EchoStar XVII, which is one of the highest capacity satellites ever built, was successfully launched aboard an Ariane 5 rocket from the European Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.
EchoStar XVII is an all Ka-band, broadband satellite designed to provide well in excess of 100 Gbps capacity to HughesNet across North America. Its multi-spot beam architecture will expand coverage and focus capacity on the areas with the highest traffic demand. It uses the Space Systems/Loral 1300 platform and is designed to provide service for 15 years or longer.
Extensive tests will be completed after the spacecraft is maneuvered into a circular orbit 22,300 miles above the equator at 107.1 degrees West longitude. Hughes expects to begin commercial operations this Fall.
“The addition of EchoStar XVII to our existing satellite capacity, ground network, and services takes satellite Internet to the next dimension,” said Pradman Kaul, president of Hughes. “Our HughesNet Gen4 customers will be able to enjoy a media-rich world like never before. We congratulate the Arianespace and Space Systems/Loral teams on a flawless launch.”
http://www.hughes.com
06-Jul-12
