Galaxy 18
Geosynchronous communications satellite
title: "Galaxy 18" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["communications-satellites-in-geostationary-orbit", "satellite-television", "spacecraft-launched-in-2008", "spacecraft-launched-by-zenit-and-energia-rockets", "satellites-using-the-ssl-1300-bus"] description: "Geosynchronous communications satellite" topic_path: "arts/film" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galaxy_18" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Geosynchronous communications satellite ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox spaceflight"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Galaxy 18 |
| operator | Intelsat |
| mission_duration | 15 years |
| spacecraft_bus | LS-1300 |
| manufacturer | Space Systems/Loral |
| launch_mass | 4642 kg |
| launch_date | UTC |
| launch_rocket | Zenit-3SL |
| launch_site | Odyssey |
| launch_contractor | Sea Launch |
| deactivated | |
| orbit_reference | Geocentric |
| orbit_regime | Geostationary |
| orbit_longitude | 123° West () |
| apsis | gee |
| trans_band | 24 IEEE C band |
| 24 IEEE Ku band | |
| trans_coverage | United States, Canada, Mexico |
| :: |
| name = Galaxy 18 | image = | image_caption =
| mission_type = | operator = Intelsat | website = | COSPAR_ID = | SATCAT = | mission_duration = 15 years
| spacecraft_bus = LS-1300 | manufacturer = Space Systems/Loral | dry_mass = | launch_mass = 4642 kg | power =
| launch_date = UTC | launch_rocket = Zenit-3SL | launch_site = Odyssey | launch_contractor = Sea Launch | entered_service =
| disposal_type = | deactivated =
| orbit_epoch = | orbit_reference = Geocentric | orbit_regime = Geostationary | orbit_periapsis = | orbit_apoapsis = | orbit_inclination = | orbit_period = | orbit_longitude = 123° West () | orbit_slot = | apsis = gee
| trans_band = 24 IEEE C band 24 IEEE Ku band | trans_frequency = | trans_bandwidth = | trans_capacity = | trans_coverage = United States, Canada, Mexico | trans_TWTA = | trans_EIRP = | trans_HPBW = Galaxy 18 is a Space Systems/Loral (SS/L) 1300-series hybrid communications satellite owned by Intelsat and located in geosynchronous orbit at 123° W longitude, serving the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico, and Canada with 24 C band, and 24 Ku band transponders. Galaxy 18 replaced Galaxy 10R near the end of its design life.
Galaxy 18 was launched on May 21, 2008. The launch took place successfully at 09:43 GMT.
Free-to-air television
Galaxy 18 is the home of a number of minor television networks, and in the past hosted the stations of Equity Media Holdings before its 2009 bankruptcy, where it used the satellite to beam several major network affiliates to their appropriate local transmitters, along with the local cable providers carrying them as Equity hubbed their master control from a hub in Little Rock, Arkansas.
References
References
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20080517182823/http://www.intelsat.com/network/satellite/scheduled-launch.asp Intelsat Satellite Launch Schedule]
- "Sea Launch Successfully Delivers Galaxy 18 to Orbit". Sea Launch.
::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::