PanAmSat's space woes continue despite the successful launch of the PAS 6B satellite on 22 December. Yet another satellite in its fleet has malfunctioned.
Two of the 24 Ku-band antennas on PanAmSat 8, a Space Systems Loral-built FS-1300 spacecraft launched last November, are not aligned properly, restricting coverage over the Asia Pacific region (Flight International, 16-22 December, 1998).
The PanAmSat casualty list so far reads:
Galaxy IV failed in orbit; PAS 5 and Galaxy 8I, battery problems; PanAmSat 4 and Galaxy VII, control processor malfunctions. These are all Hughes HS-601 buses.One other Loral satellite, the PAS 6, malfunctioned before the incident involving the PAS 8.
Source: Flight International
