Delayed from late 2002, September 27 2003. The satellite carried both C-band and Ku-band communications payloads. The C-band payload was referred to as Galaxy 13; the Ku-band payload was jointly owned by Panamsat and the Japanese JSAT company and was called Horizons-1. Horizons-1 was to provide digital data services between the Americas and Asia via a relay station in Hawaii. As of 2007 Mar 11 located at 127.00W drifting at 0.002E degrees per day.

Launched by Horizons Satellite Holdings LLC, a joint venture of Intelsat and the Japanese JSAT company. To be placed at 74 deg W to serve United States, eastern Canada, and the Caribbean with communication services using its 16-transmitter Ku-band communications payload.