DirecTV satellite fleet

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The DirecTV satellite fleet is a group of communications satellites located at various geostationary orbits for the DirecTV satellite television service and HughesNet (formerly known as DirectWAY and DirectPC) internet service.

Satellites and their orbits

Defunct satellites are highlighted in gold.

SatelliteOrbital slotLaunch date*Launch vehicleSatellite typeSeparated massMass at BOLMass at EOLStatus
DirecTV-1 109.8°W December 17, 1993 Ariane 4 Hughes Electronics HS-601 2,970 kilograms (6,550 lb) at GTO[1] 1,680 kilograms (3,700 lb) 1,300 kilograms (2,900 lb) Defunct
DirecTV-2[A] 100.8°W August 3, 1994 Atlas IIA[2] Hughes Electronics HS-601 Defunct
DirecTV-3[B] 91.1°W June 10, 1995 Ariane 42-P Hughes Electronics HS-601 Defunct
DirecTV-6[C] 109.5°W March 9, 1997 Atlas IIA[3] Space Systems/Loral LS-1300 Defunct
DirecTV-1R[D] 55.8°E October 10, 1999 Zenit-3SL Hughes Electronics HS-601HP
DirecTV-4S101.2° W November 27, 2001 Ariane 4 Hughes Electronics HS-601HP
DirecTV-5109.8° W May 7, 2002 Proton Space Systems/Loral LS-1300 3,640 kilograms (8,020 lb) at TO[4]
Galaxy 3C[E] 95°W June 15, 2002 Zenit-3SL Boeing BSS-702
DirecTV-7S 119.0°W May 4, 2004 Zenit-3SL Space Systems/Loral LS-1300
DirecTV-8 100.8°W May 22, 2005 Proton M Space Systems/Loral LS-1300
SPACEWAY-1 103.0°W April 26, 2005 Zenit-3SL Boeing BSS-702
SPACEWAY-2 99.2°W November 16, 2005 Ariane 5 ECA Boeing BSS-702
DirecTV-9S[F] 101.1°W October 13, 2006 Ariane 5 ECA Space Systems/Loral LS-1300
DirecTV-10 103.0°W July 7, 2007 Proton M Boeing BSS-702 5,893 kilograms (12,992 lb) at GTO[5]
DirecTV-11 99.2°W March 19, 2008 Zenit-3SL Boeing BSS-702 6,060 kilograms (13,360 lb) at GTO[6] 3,700 kilograms (8,200 lb)[6]
DirecTV-12 103.0°W December 28, 2009[7] Proton M Boeing BSS-702
DirecTV-14[8] 99.2°W[9] Early 2014[10][11]Ariane 5[10] Space Systems/Loral LS-1300 Planned launch
DirecTV-15[12] TBA End of 2014[11] Ariane 5[10] Astrium Eurostar E3000 Planned launch

*Default sort column

A DirecTV-2 having reached the end of its useful life span, on April 16, 2007, the FCC granted DirecTV's request to conduct operations to move the satellite out to a disposal orbit and it was subsequently removed from service in May 2007.
B DirecTV-3 was removed from service in Oct 2002 and sent to a storage orbit as an on-orbit backup. It returned to service in 2003 having been leased to Telesat, which used the satellite as backup for its troubled Nimiq-2 at 82 degrees West under the designation Nimiq-2i. In 2004 the satellite was moved to back up Nimiq-1 and is now operated under the name Nimiq-3.
C DirecTV-6 went out of service August 15, 2006 and sent to a graveyard orbit having suffered damage from a solar flare in April 1997 as well as other solar array and power fluctuation problems.[13]
D Currently being leased to the Russian Satellite Communications Company and is currently located at 55.8 degrees East as a stopgap supplement to the RSCC's aging Bonum 1 satellite due to delays of the RSCC's Express-AT1 satellite.[14] Once Express-AT1 enters service, both Bonum 1 and DirecTV-1R are planned for deorbit.
E Galaxy 3C is operated by Intelsat. DirecTV leases non-DBS FSS transponders for international programming under the auspices of the DirecTV World Direct package.
F DirecTV-9S is an in-orbit spare for DirecTV-4S, and does not presently broadcast any channels.

