As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 31, 1996

                                              Registration No. 333-_____
===============================================================================

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                   ----------

                                    Form S-8

                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                                   ----------

                              PANAMSAT CORPORATION
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

          Delaware                                            06-1407851
(State or Other Jurisdiction of                              (I.R.S. Employer
 Incorporation or Organization)                             Identification No.)

                One Pickwick Plaza, Greenwich, Connecticut 06830
               (Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)

                                   ----------

                        PanAmSat Corporation 401(k) PLAN
                            (Full Title of the Plan)

                                   ----------

     James W. Cuminale,                                   Copy to:
Senior Vice President and General Counsel           Dennis J. Friedman, Esq.
     PANAMSAT CORPORATION                            CHADBOURNE & PARKE LLP
      One Pickwick Plaza                              30 Rockefeller Plaza
      Greenwich, CT 06830                           New York, New York 10112
(Name and Address of Agent For Service)

 Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service: (203) 622-6664

                                   ----------

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
<TABLE>
<S>                                 <C>                  <C>               <C>              <C>
----------------------------------- -------------------- ----------------- ---------------- -----------------
                                                             Proposed         Proposed
                                          Amount             Maximum           Maximum           Amount
       Title of Securities                 to be          Offering Price      Aggregate            of
         to be Registered               Registered          Per Share*     Offering Price*  Registration Fee
----------------------------------- -------------------- ----------------- ---------------- =================
Common Stock, Par Value $0.01 per
   share................................60,000 shs.         $ 28.3125        $1,698,750         $514.85
----------------------------------- -------------------- ----------------- ---------------- =================
</TABLE>

*   Estimated  solely for the  purpose of  calculating  the  registration  fee
    pursuant to Rule 457(h) and 457(c) under the Securities Act of 1933 on the
    basis of the average of the high and low prices ($28 1/16 and $28,
    respectively) for the Common Stock on the Nasdaq National Market on October
    28, 1996.

                                   ----------

    In addition, pursuant to Rule 416(c) of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement also covers an indeterminate amount of interests to be
offered or sold pursuant to the employee benefit plan described herein.

===============================================================================

<PAGE>

                                EXPLANATORY NOTE

         Information required by Part I of Form S-8 to be contained in the
Section 10(a) prospectus is omitted from this Registration Statement in
accordance with the Note to Part I of Form S-8.

<PAGE>

                                    PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT


Item 3.  Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

         The following documents filed by Registrant or the Plan with the
Securities and Exchange Commission are specifically incorporated herein by
reference and made a part hereof:

               (i) Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year
         ended December 31, 1995, filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of
         the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act");

              (ii) all other  reports  filed by  Registrant  pursuant to 
         Section  13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act since December 31, 1995;

             (iii) the description of Registrant's Common Stock contained in
         Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-1 (Registration File No.
         33-95396) by incorporation by reference to pages 82-84 of the
         Prospectus constituting a part of Registrant's Form S-1;

              (iv) the Annual Report on Form 11-K for the PanAmSat Corporation
         401(k) Plan for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1995, filed pursuant
         to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act; and

               (v)    Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-8 
         (Registration No. 333-12317).

         All documents subsequently filed by Registrant or the Plan pursuant to
Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the filing of a
post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered have been
sold or which deregisters all securities remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be
incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement and to be a part hereof
from the date of filing of such documents. Any statement contained in a document
incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to
be modified or superseded for purposes of this Registration Statement to the
extent that a statement contained herein or in any subsequently filed document
which also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or
supersedes such statement. Any statement modified or superseded shall not be
deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute part of this
Registration Statement.


Item 4.  Description of Securities.

         This Item is not applicable as Registrant's Common Stock is registered
under Section 12 of the Exchange Act.

<PAGE>


Item 5.  Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

         James W. Cuminale, the Company's Senior Vice President and General
Counsel has options to purchase 75,000 shares of Common Stock under the
Company's Long Term Stock Investment Plan.


