DIRECTV Uses Spot Beam Technology on DIRECTV 4S
| Customer | DIRECTV, Inc. El Segundo, California |
|---|---|
| Spacecraft | Boeing 601HP |
| Launch Date Vehicle Site |
November 26, 2001 Ariane 4 Kourou, French Guiana |
| Orbital Slot | 10° West Longitude |
| Contract life | 15 years |
DIRECTV, Inc., the nation's leading digital satellite television service provider, ordered DIRECTV 4S, another Boeing 601 HP satellite, in December 1999. It is the fifth Boeing satellite to be built for DIRECTV. It was successfully launched on an Ariane 4 on November 26, 2001 and entered service on December 27, 2001.
DIRECTV 4S is 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 also further strengthens DIRECTV's in-orbit redundancy.
DIRECTV 4S operates at the Ku-band frequency and carries two payloads: spot beams for local channels, and a national beam payload. The spot beam payload uses a total of 38 traveling wave-tube amplifiers (TWTAs), powered by a combination of 30-watt, 45-watt, 65-watt, and 88-watt TWTAs. The national beam payload carries two active transponders with further capability for two active high power and six active low power transponders.
The operations control center for DIRECTV satellites is in Long Beach, Calif.; telemetry and command terminals are in Castle Rock, Colo., and Spring Creek, N.Y. Uplink is from the DIRECTV Castle Rock Broadcast Center, and the Los Angeles Broadcast Center.
Boeing Satellite Systems is the world's leading manufacturer of commercial communications satellites, and a major provider of space systems, satellites and payloads for national defense, science and environmental applications.
DIRECTV 4S SPECIFICATIONS
| Ku-band Spot Beam: Active national beam: Supplemental national beam: |
38 active Varying power levels TWTAs 2 active 280-w TWTAs 2 active 240-w TWTAs 6 active 120-w TWTAs |
|---|
| Solar End of life Panels |
8.3 kw 4-Panel array using triple-junction GaAs solar cells |
|---|---|
| Battery | 30-cell NiH2 (5.5" diam.) |
| Liquid apogee motor |
110 lbf |
|---|---|
| Stationkeeping thrusters N-S E-W XIPS |
2 lbf (10 N) 2 lbf (10 N) 4 x 10-3 lbf (0.018 N) |
|
3 SPOT beam transmit reflectors 1 national transmit reflector 1 SPOT and national receive reflector |
| In orbit | L, solar arrays: Deployed 85.8 ft (26.1m) W, antennas: 24.5 ft (7 m) |
|---|---|
| Stowed | H: 21.7 ft 3 in (4 m) W: 8 ft 10 in x 11 ft 9 in (2.7 m x 3.6 m) |
| Mass Launch (fully fueled) In orbit (beginning of life) |
4,260 kg (9400 lbs) 2,800 kg (5733 lbs) |