Intelsat to Test Internet Routing in Space for the U.S. Military

    BETHESDA, Md., April 11 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Intelsat General
 Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Intelsat Ltd, today announced that it
 has been selected for an industry-government collaboration to demonstrate
 the viability of conducting military communications through an Internet
 router in space.
     The Department of Defense project to test Internet routing in space
 (IRIS) will be managed by Intelsat General, and the payload will convert to
 commercial use once testing has been completed. The IRIS project is one of
 seven projects -- out of hundreds of applicants -- funded and announced in
 fiscal 2007 as a Joint Capability Technology Demonstration (JCTD) by the
 Department of Defense.
     Intelsat is the first commercial satellite company to be awarded a JCTD
 Program. The IRIS JCTD is a three-year program that allows the DoD to
 collaborate with Intelsat General and its industry team to demonstrate and
 assess the utility of the IRIS capability.
     Cisco, the global networking leader based in San Jose, CA, will provide
 commercial IP networking software for the on-board router. In addition,
 SEAKR Engineering Inc. of Denver, CO, will manufacture the space-hardened
 router and integrate it into the IRIS payload.
     Concerto Advisors, a financial advisory firm based in Iowa City, IA, is
 organizing equity financing for a new company to provide the funds to
 design, build and operate the equipment used for the demonstration.
 Following the JCTD testing period, Concerto's affiliate will own the
 equipment, and Intelsat will operate the equipment on Concerto's behalf to
 provide services for government and commercial users.
     "IRIS extends the Internet into space, integrating satellite systems
 and the ground infrastructure for warfighters, first responders and others
 who need seamless and instant communications," said Bill Shernit, President
 and CEO of Intelsat General. "IRIS will enable U.S. and allied military
 forces with diverse satellite equipment to seamlessly communicate over the
 Internet from the most remote regions of the world."
     Intelsat previously announced that Space Systems/Loral of Palo Alto,
 CA, will manufacture the satellite scheduled to carry the IRIS payload. The
 satellite, IS-14, is set for launch in the first quarter of 2009. It will
 be placed in geostationary orbit at 45 degrees West longitude with coverage
 of Europe, Africa and the Americas.
     Representing the next generation of space-based communications, IRIS
 will serve as a computer processor in the sky, merging communications being
 received on various frequency bands and transmitting them to multiple users
 based on data instructions embedded in the uplink.
     The IRIS payload will support network services for voice, video and
 data communications, enabling military units or allied forces to
 communicate with one another using Internet protocol and existing ground
 equipment.
     The IRIS payload will interconnect one C-band and two Ku-band coverage
 areas. The IRIS architecture and design allow for flexible IP packet (layer
 3) routing or multicast distribution that can be reconfigured on demand.
 With the on-board processor routing the up and down communications links,
 the IRIS
     payload is expected to enhance satellite performance and reduce signal
 degradation from atmospheric conditions.
     "The IRIS architecture allows direct IP routing over satellite,
 eliminating the need for routing via a ground-based teleport, thereby
 dramatically increasing the efficiency and flexibility of the satellite
 communications link," said Don Brown, Vice President of Hosted Payload
 Programs for Intelsat General. "IRIS is to the future of satellite-based
 communications what ARPANET was to the creation of the Internet in the
 1960s."
     The Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) will have overall
 responsibility for coordinating use of the IRIS technology among the
 government user community and for developing means of leveraging the IRIS
 capability once the satellite is in space.
     Awarding a JCTD for the IRIS program had the strong support of the U.S.
 Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM), which sees the program as a path to more
 efficient communications between warfighters around the globe. USSTRATCOM
 is a joint military command whose responsibilities include space
 operations, missile defense, intelligence, reconnaissance and global
 command and control.
     About Intelsat General Corp.
     Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Intelsat General Corporation provides
 leading-edge communications solutions to commercial, government, and
 military customers through fixed and mobile satellite systems and
 associated terrestrial communications services. Intelsat General
 incorporates flexible and robust ground and space infrastructure and