Item 6.  Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

         Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of Delaware provides in part
as follows:

                 "(a) A corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a
        party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or
        completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal,
        administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right
        of the corporation) by reason of the fact that he is or was a director,
        officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at
        the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent
        of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other
        enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys' fees), judgments,
        fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by
        him in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if he acted in
        good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not
        opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to
        any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe
        his conduct was unlawful. The termination of any action, suit or
        proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction, or upon a plea of
        nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a
        presumption that the person did not act in good faith and in a manner
        which he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best
        interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action
        or proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was
        unlawful.

                 "(b) A corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a
        party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or
        completed action or suit by or in the right of the corporation to
        procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that he is or was
        a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was
        serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer,
        employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture,
        trust or other enterprise against expenses (including attorneys' fees)
        actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with the defense
        or settlement of such action or suit if he acted in good faith and in a
        manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best
        interests of the corporation and except that no indemnification shall be
        made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person
        shall have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless and only
        to the extent that the Court of Chancery or the court in which such
        action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that,
        despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the
        circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled
        to indemnity for such expenses which the Court of Chancery or such other
        court shall deem proper.

                 "(c) To the extent that a director, officer, employee or agent
        of a corporation has been successful on the merits or otherwise in
        defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to in subsections (a)
        and (b) of this section, or in defense of any claim, issue or matter
        therein, he shall be indemnified against expenses (including attorneys'
        fees) actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection therewith.

                 "(d) Any indemnification under subsections (a) and (b) of this
        section (unless ordered by a court) shall be made by the corporation
        only as authorized in the specific case upon a determination that
        indemnification of the director, officer, employee or agent is proper in
        the circumstances because he has met the applicable standard of conduct
        set forth in subsections (a) and (b) of this section. Such determination
        shall be made (1) by a majority vote of the directors who are not
        parties to such action, suit or proceeding, even though less than a
        quorum, or (2) if there are no such directors, or if such directors so
        direct, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion, or (3) by the
        stockholders.

                 "(e) Expenses (including attorneys' fees) incurred by an
        officer or director in defending any civil, criminal, administrative or
        investigative action, suit or proceeding may be paid by the corporation
        in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding
        upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such director or
        officer to repay such amount if it shall ultimately be determined that
        he is not entitled to be indemnified by the corporation as authorized in
        this section. Such expenses (including attorneys' fees) incurred by
        other employees and agents may be so paid upon such terms and
        conditions, if any, as the board of directors deems appropriate.

                 "(f) The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided
        by, or granted pursuant to, the other subsections of this section shall
        not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which those seeking
        indemnification or advancement of expenses may be entitled under any
        bylaw, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or
        otherwise, both as to action in his official capacity and as to action
        in another capacity while holding such office.

                 "(g) A corporation shall have power to purchase and maintain
        insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer,
        employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the
        request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of
        another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other
        enterprise against any liability asserted against him and incurred by
        him in any such capacity, or arising out of his status as such, whether
        or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify him against
        such liability under this section.

                 "(h) For purposes of this section, references to 'the
        corporation' shall include, in addition to the resulting corporation,
        any constituent corporation (including any constituent of a constituent)
        absorbed in a consolidation or merger which, if its separate existence
        had continued, would have had power and authority to indemnify its
        directors, officers, and employees or agents, so that any person who is
        or was a director, officer, employee or agent of such constituent
        corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such constituent
        corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another
        corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise,
        shall stand in the same position under this section with respect to the
        resulting or surviving corporation as he would have with respect to such
        constituent corporation if its separate existence had continued.

                 "(i) For purposes of this section, references to 'other
        enterprises' shall include employee benefit plans; references to 'fines'
        shall include any excise taxes assessed on a person with respect to any
        employee benefit plan; and references to 'serving at the request of the
        corporation' shall include any service as a director, officer, employee
        or agent of the corporation which imposes duties on, or involves
        services by, such director, officer, employee, or agent with respect to
        an employee benefit plan, its participants or beneficiaries; and a
        person who acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to
        be in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee
        benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in a manner 'not opposed to
        the best interests of the corporation' as referred to in this section.

