ProtoStar

The company's strategy involved acquiring existing but unlaunched satellites and modifying them for its specific needs. The first satellite, ProtoStar I, was originally built as ChinaSat 8 by Space Systems/Loral but its export was blocked by the U.S. State Department. ProtoStar acquired it in 2006 and, after modifications, it was launched on July 7, 2008. The second satellite, ProtoStar II, was based on a Boeing 601HP spacecraft originally intended for PanAmSat and was launched on May 16, 2009. The company's President and CEO was Philip Father, who led the venture from its conceptualization in 2002. The venture was backed by significant investment from firms including New Enterprise Associates, Vantage Point Venture Partners, and MHR Fund Management LLC, raising a total of $250 million over four funding rounds.

Despite successfully launching two satellites, ProtoStar's operations were short-lived. On June 29, 2009, just over a month after its second satellite launch, ProtoStar Ltd. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The filing was precipitated by a contract dispute with Intersputnik, which controlled the orbital slot for ProtoStar I, leading to a shutdown of the satellite's revenue-generating operations. The company's assets were subsequently auctioned off. Intelsat acquired ProtoStar I for $210 million, renaming it Intelsat 25, while SES purchased ProtoStar II for $185 million.