Orbital Sciences will design, build and deliver the Intelsat 23 (IS-23) commercial communications satellite for Intelsat.

Based on Orbital’s STAR-2 platform, the fixed satellite will generate 4.8KW of payload power and carry 15 active Ku-band and 24 active C-band transponders.

The IS-23 will serve the Americas, Europe and Africa placed at 53°W longitude.

The system with a design life of 15 years will be the tenth Orbital-built spacecraft to join the Intelsat fleet.

IS-23 is expected to launch in late 2011.