                 "(j) The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided
        by, or granted pursuant to, this section shall, unless otherwise
        provided when authorized or ratified, continue as to a person who has
        ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent and shall inure to
        the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such a person.

                 "(k) The Court of Chancery is hereby vested with exclusive
        jurisdiction to hear and determine all actions for advancement of
        expenses or indemnification brought under this section or under any
        bylaw, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors, or
        otherwise. The Court of Chancery may summarily determine a corporation's
        obligation to advance expenses (including attorneys' fees)."


Article VI of Registrant's By-laws provides as follows:

                 Indemnification of Directors and Officers

                 SECTION 1. General. The Corporation shall indemnify any person
        who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any
        threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether
        civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action
        by or in the right of the Corporation) by reason of the fact that he is
        or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or is
        or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer,
        employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture,
        trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys' fees),
        judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably
        incurred by him in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if he
        acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or
        not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, and, with respect
        to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe
        his conduct was unlawful. The termination of any action, suit or
        proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction, or upon a plea of
        nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a
        presumption that the person did not act in good faith and in a manner
        which he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best
        interests of the Corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action
        or proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was
        unlawful.

                 SECTION 2. Derivative Actions. The Corporation shall indemnify
        any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to
        any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right
        of the Corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the
        fact that he is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the
        Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a
        director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation,
        partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against expenses
        (including attorneys' fees) actually and reasonably incurred by him in
        connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if he
        acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or
        not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, provided that no
        indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter
        as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the
        Corporation unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery of
        the State of Delaware or the court in which such action or suit was
        brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication
        of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such
        person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses
        which the Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper.

                 SECTION 3. Indemnification in Certain Cases. To the extent that
        a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation has been
        successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit or
        proceeding referred to in Sections 1 and 2 of this Article VI, or in
        defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, he shall be indemnified
        against expenses (including attorneys' fees) actually and reasonably
        incurred by him in connection therewith.

                 SECTION 4. Procedure. Any indemnification under Sections 1 and
        2 of this Article VI (unless ordered by a court) shall be made by the
        Corporation only as authorized in the specific case upon a determination
        that indemnification of the director, officer, employee or agent is
        proper in the circumstances because he has met the applicable standard
        of conduct set forth in such Sections 1 and 2. Such determination shall
        be made (a) by the Board of Directors by a majority vote of those
        directors who were not parties to such action, suit or proceeding,
        whether or not they constitute a quorum of the Board of Directors, or
        (b) if such a quorum is not obtainable, or, even if obtainable a quorum
        of disinterested directors so directs, by independent legal counsel in a
        written opinion, or (c) by the stockholders.

                 SECTION 5. Advances for Expenses. Expenses incurred in
        defending a civil or criminal action, suit or proceeding may be paid by
        the Corporation in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit
        or proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of the
        director, officer, employee or agent to repay such amount if it shall be
        ultimately determined that he is not entitled to be indemnified by the
        Corporation as authorized in this Article VI.

                 SECTION 6. Rights Not-Exclusive. The indemnification and
        advancement of expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to, the other
        subsections of this Article VI shall not be deemed exclusive of any
        other rights to which those seeking indemnification or advancement of
        expenses may be entitled under any law, by-law, agreement, vote of
        stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise, both as to action
        in his official capacity and as to action in another capacity while
        holding such office.

                 SECTION 7. Insurance. The Corporation shall have power to
        purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a
        director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or is or was
        serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer,
        employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture,
        trust or other enterprise against any liability asserted against him and
        incurred by him in any such capacity, or arising out of his status as
        such, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify
        him against such liability under the provisions of this Article VI.

                 SECTION 8. Definition of Corporation. For the purposes of this
        Article VI, references to "the Corporation" include all constituent
        corporations absorbed in a consolidation or merger as well as the
        resulting or surviving corporation so that any person who is or was a
        director, officer, employee or agent of such a constituent corporation
        or is or was serving at the request of such constituent corporation as a
        director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation,
        partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise shall stand in the
        same position under the provisions of this Article VI with respect to
        the resulting or surviving corporation as he would if he had served the
        resulting or surviving corporation in the same capacity.