Details of satellite fleet

DirecTV-1R

DirecTV-1R was launched in 1999. It was the first satellite used to broadcast local channels for DirecTV in major DMAs, and was positioned at 101.2° W when it first entered service. In 2004, DirecTV-1R was repositioned to 72.5° W to provide local channels for smaller DMAs not served by satellites in the 101° W, 110° W, or 119° W positions. From 2004 to 2011 in these smaller DMAs, a separate dish was required to obtain local channels. In early 2012, DirecTV-1R was briefly repositioned to 109.8° W as a spare for DirecTV-5, however, in mid-2012, it was announced that DirecTV-1R would be leased to the Russian Satellite Communications Company, and was repositioned to its current location at 55.8° E in late 2012 as a stopgap supplement to the RSCC's aging Bonum 1 satellite due to delays of the RSCC's Express-AT1 satellite. Once Express-AT1 enters service, both Bonum 1 and DirecTV-1R are planned for deorbit.

Galaxy 3C

Galaxy 3C is a geostationary communications satellite located at 95° W. It was launched on June 15, 2002, with a Sea Launch vehicle, and is currently active on the C and Ku-bands, with 24 transponders for each. Owned by Intelsat, some of the satellite's users include DirecTV's Brazil and Latin America systems, the Racetrack TV Network DBS service, and HughesNet.

Rite-Aid, TJ Maxx, and Chevron use Galaxy 3C as a VSAT platform.

Spaceway 1 & Spaceway 2

The SPACEWAY satellites were originally designed for use by Hughes Electronics. The satellites were re-purposed for DirecTV after News Corporation purchased a controlling interest in Hughes.

DirecTV-10, DirecTV-11, and DirecTV-12

DirecTV satellites 10, 11, and 12 are Boeing model 702 satellites designed to deliver high definition television to the continental United States, Hawaii, and Alaska.

DirecTV successfully launched its newest satellite, DirecTV-12, on December 28, 2009.[7] It became fully operational on May 19, 2010.

See also

  • List of broadcast satellites

References

  1. ↑ Rocket Thrust Equation and Launch Vehicles
  2. ↑ "DIRECTV 2 (DBS 2)". N2YO.com. Retrieved 2009-11-09. 
  3. ↑ "DIRECTV 6 (TEMPO 2)". N2YO.com. Retrieved 2009-11-09. 
  4. ↑ Proton Launch Advisory: DIRECTV-5
  5. ↑ ILS Proton to Launch DIRECTV 10
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 DIRECTV 10, 11 and 12
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 DirecTV Press Release December 29, 2009 DIRECTV HD and Movie Choices to Get a Lift With Successful Satellite Launch - DIRECTV 12 Boosts Satellite Fleet's Capacity to More Than 200 HD Channels; Begins Operation First Half of Next Year
  8. ↑ Space Systems/Loral Selected to Provide High-Power Satellite to DIRECTV Space Systems/Loral Press Release June 11, 2010
  9. ↑ "Planned Satellite Launches 2014 | SatLaunch.net". August 8, 2013. Retrieved August 15, 2013. 
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 "DirecTV Taps Arianespace for At Least Two Launches". September 13, 2011. Retrieved August 12, 2012. 
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 "Planned 2014 Launches | LyngSat". Retrieved August 19, 2013. 
  12. ↑ Astrium contracted to build DIRECTV 15 communications satellite Astrium Press Release November 4, 2011
  13. ↑ DirecTV-6 details including move to junkyard orbit
  14. ↑ APPLICATION FOR AUTHORIZATION TO OPERATE DIRECTV 1R, A DIRECT BROADCAST SATELLITE - Federal Communications Commission

External links

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