Space Systems/Loral (SS/L) has announced that the Telstar 11N satellite built for Telesat, one of the world's leading fixed satellite services operators, is performing post launch maneuvers according to plan.

The satellite's solar arrays deployed on schedule several hours after separation, following yesterday's successful launch aboard a Zenit-3SLB rocket from the Baikonur Space Center in Kazakhstan. Tomorrow the satellite will begin firing its thrusters to maneuver into its final geosynchronous orbit.

"We are proud to know that this high-power satellite will help make information and entertainment more accessible around the world," said John Celli, President and Chief Operating Officer of Space Systems/Loral.

"Telstar 11N demonstrates the flexibility of our standard 1300 satellite platform, which in this case was engineered to accommodate a smaller launch vehicle. It is this flexibility together with long term proven reliability that have helped SS/L achieve more than 40 percent market share over the past five years."

When it reaches its final geosynchronous orbit, Telstar 11N will support video and data applications in North America, Western Europe, and Africa. Space Systems/Loral designed the satellite with a unique Atlantic Ocean beam, which will help Telesat meet growing demand for mobile broadband from both commercial and government customers in shipping and aviation.

"Telstar 11N is a key growth driver for Telesat in 2009 and beyond and enables us to provide high power Ku-band capacity to important regions in three continents as well as the Atlantic Ocean region," said Dan Goldberg, President and Chief Executive Officer of Telesat.

"We have been very pleased to work with Space Systems/Loral and the Sea Launch/Land Launch teams, and are grateful for their professionalism and dedication in making this launch a success."

Telstar 11N has a total of 39 high-power Ku-band transponders and it weighed approximately 4,010 kilograms at launch. Based on SS/L's 1300 space-proven platform, the satellite is designed for a service life of 15 years or more.

When Telstar 11N reaches its geostationary orbital slot at 37.5 degrees West longitude, there will be 56 Space Systems/Loral GEO satellites on orbit.