter 11 before 5G spectrum sales|publisher=Bloomberg News|date=14 May 2020|access-date=14 May 2020}}</ref>

Public reporting showed that the company had been considering bankruptcy protection as early as February 2020,<ref name=satellitetoday20200205>
 
 [https://www.satellitetoday.com/business/2020/02/05/intelsat-reportedly-hires-bankruptcy-firm/ Intelsat Reportedly Hires Bankruptcy Firm Kirkland & Ellis, Considering Chapter 11],
  Rachel Jewett,
  Satellite Today,
  5 February 2020,
  accessed 14 May 2020
</ref>
as Intelsat formally withdrew from the [[C band (IEEE)#C-Band Alliance|C-Band Alliance]]. The C-Band Alliance was an industry consortium of the major satellite operators. The consortium had been formed to lobby U.S. [[Regulatory agency|regulator]], the [[Federal Communications Commission]] (FCC) regarding the reassignment and payment for the legacy 5G spectrum of its members.<ref name="sn20200220">
  {{cite news
      | title=Intelsat to FCC: C-Band Alliance is dead, we deserve more money
      | url=https://spacenews.com/intelsat-to-fcc-c-band-alliance-is-dead-we-deserve-more-money/
      | last=Henry
      | first=Caleb| publisher=SpaceNews|date=20 February 2020
      | access-date=23 February 2020
  }}
</ref><ref name="sn20200514" />

According to company statements, the company was hoping to restructure so that it could raise requisite capital to launch new satellite technology in 2022/2023, at a cost of some US$1.6 billion. The technology could compress existing licensed C-band spectrum customers into just forty per cent of the spectrum used in 2019. The release of spectrum would enable the company to receive up to US$4.86 billion in "spectrum clearing payments" from the FCC for clearing the spectrum by December 2023, two years ahead of the FCC baseline plan.<ref name=sn20200514/>

=== Emergence from bankruptcy as a private company ===
On 24 February 2022, Intelsat emerged from Chapter 11 as a private company with a strengthened capital structure which reduced debt by more than half, from approximately $16 billion to $7 billion. The company’s plan of reorganization was supported by all creditors and confirmed by the Bankruptcy Court on 16 December 2021. In connection with the emergence from bankruptcy, Intelsat also obtained $6.7 billion in new financing including a revolving credit facility, term loan, and secured notes.<ref>{{Cite web |date=13 May 2020 |title=US Bankruptcy Court, Eastern District of Virginia |url=https://cases.stretto.com/intelsat}}</ref>

According to then company CEO, Stephen Spengler, post bankruptcy, the company plans to pursue aggressive network innovation plans, and strategic growth initiatives, including building a software-defined 5G network.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-02-25 |title=Intelsat Secures Nearly $7B in New Funds as Company Exits Chapter 11 Process |url=https://www.govconwire.com/2022/02/intelsat-gets-nearly-7b-in-financing-emerges-from-financial-restructuring/ |access-date=2022-08-08 |website=GovCon Wire |language=en-US}}</ref> The company also announced a new board of directors, led by Lisa Hammitt, executive vice president and chief technology officer at Davidson Technologies.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-02-24 |title=Intelsat Emerges from Bankruptcy as a Private Company |url=https://www.satellitetoday.com/business/2022/02/24/intelsat-emerges-from-bankruptcy-as-a-private-company/ |access-date=2022-08-08 |website=Via Satellite |language=en}}</ref>

=== Acquisition of Gogo Commercial Aviation ===
In December 2020, Intelsat completed its acquisition of Gogo’s Commercial Aviation (CA) business. The vertical integration combined Intelsat’s next-generation global telecommunications network with Gogo CA’s customer-facing capabilities offering airlines and passengers an enhanced inflight entertainment and connectivity (IFEC) experience.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-09-01 |title=Intelsat buys Gogo commercial aviation business for $400 million |url=https://spacenews.com/intelsat-buys-gogo-commercial-aviation-business-for-400-million/ |access-date=2022-08-08 |website=SpaceNews |language=en-US}}</ref>

=== Acquisition by SES ===
On 30 April 2024, satellite operator, [[SES (company)|SES]] announced that an agreement had been reached to acquire Intelsat for €2.8 billion (US$3.1 billion) cash, with the transaction expected to complete regulatory clearance in the second half of 2025. With over 100 GEO satellites, 26 MEO satellites, and 13 satellites on order, the combined  company's multi-orbit capability will improve competitiveness against rival [[Low Earth orbit|LEO]] satellite networks, and has an expected 2024 revenue of €3.8 billion.<ref name=":0" /><ref>[https://www.analysysmason.com/research/content/articles/intelsat-ses-merger-nsi040/ ''The Intelsat–SES merger is a milestone for the satcom industry''] Analysys Mason. 9 May 2024. Accessed 29 May 2024</ref><ref>[https://www.satellitetoday.com/finance/2024/04/30/ses-explains-the-strategy-behind-its-long-anticipated-acquisition-of-intelsat/ ''SES Explains the Strategy Behind its Long-Anticipated Acquisition of Intelsat''] Via Satellite. 30 April 2024. Accessed 29 May 2024</ref>The UK [[Competition and Markets Authority]] was first to clear the acquisition in May 2025, deciding to not open an in-depth investigation.<ref>[https://www.advanced-television.com/2025/05/29/cma-clears-ses-intelsat-merger/ ''CMA clears SES/Intelsat merger''] Advanced Television 29 May 2025. Accessed 1 June 2025</ref>