SpaceX Launches Intelsat’s Communications Satellite With NASA Payload

The Intelsat 40e geosynchronous satellite was launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on April 7.

The IS-40e GEO satellite uses spot-beam technology to provide connectivity capabilities to commercial aviation, mobility and network service clients. Specifically, it will deliver high-throughput capacity, high-speed connectivity through Intelsat’s Flex network, software-defined wide-area network coverage and speed enhancements, and 4G/LTE and 5G services.

The Maxar Technologies-manufactured satellite will become operational in May, Intelsat said.

Dave Wajsgras, Intelsat CEO and a 4×24 member, said the IS-40e launch is part of his company’s efforts to refresh its fleet, grow its capacity and deliver best value to its North American customers. He added that the satellite hosts a NASA payload that would monitor air pollution across North America.

The NASA payload Wajsgras mentioned is called Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring Pollution. TEMPO, which will be operated by Intelsat, will monitor and track air pollution on an hourly basis and would focus on a specific area whenever a natural disaster requires its services.

TEMPO will be operational in the summer.