Description and Purpose:
Three Boeing 702HP satellites, called DIRECTV 10, DIRECTV 11 and DIRECTV 12, and six Ka-band uplink sites will enable DIRECTV to significantly expand broadcasting to its customers across the continental United States, Hawaii and Alaska. In addition to expanding national HDTV broadcasting, the three DIRECTV satellites will enable DIRECTV to broadcast local HDTV to millions of viewers that represent 91 percent of all U.S. households.

Customer:
Continuing a partnership that began in 1993, DIRECTV has again selected Boeing, the world's leading manufacturer of government and commercial communications satellites to grow its constellation of satellites. The new spacecraft will enable DIRECTV to provide consumers unprecedented local and national High Definition Television (HDTV).

General Characteristics:
The next-generation DIRECTV satellites feature state-of-the-art antenna and payload subsystems that will provide DIRECTV customers with unparalleled national and local HDTV service. The powerful payload integrates 36 active and 8 spare National Service Ka-band Traveling Wave Tube Amplifiers (TWTA) in addition to 54 active and 16 spare spot beam TWTAs. The payload will be powered by a massive solar array that spans more than 48 meters - a length greater than the height of the Statue of Liberty - consisting of ultra triple-junction gallium arsenide solar cells.

DIRECTV 10 and 11 currently receive and transmit programming throughout the United States with two Ka-band reflectors that each measure 2.8 meters in diameter and nine other Ka-band reflectors. After DIRECTV 12 is launched and deployed into operation with DIRECTV 10 and DIRECTV 11, the three satellites will deliver 200 national HD channels and 1,500 local HD channels to millions of U.S. households.

Background:
Since 1993, Boeing has built 10 satellites for DIRECTV. DIRECTV 1, DIRECTV 2 and DIRECTV 3 are 601 body-stabilized spacecraft that launched on December 17, 1993; August 3, 1994; and June 9, 1995; respectively. The satellites are collocated at 101 degrees west longitude and collectively have the capacity to deliver more than 200 channels of entertainment programming to subscribers that are equipped with DSS™ digital home receiving units.

To expand channel capacity and strengthen in-orbit redundancy, DIRECTV 1R, a Hughes 601HP model satellite, launched on October 9, 1999. It replaced DIRECTV 1, which remains available as in-orbit backup.

DIRECTV 4S is a 601HP satellite and the fifth Boeing satellite built for DIRECTV. It was the first spacecraft in the DIRECTV fleet to use highly focused spot-beam technology, which enables DIRECTV to expand its local channel offerings in metropolitan markets. DIRECTV 4S successfully launched in November 2001 and entered service on December 27, 2001.

SPACEWAY 1 and 2 are among the most complex commercial satellite systems ever developed. SPACEWAY 1 launched on April 26, 2005, and SPACEWAY 2 launched on November 16, 2005. Together, the Boeing 702HP model SPACEWAY 1 and 2 satellites enable DIRECTV to deliver more than 1,500 local and national HD channels and other advanced programming services to consumers nationwide.

DIRECTV 10 launched on July 6, 2007, and was placed into an orbital slot of 102.8 degrees west longitude. DIRECTV 11 was launched on March 19, 2008, and placed into orbital slot of 99.2 degrees west longitude. DIRECTV 12 launched on December 28, 2009, from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, on an International Launch Services Proton Breeze M vehicle.

The DIRECTV satellites are designed and manufactured by Boeing Space and Intelligence Systems at its satellite integration and test complex in El Segundo, Calif.