                 SECTION 9. Survival of Rights. The indemnification and
        advancement of expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to this Article
        VI shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director,
        officer, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs,
        executors and administrators of such a person.


Item 7.  Exemption from Registration Claimed.

         This Item is not applicable.


Item 8.  Exhibits.

          4.a.1      Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the 
                     Registrant (filed as an exhibit to Amendment No. 3 to 
                     Registration Statement No. 33-95396 and incorporated 
                     herein by reference).

          4.b.1.     By-Laws of the Registrant (filed as an exhibit to 
                     Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement No. 33-
                     84836 and incorporated herein by reference).

          23.1       Consent of Arthur Andersen.

          23.2       Consent of Arthur Andersen.

         The Registrant will submit the plan including any amendments thereto to
the Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS") in a timely manner and will make all
changes required by the IRS in order to maintain the tax qualified status of the
Plan.


<PAGE>


Item 9.  Undertakings.

         The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

         (a) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made,
a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:

         (i) To include any prospectus required by section 10(a)(3) of the 
Securities Act of 1933;

         (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the
effective date of the Registration Statement (or the most recent post-effective
amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a
fundamental change in the information set forth in the Registration Statement;

         (iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of
distribution not previously disclosed in the Registration Statement or any
material change to such information in the Registration Statement;

         Provided, however, that clauses (i) and (ii) do not apply if the
information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those
clauses is contained in periodic reports filed by the Registrant pursuant to
Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement.

         (b) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be
a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

         (c) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment
any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of
the offering.

         The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the
Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Exchange Act that is incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement
shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities
offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be
deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

         Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities
Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of
Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, Registrant has
been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such
indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of
1933 and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for
indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by Registrant
of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of
Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is
asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the
securities being registered, Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its
counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court
of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is
against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and will be
governed by the final adjudication of such issue.


<PAGE>


                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, Registrant
certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the
requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the Town of Greenwich, State of Connecticut, on this 29th day of
October, 1996.

                                                PANAMSAT CORPORATION

                                                By     JAMES W. CUMINALE
                                               (James W. Cuminale, Senior Vice
                                                President and General Counsel)

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities indicated on this 29th day of October, 1996.


       Signature                                          Title

/S/ FREDERICK A. LANDMAN                            President and Chief
  (Frederick A. Landman)                        Executive Officer (principal
                                               executive officer) and Director

  /S/ LOURDES SARALEGUI                           Executive Vice President 
   (Lourdes Saralegui)                                 and Director

   /S/ PATRICK COSTELLO                      Chief Financial Officer (principal
    (Patrick Costello)                        financial and accounting officer)
                                                         and Director

<PAGE>


         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Plan
has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized on this 29th day of October, 1996.

                                         PANAMSAT CORPORATION 401(k) PLAN

                                         By: /s/ Patrick J. Costello
                                            (Patrick J. Costello, Trustee
                                         PanAmSat Corporation 401(k) Plan)

                                         By: /s/ Berta Escurra
                                            (Berta Escurra, Trustee
                                         PanAmSat Corporation 401(k) Plan)

                                         By: /s/ Victoria A. Goss
                                            (Victoria A. Goss, Trustee
                                         PanAmSat Corporation 401(k) Plan)


<PAGE>


                                  Exhibit Index

                                                                          Page

     4.a.1        Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of 
                  the Registrant (filed as an exhibit to Amendment No.
                  3 to Registration Statement No. 33-95396 and 
                  incorporated herein by reference).

     4.b.1.       By-Laws of the Registrant (filed as an exhibit to 
                  Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement No. 33-84836
                  and incorporated herein by reference).

