No Caption

Initially announced in December 2008, the $250 million Intelsat New Dawn project would launch aboard an Ariane 5 rocket from the Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.

The original launch was delayed when an abnormal launch vehicle parameter was detected during the automated checkout procedure after startup of the Ariane 5's cryogenic main engine. The launcher was in the Spaceport's Final Assembly Building being prepared for its mission, Intelsat SA said.

Operating from a geostationary orbital slot at 32.8 degrees East, Intelsat New Dawn would serve Africa through a payload optimised to deliver new capacity for wireless backhaul, fixed-line and wireless infrastructure, broadband and media - the fastest growing satellite-based applications in Africa.

The satellite's 28 C-band and 24 Ku-band 36 MHz transponder units had been designed specifically to supply critical communications infrastructure for African customers who experienced exceptional growth along with the development of the region.

Intelsat New Dawn was created through a joint venture between Intelsat and a South African investor group, led by Convergence Partners, with debt funding from leading African banking institutions including Nedbank.

The Intelsat New Dawn project was funded through about 15% equity and 85% with debt. African institutions would provide about 90% of the total financing required for the joint venture and Intelsat would contribute the balance.

Nedbank Capital, part of the Nedbank Group, arranged the non-recourse debt financing. A consortium of lenders including Nedbank, the Industrial Development Corporation of SA and the African Development Bank would provide the debt funding.

The equity was provided by Intelsat (74.9%) and the Convergence Partners-led group (25.1%), which also included Altirah Telecoms and the not-for-profit Convergence Partners Foundation.

The satellite would be stationed at 32.8 degrees East longitude, and would be integrated with Intelsat's global satellite fleet.