 technical expertise to deliver reliable, quickly deployable and secure
 network solutions anywhere around the globe. Intelsat General is an
 indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Intelsat, Ltd.
 http://www.intelsatgeneral.com. Contact: Lynette Henley at 1+(301) 571-1239
 or lynette.henley@intelsatgeneral.com.
     Intelsat Safe Harbor Statement: Some of the statements in this news
 release constitute "forward-looking statements" that do not directly or
 exclusively relate to historical facts. The forward-looking statements made
 in this release reflect Intelsat's intentions, plans, expectations,
 assumptions and beliefs about future events and are subject to risks,
 including known and unknown risks. Detailed information about some of the
 known risks is included in Intelsat's annual report on Form 10-K for the
 year ended December 31, 2006 filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange
 Commission. Because actual results could differ materially from Intelsat's
 intentions, plans, expectations, assumptions and beliefs about the future,
 you are urged to view all forward- looking statements contained in this
 news release with caution. Intelsat does not undertake any obligation to
 update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new
 information, future events or otherwise.
     About Concerto Advisors.
     Concerto Advisors, Inc. is a venture advisory firm. Currently, it is
 working with US Strategic Command and industry partners to create a
 transformative paradigm for satellite communications and related services.
 Concerto Advisors is an Industry Management Team Member and the investment
 manager for the industry team for the Internet Routing in Space Joint
 Capability Technology Demonstration Project. Concerto Advisors is
 organizing, and arranging financing for its affiliate (to be named), who
 will finance, control, and operate the equipment that will provide IP
 routing on IS - 14 commercially after the JCTD testing period has
 concluded. Contact: Clare Fairfield, 1+ (319) 338-2326,
 cfairfield@concertoadvisorsinc.com
     About Cisco Systems
     Cisco ( CSCO), is the worldwide leader in networking that
 transforms how people connect, communicate and collaborate. Information
 about Cisco can be found at http://www.cisco.com. For ongoing news, please
 go to http://newsroom.cisco.com.
     Media contact: Janis Langley, 1+ (512) 402-9635, jalangle@cisco.com
     About SEAKR Engineering
     SEAKR Engineering is a world-leading provider of advanced
 state-of-the-art electronic avionics for space and airborne applications.
 Since its inception in 1982, SEAKR has delivered over one hundred flight
 units. More than sixty of these units have launched with all having met or
 exceeded mission objectives. This 100% success rate establishes a track
 record simply unsurpassed in the industry. SEAKR leading edge space
 avionics include Cisco IP routers as well as software-defined radios,
 high-performance payload processors, modular command and data handling
 systems, and solid state recorders. SEAKR is a small business proud to
 serve its customers and country. Contact: Dave Jungkind, 1+ (301) 784-7734,
 dave.jungkind@seakr.com
     About the JCTD
     In FY2006 a new business process was initiated which replaced the
 successful ACTD (Advanced Concepts Technology Demonstration) program,
 updating it to meet the transformational goal of the U.S. Department of
 Defense (DoD) to become capability vice threat-based in its focus. The
 program is referred to as the Joint Capability Technology Demonstration
 (JCTD) program. The JCTD program includes many positive aspects of the ACTD
 program, but was revamped to meet the defense challenges of the 21st
 Century. The new process integrates the ACTD program with the new Joint
 Integration and Development System (JCIDS) developed by the Joint Chiefs of
 Staff (JCS). The IRIS JCTD is a three-year program that allows the DoD to
 collaborate with Intelsat General and its industry team to demonstrate and
 assess the utility of the IRIS capability. IRIS is designed to support
 enhanced network services for voice, video and data communications over a
 common IP network. Additionally, the IRIS JCTD serves as an operational
 test bed to further examine Network Operations (NetOps), Concept of
 Operations (CONOP) and Tactics, Techniques and Procedures (TTPs), and how
 space-based routing and processing can serve the Joint Interagency
 Intergovernmental, and Multinational (JIIM) user community.
     Government Contacts:
     DISA: Mr. Michael Thiem, 1+ (703) 607-6714, Michael.Thiem@disa.mil
     SMDC: Mr. Michael Howard, 1+ (719) 554-1983, Michael.Howard@smdc-
 cs.army.mil
     US STRATCOM: Mr. Bruce Sprecher, 1+ (402) 294-1067,
 SPRECHBJ@stratcom.mil
     USAF/SMC: Mr. Eric Schnaible, 1+ (310) 653-1131,
 Eric.Schnaible@losangeles.af.mil
     CONTACT: Lynette Henley, Senior Marketing Manager of Intelsat General
 Corp., +1-301-571-1239
 
 

SOURCE Intelsat General Corp.