     23.1         Consent of Arthur Andersen.

     23.2         Consent of Arthur Andersen.
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "description": "PANAMSAT CORPORATION S-8", "secsgml_size_bytes": 31256}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "PANAMSAT CORP", "cik": "0000931134", "assigned-sic": "4899", "irs-number": "061407851", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-15213", "film-number": "96651312"}, "business-address": {"street1": "ONE PICKWICK PLAZA", "city": "GREENWICH", "state": "CT", "zip": "06830", "phone": "2036226664"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "ONE PICKWICK PLAZA", "city": "GREENWICH", "state": "CT", "zip": "06830"}, "former-company": {"former-conformed-name": "NEWPAS CORP", "date-changed": "19941007"}}
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 31, 1996

                                              Registration No. 333-_____
===============================================================================

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                   ----------

                                    Form S-8

                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                                   ----------

                              PANAMSAT CORPORATION
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

          Delaware                                            06-1407851
(State or Other Jurisdiction of                              (I.R.S. Employer
 Incorporation or Organization)                             Identification No.)

                One Pickwick Plaza, Greenwich, Connecticut 06830
               (Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)

                                   ----------

                        PanAmSat Corporation 401(k) PLAN
                            (Full Title of the Plan)

                                   ----------

     James W. Cuminale,                                   Copy to:
Senior Vice President and General Counsel           Dennis J. Friedman, Esq.
     PANAMSAT CORPORATION                            CHADBOURNE & PARKE LLP
      One Pickwick Plaza                              30 Rockefeller Plaza
      Greenwich, CT 06830                           New York, New York 10112
(Name and Address of Agent For Service)

 Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service: (203) 622-6664

                                   ----------

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
----------------------------------- -------------------- ----------------- ---------------- -----------------
                                                             Proposed         Proposed
                                          Amount             Maximum           Maximum           Amount
       Title of Securities                 to be          Offering Price      Aggregate            of
         to be Registered               Registered          Per Share*     Offering Price*  Registration Fee
----------------------------------- -------------------- ----------------- ---------------- =================
Common Stock, Par Value $0.01 per
   share................................60,000 shs.         $ 28.3125        $1,698,750         $514.85
----------------------------------- -------------------- ----------------- ---------------- =================
*   Estimated  solely for the  purpose of  calculating  the  registration  fee
    pursuant to Rule 457(h) and 457(c) under the Securities Act of 1933 on the
    basis of the average of the high and low prices ($28 1/16 and $28,
    respectively) for the Common Stock on the Nasdaq National Market on October
    28, 1996.

                                   ----------

    In addition, pursuant to Rule 416(c) of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement also covers an indeterminate amount of interests to be
offered or sold pursuant to the employee benefit plan described herein.

===============================================================================
EXPLANATORY NOTE

         Information required by Part I of Form S-8 to be contained in the
Section 10(a) prospectus is omitted from this Registration Statement in
accordance with the Note to Part I of Form S-8.
PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3.  Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

         The following documents filed by Registrant or the Plan with the
Securities and Exchange Commission are specifically incorporated herein by
reference and made a part hereof:

               (i) Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year
         ended December 31, 1995, filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of
         the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act");

              (ii) all other  reports  filed by  Registrant  pursuant to 
         Section  13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act since December 31, 1995;

             (iii) the description of Registrant's Common Stock contained in
         Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-1 (Registration File No.
         33-95396) by incorporation by reference to pages 82-84 of the
         Prospectus constituting a part of Registrant's Form S-1;

              (iv) the Annual Report on Form 11-K for the PanAmSat Corporation
         401(k) Plan for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1995, filed pursuant
         to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act; and

               (v)    Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-8 
         (Registration No. 333-12317).

         All documents subsequently filed by Registrant or the Plan pursuant to
Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the filing of a
post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered have been
sold or which deregisters all securities remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be
incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement and to be a part hereof
from the date of filing of such documents. Any statement contained in a document
incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to
be modified or superseded for purposes of this Registration Statement to the
extent that a statement contained herein or in any subsequently filed document
which also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or
supersedes such statement. Any statement modified or superseded shall not be
deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute part of this
Registration Statement.

Item 4.  Description of Securities.

