satellite was built by Space Systems/Loral, based on the Loral 1300 platform. A contract to launch the satellite was signed with Lockheed Martin, who announced plans to launch the satellite on an Atlas V launch vehicle, flying in the 421 configuration. Launch, from Space Launch Complex 41 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station occurred at 20:12:00 GMT on April 4, 2008. The satellite separated from the carrier rocket 30 minutes and 49 seconds later, completing a successful launch. It is currently in a nominal geosynchronous orbit. At the time, ICO G1 was the largest commercial satellite ever launched. A larger satellite based on the same Loral 1300 platform, TerreStar-1, was successfully launched on July 1, 2009. G1 The G1 satellite is intended to support a wide range of mobile voice, video and data services, and covers the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. Alpha trials of this service began in 2008 in Las Vegas, Nevada and Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina. See also Mobile-satellite service Satellite phone O3b Networks OnStar Sirius Satellite Radio EchoStar Mobile SkyTerra Teledesic TerreStar XM Satellite Radio References External links Official ICO website NSSDC Master Catalog - ICO F2 - 2001-026A NSSDC SPACEWARN Bulletin - ICO G1 - 2008-016A NSSDC Master Catalog - ICO G1 - 2008-016A Lloyd's satellite constellations - Overview - ICO AT&T CruiseCast One of the Satellite Access Node (SAN) at Banyuurip, Indosat Facilities-Indonesia Communications satellite operators