Eutelsat Americas

The first Mexican satellite facilities are built in the state of Hidalgo.

Mexico becomes a subscriber of the Intelsat system.

The Communications and Transports Secretary (SCT) hires Hughes to build the Mexican satellite system "Morelos" (two HS-376 geostationary satellites).

Morelos I is launched from Cape Canaveral in June aboard the 51-G manned mission of NASA. The satellite successfully reaches the 113° West orbital position, with national coverage.
Construction of Iztapalapa Control Center, located in Mexico City.
Morelos II is launched from Cape Canaveral in November aboard the shuttle Atlantis (OV-104), on NASA's manned mission 61-B, in which the first Mexican astronaut participated. The satellite occupied the orbital position of 116.8° West, with national coverage.

Telecomm (Telecomunicaciones de México) is created as a decentralized body and becomes the Morelos Satellite System Operator.

Telecomm hires Hughes for the construction of the Solidaridad Satellites, two HS-601 geostationary satellites with tri-axial stabilization. These were designed to provide C-band services in Mexico, the southern United States and the rest of Latin America, with Ku-band services in Mexico and the United States.

Launch of Solidaridad I aboard an Ariane 4 from Kourou, French Guiana. The satellite successfully reaches its orbital position of 109.2° West.
 

Launch of Solidaridad II aboard an Ariane 4 from Kourou, French Guiana. The satellite successfully reaches its orbital position at 113° West.
The Satellite Control Center in Hermosillo opens in May.

Beginning of the privatization process of the Fixed Satellite Services sector of Telecomm (later SATMEX).

Hughes is asked to build the Morelos 3 (later SATMEX 5, today EUTELSAT 115 West A) with C and Ku-band coverage throughout the Americas.
The Fixed Satellite Services section of Telecomm is registered under Mexican law on June 26 and constituted as the Satélites Mexicanos, S.A. de C.V. (SATMEX). The company is owned by the Mexican State.
After performing a public tenure, the alliance integrated by Principia and Loral Space & Communications acquires 75% of SATMEX. The Mexican government owns 25% with non-voting capabilities in the council. SATMEX attracts an investment of U.S. $ 645 million to Mexico.

SATMEX 5 (now EUTELSAT 115 West A) is launched into space aboard an Ariane 4L launch vehicle departing from Kourou, French Guiana.

This is the first satellite over the Americas with continental coverage on C and Ku bands.

SATMEX is certified with ISO 9001:2000 in Engineering and Satellite Operations including the Traffic and Customer Support Departments.

This certification accounts for our two control centers, engineering and satellite operations, access and satellite monitoring and customer support.

Alterna'TV is established. Its objective is to distribute Latin American programming in household pay TV systems throughout the United States.

SATMEX offers programming packages that broadcast several Latin American signals.

SATMEX 6 (today EUTELSAT 113 West A) is launched to position 113° West. Solidaridad 2 is migrated to position 114.9º West.

Change in the company’s management and the start of a new stage in SATMEX.

The first Strategic Plan is developed, with a business plan focused on strategic customers.

The construction of SATMEX 8 (now EUTELSAT 117 West A) begins, the satellite to replace SATMEX 5 (now EUTELSAT 115 West A).

The agreement to build SATMEX 7 (now EUTELSAT 115 West B) is signed with Boeing, and a contract is signed with Space X for the launch of the new satellite.

Launch of SATMEX 8 (now EUTELSAT 117 West A).
 

On January2nd, 2014, SATMEX becomes part of the Eutelsat Group. The company adopts the Eutelsat brand and is renamed Eutelsat Americas.

Launch of EUTELSAT 115 West B.

Launch of EUTELSAT 65 West A and EUTELSAT 117 West B.

Since November 2017, Eutelsat Americas has been certified in ISO 9001:2015 in:

- Engineering and Satellite Operations including the two Control and Satellite Communications Centers

- Customer care.