         This Item is not applicable as Registrant's Common Stock is registered
under Section 12 of the Exchange Act.
Item 5.  Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

         James W. Cuminale, the Company's Senior Vice President and General
Counsel has options to purchase 75,000 shares of Common Stock under the
Company's Long Term Stock Investment Plan.

Item 6.  Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

         Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of Delaware provides in part
as follows:

                 "(a) A corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a
        party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or
        completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal,
        administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right
        of the corporation) by reason of the fact that he is or was a director,
        officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at
        the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent
        of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other
        enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys' fees), judgments,
        fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by
        him in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if he acted in
        good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not
        opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to
        any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe
        his conduct was unlawful. The termination of any action, suit or
        proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction, or upon a plea of
        nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a
        presumption that the person did not act in good faith and in a manner
        which he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best
        interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action
        or proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was
        unlawful.

                 "(b) A corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a
        party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or
        completed action or suit by or in the right of the corporation to
        procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that he is or was
        a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was
        serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer,
        employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture,
        trust or other enterprise against expenses (including attorneys' fees)
        actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with the defense
        or settlement of such action or suit if he acted in good faith and in a
        manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best
        interests of the corporation and except that no indemnification shall be
        made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person
        shall have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless and only
        to the extent that the Court of Chancery or the court in which such
        action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that,
        despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the
        circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled
        to indemnity for such expenses which the Court of Chancery or such other
        court shall deem proper.

                 "(c) To the extent that a director, officer, employee or agent
        of a corporation has been successful on the merits or otherwise in
        defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to in subsections (a)
        and (b) of this section, or in defense of any claim, issue or matter
        therein, he shall be indemnified against expenses (including attorneys'
        fees) actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection therewith.

                 "(d) Any indemnification under subsections (a) and (b) of this
        section (unless ordered by a court) shall be made by the corporation
        only as authorized in the specific case upon a determination that
        indemnification of the director, officer, employee or agent is proper in
        the circumstances because he has met the applicable standard of conduct
        set forth in subsections (a) and (b) of this section. Such determination
        shall be made (1) by a majority vote of the directors who are not
        parties to such action, suit or proceeding, even though less than a
        quorum, or (2) if there are no such directors, or if such directors so
        direct, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion, or (3) by the
        stockholders.

                 "(e) Expenses (including attorneys' fees) incurred by an
        officer or director in defending any civil, criminal, administrative or
        investigative action, suit or proceeding may be paid by the corporation
        in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding
        upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such director or
        officer to repay such amount if it shall ultimately be determined that
        he is not entitled to be indemnified by the corporation as authorized in
        this section. Such expenses (including attorneys' fees) incurred by
        other employees and agents may be so paid upon such terms and
        conditions, if any, as the board of directors deems appropriate.

                 "(f) The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided
        by, or granted pursuant to, the other subsections of this section shall
        not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which those seeking
        indemnification or advancement of expenses may be entitled under any
        bylaw, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or
        otherwise, both as to action in his official capacity and as to action
        in another capacity while holding such office.

                 "(g) A corporation shall have power to purchase and maintain
        insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer,
        employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the
        request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of
        another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other
        enterprise against any liability asserted against him and incurred by
        him in any such capacity, or arising out of his status as such, whether
        or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify him against
        such liability under this section.

                 "(h) For purposes of this section, references to 'the
        corporation' shall include, in addition to the resulting corporation,
        any constituent corporation (including any constituent of a constituent)
        absorbed in a consolidation or merger which, if its separate existence
        had continued, would have had power and authority to indemnify its
        directors, officers, and employees or agents, so that any person who is
        or was a director, officer, employee or agent of such constituent
        corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such constituent
        corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another
        corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise,
        shall stand in the same position under this section with respect to the
        resulting or surviving corporation as he would have with respect to such
        constituent corporation if its separate existence had continued.

