DirecTV 9S Satellite Launch Expands Fleet To Nine Spacecraft

SPACEMART

The two satellites will provide DirecTV with the capacity to offer more than 150 national HD channels and more than 1,500 local HD channels, as well as other advanced programming services for its customers.

by Staff Writers
El Segundo CA (SPX) Oct 16, 2006
DirecTV continued to fortify its satellite fleet with the successful launch today of DirecTV 9S, a high-powered, spot-beam satellite that will provide back-up capacity and ensure continuous, reliable service for DirecTV customers. The spacecraft was successfully launched today at 1:56 p.m. PT from Europe's Spaceport in Kouou, French Guiana.

DirecTV 9S is one of four satellites DirecTV has launched over the past two years as it continues to expand its capacity to provide new national and local services in both standard- and high-definition, as well as interactive and original programming. DirecTV will launch two more satellites next year that will more than quadruple its capacity and enable it to lead the industry in the delivery of HD programming.

The Space Systems/Loral-built satellite will be positioned at the 101-degree West longitude orbital slot, providing back-up capacity for the DirecTV fleet, including spot-beam satellites that deliver standard definition local services. DirecTV offers local channels in 142 markets, representing 94 percent of U.S. TV households.

DirecTV 9S was launched aboard an Ariane 5 ECA rocket and after 26 minutes, the rocket left the spacecraft in a geosynchronous transfer orbit with a high point of 22,300 miles (36,000 km) above the equator. Controllers at the Hartebeesthoek ground station in South Africa made contact with the satellite and confirmed that all systems are functioning properly.

"We congratulate the launch team on the flawless lift off of DirecTV 9S, the ninth satellite in our fleet," said Phil Goswitz, vice president, Space and Communications, DirecTV, Inc. "DirecTV 9S will ensure that we have the needed capacity and flexibility to provide the breadth and quality of services that our customers have come to expect. We are committed to maintaining our near perfect 99.96% signal availability for our customers."

In the coming weeks, controllers will maneuver the spacecraft into a circular orbit; deploy the antennas and solar arrays; and test operational functions, communications payload and propulsion system.

The next scheduled satellite launches for DirecTV are DirecTV 10 and DirecTV 11 in 2007. The two satellites will provide DirecTV with the capacity to offer more than 150 national HD channels and more than 1,500 local HD channels, as well as other advanced programming services for its customers.

SPACEMART

SSL-Built Directv 9S Satellite Successfully Launched

Palo Alto CA (SPX) Oct 16, 2006
DIRECTV 9S, a high-power, flexible, hybrid Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS) built by Space Systems/Loral (SS/L) for DIRECTV Inc., was successfully launched today at 1:56 pm PDT. The satellite was put into geosynchronous transfer orbit aboard an Ariane 5 ECA rocket from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. Space Systems/Loral is a subsidiary of Loral Space and Communications.

SUPERPOWERS Bush, Chinese Official Agree On Strong Measures On North Korea Asian Poll Foresees US Losing Superpower Status To China Bring Back The Tsar Big Powers To Hold Crucial Meeting On Iran With UN Sanctions In View	NUKEWARS US Gives Assurances On Indian Nuclear Deal US Sees Key Issues Over North Korea Sanctions Resolved, Hopeful For Early UN Vote Bush Waves Sticks And Carrots At North Korea In Nuclear Standoff North Korea Plays Down Nuclear Test At Home
MISSILE NEWS Raytheon Awarded US Army Contract For Wireless Precision Assault Missiles Ukraine Seeks Missile Alliance With Israel BAE Systems Inertial Measurement Unit Selected For New Air-to-air Missile South Korea Develops Cruise Missile	MISSILE DEFENSE Lockheed Martin Selects Aonix PERC Virtual Machine For Aegis Weapon System No Missile Defense Deployment Offer From US Yet Says Poland O'Reilly Flies High At Missile Defense Agency North Korean Test A Spur To US Missile Defense Program
AEROSPACE China Marks 50th Anniversary Of Aerospace Industry German-Chinese Aviation Opens New Horizons For Cooperation GAO Report On Progress Of Implementing Aerospace Recommendations US Air-Transportation System Must Become More Agile	UAV NEWS Boeing Manned/Unmanned Light Helicopter Makes First Flight Boeing X-45A To Be Inducted Into Smithsonian And USAF National Museum Live Firing on Dragonfly Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Intelligent Unmanned Aircraft Planned
IRAQ WARS Updated Iraq Survey Affirms Earlier Mortality Estimates Assessing The New Iraqi Army In Late 2006 US Commander In Iraq Says No More Troops Needed Now Winds Of Change In Iraq	MILTECH Lockheed Martin Awarded Contract For Global Combat Support System Adour Engines For nEUTOn UCAV Demonstrator Program New Raytheon Mississippi Plant to Support Sophisticated Defense Programs Lockheed Martin Awarded Contract For LACOSTE Program

The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2006 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA PortalReports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additionalcopyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement