Martin Intersputnik Ltd, a joint venture between Lockheed Martin Corporation and the Intersputnik International Organization of Space Communications, announced today that the launch of its first satellite, LMI-1, will take place in the latter half of December,
1998.
Lockheed Martin Intersputnik revealed the details of their launch
at Lockheed Martin’s Sunnyvale, California facility during a visit by
Vice President Al Gore and Russian Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin
to view an exhibition of successful U.S./Russian joint ventures.
LMI-1, a Lockheed Martin state-of-the-art A2100 model, will be
the first satellite to provide high performance, long life
communications capacity to all of the Commonwealth of Independent
States, in addition to Eastern Europe, South Asia, and Africa.
LMI-1 will be launched on a Proton vehicle by ILS International
Launch Services and will be located at 75 degrees east. This
satellite features 44 high-powered transponders in C and Ku band
frequencies with a designated 15-year service life.
LMI’s president and chief executive officer, James Beitchman,
believes LMI’s offer is unique in its scope in both the coverage
provided and in the range of services offered.
“LMI answers the communications needs of a wide audience with a
variety of services tailored to differing end users, including newly
established international networks, telecommunications
infrastructures, business networks, and individual homes. Our first
satellite will serve rapidly developing regions such as Russia,”
said Beitchman.
Initially, LMI-1 will provide broadcasting and telecommunications
transmission capacity, VSAT, and video and data distribution to
underserved areas and will expand to provide a full range of services
including direct-to-home TV, direct radio, and mobile communications
on a global scale. LMI will achieve its global coverage through the
15 orbital satellite slots provided by Intersputnik. A second
satellite launch is planned for 1999 and two subsequent launches are
planned for 2000 and 2001.
About Intersputnik
Intersputnik is an international intergovernmental organization
which operates a satellite communications system and provides
international, regional, and domestic communications worldwide. The
organization was established more than 25 years ago and has 23 member
countries. Intersputnik has built long-term relationships with many
broadcasters and telecommunications operators worldwide.
Throughout its history, Intersputnik has provided its customers
in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific regions with a wide range of
telecommunications services including voice, data, television, and
audio broadcasting in international, domestic, and regional public
networks, as well as the establishment of video-conferencing and
business communications networks. Because the service area of LMI-1
is oriented toward Intersputnik markets, Intersputnik is playing a
major role in the marketing and customer service activities of LMI-1,
the first LMI satellite.