                 "(i) For purposes of this section, references to 'other
        enterprises' shall include employee benefit plans; references to 'fines'
        shall include any excise taxes assessed on a person with respect to any
        employee benefit plan; and references to 'serving at the request of the
        corporation' shall include any service as a director, officer, employee
        or agent of the corporation which imposes duties on, or involves
        services by, such director, officer, employee, or agent with respect to
        an employee benefit plan, its participants or beneficiaries; and a
        person who acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to
        be in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee
        benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in a manner 'not opposed to
        the best interests of the corporation' as referred to in this section.

                 "(j) The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided
        by, or granted pursuant to, this section shall, unless otherwise
        provided when authorized or ratified, continue as to a person who has
        ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent and shall inure to
        the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such a person.

                 "(k) The Court of Chancery is hereby vested with exclusive
        jurisdiction to hear and determine all actions for advancement of
        expenses or indemnification brought under this section or under any
        bylaw, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors, or
        otherwise. The Court of Chancery may summarily determine a corporation's
        obligation to advance expenses (including attorneys' fees)."

Article VI of Registrant's By-laws provides as follows:

                 Indemnification of Directors and Officers

                 SECTION 1. General. The Corporation shall indemnify any person
        who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any
        threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether
        civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action
        by or in the right of the Corporation) by reason of the fact that he is
        or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or is
        or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer,
        employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture,
        trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys' fees),
        judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably
        incurred by him in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if he
        acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or
        not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, and, with respect
        to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe
        his conduct was unlawful. The termination of any action, suit or
        proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction, or upon a plea of
        nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a
        presumption that the person did not act in good faith and in a manner
        which he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best
        interests of the Corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action
        or proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was
        unlawful.

                 SECTION 2. Derivative Actions. The Corporation shall indemnify
        any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to
        any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right
        of the Corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the
        fact that he is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the
        Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a
        director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation,
        partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against expenses
        (including attorneys' fees) actually and reasonably incurred by him in
        connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if he
        acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or
        not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, provided that no
        indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter
        as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the
        Corporation unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery of
        the State of Delaware or the court in which such action or suit was
        brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication
        of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such
        person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses
        which the Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper.

                 SECTION 3. Indemnification in Certain Cases. To the extent that
        a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation has been
        successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit or
        proceeding referred to in Sections 1 and 2 of this Article VI, or in
        defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, he shall be indemnified
        against expenses (including attorneys' fees) actually and reasonably
        incurred by him in connection therewith.

                 SECTION 4. Procedure. Any indemnification under Sections 1 and
        2 of this Article VI (unless ordered by a court) shall be made by the
        Corporation only as authorized in the specific case upon a determination
        that indemnification of the director, officer, employee or agent is
        proper in the circumstances because he has met the applicable standard
        of conduct set forth in such Sections 1 and 2. Such determination shall
        be made (a) by the Board of Directors by a majority vote of those
        directors who were not parties to such action, suit or proceeding,
        whether or not they constitute a quorum of the Board of Directors, or
        (b) if such a quorum is not obtainable, or, even if obtainable a quorum
        of disinterested directors so directs, by independent legal counsel in a
        written opinion, or (c) by the stockholders.

                 SECTION 5. Advances for Expenses. Expenses incurred in
        defending a civil or criminal action, suit or proceeding may be paid by
        the Corporation in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit
        or proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of the
        director, officer, employee or agent to repay such amount if it shall be
        ultimately determined that he is not entitled to be indemnified by the
        Corporation as authorized in this Article VI.

                 SECTION 6. Rights Not-Exclusive. The indemnification and
        advancement of expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to, the other
        subsections of this Article VI shall not be deemed exclusive of any
        other rights to which those seeking indemnification or advancement of
        expenses may be entitled under any law, by-law, agreement, vote of
        stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise, both as to action
        in his official capacity and as to action in another capacity while
        holding such office.

                 SECTION 7. Insurance. The Corporation shall have power to
        purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a
        director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or is or was
        serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer,
        employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture,
        trust or other enterprise against any liability asserted against him and
        incurred by him in any such capacity, or arising out of his status as
        such, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify
        him against such liability under the provisions of this Article VI.

                 SECTION 8. Definition of Corporation. For the purposes of this
        Article VI, references to "the Corporation" include all constituent
        corporations absorbed in a consolidation or merger as well as the
        resulting or surviving corporation so that any person who is or was a
        director, officer, employee or agent of such a constituent corporation
        or is or was serving at the request of such constituent corporation as a
        director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation,
        partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise shall stand in the
        same position under the provisions of this Article VI with respect to
        the resulting or surviving corporation as he would if he had served the
        resulting or surviving corporation in the same capacity.

                 SECTION 9. Survival of Rights. The indemnification and
        advancement of expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to this Article
        VI shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director,
        officer, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs,
        executors and administrators of such a person.

Item 7.  Exemption from Registration Claimed.

         This Item is not applicable.

Item 8.  Exhibits.

          4.a.1      Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the 
                     Registrant (filed as an exhibit to Amendment No. 3 to 
                     Registration Statement No. 33-95396 and incorporated 
                     herein by reference).

          4.b.1.     By-Laws of the Registrant (filed as an exhibit to 
                     Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement No. 33-
                     84836 and incorporated herein by reference).

          23.1       Consent of Arthur Andersen.

          23.2       Consent of Arthur Andersen.

         The Registrant will submit the plan including any amendments thereto to
the Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS") in a timely manner and will make all
changes required by the IRS in order to maintain the tax qualified status of the
Plan.
Item 9.  Undertakings.

         The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

         (a) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made,
a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:

         (i) To include any prospectus required by section 10(a)(3) of the 
Securities Act of 1933;

         (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the
effective date of the Registration Statement (or the most recent post-effective
amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a
fundamental change in the information set forth in the Registration Statement;

         (iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of
distribution not previously disclosed in the Registration Statement or any
material change to such information in the Registration Statement;

         Provided, however, that clauses (i) and (ii) do not apply if the
information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those
clauses is contained in periodic reports filed by the Registrant pursuant to
Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement.

         (b) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be
a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

         (c) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment
any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of
the offering.

         The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the
Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Exchange Act that is incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement
shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities
offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be
deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

         Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities
Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of
Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, Registrant has
been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such
indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of
1933 and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for
indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by Registrant
of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of
Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is
asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the
securities being registered, Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its
counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court
of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is
against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and will be
governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, Registrant
certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the
requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the Town of Greenwich, State of Connecticut, on this 29th day of
October, 1996.

                                                PANAMSAT CORPORATION

                                                By     JAMES W. CUMINALE
                                               (James W. Cuminale, Senior Vice
                                                President and General Counsel)

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities indicated on this 29th day of October, 1996.

       Signature                                          Title

/S/ FREDERICK A. LANDMAN                            President and Chief
  (Frederick A. Landman)                        Executive Officer (principal
                                               executive officer) and Director

  /S/ LOURDES SARALEGUI                           Executive Vice President 
   (Lourdes Saralegui)                                 and Director

   /S/ PATRICK COSTELLO                      Chief Financial Officer (principal
    (Patrick Costello)                        financial and accounting officer)
                                                         and Director
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Plan
has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized on this 29th day of October, 1996.

                                         PANAMSAT CORPORATION 401(k) PLAN

                                         By: /s/ Patrick J. Costello
                                            (Patrick J. Costello, Trustee
                                         PanAmSat Corporation 401(k) Plan)

                                         By: /s/ Berta Escurra
                                            (Berta Escurra, Trustee
                                         PanAmSat Corporation 401(k) Plan)

                                         By: /s/ Victoria A. Goss
                                            (Victoria A. Goss, Trustee
                                         PanAmSat Corporation 401(k) Plan)
Exhibit Index

                                                                          Page

     4.a.1        Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of 
                  the Registrant (filed as an exhibit to Amendment No.
                  3 to Registration Statement No. 33-95396 and 
                  incorporated herein by reference).

     4.b.1.       By-Laws of the Registrant (filed as an exhibit to 
                  Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement No. 33-84836
                  and incorporated herein by reference).

     23.1         Consent of Arthur Andersen.

     23.2         Consent of Arthur Andersen.