Dedicated to Galaxy Latin America^TM

Galaxy VIII-i is one of the most powerful satellites to join PanAmSat Corporation's fleet of spacecraft, with nearly 10 kilowatts of power at beginning of life. It is a Hughes 601HP body-stabilized model built by Hughes Space and Communications Company in El Segundo, Calif., now known as Boeing Satellite Systems, Inc. (BSS).

The entire 32-transponder payload of Galaxy VIII-i operates in Ku-band, and is dedicated to Galaxy Latin America^TM, which provides DIRECTV^TM service to Mexico, Central and South America and the Caribbean. Through the use of digital compression, the service will include more than 300 channels, split between Spanish and Portuguese language programming. Launched December 8, 1997, Galaxy VIII-i is the dedicated DTH platform for Galaxy Latin America. Transmissions currently are provided on PanAmSat's Galaxy III-R, a standard Hughes 601 model satellite that has been providing interim DIRECTV service for two years from 95° W longitude.

All Hughes 601-now Boeing 601-spacecraft use the same basic bus design, allowing the company to realize efficiencies gained by production volume, tooling investments, and quantity buys. The Hughes 601 was introduced in 1987, and it has become the world's best-selling large satellite model, with more than 81 ordered by the third quarter of 2000. The standard 601 model, with silicon solar panels, provides up to 5 kilowatts at beginning of life. The 601HP version uses gallium arsenide solar panels and other technological advances to double the power.

Stowed (left); In Orbit (right)

The Boeing 601 body is composed of two modules. The first contains the primary bus structure that carries all launch vehicle loads and contains the propulsion subsystem, bus electronics and battery packs. The second payload module is a structure of honeycomb shelves that hold the communications equipment, electronics, and isothermal heat pipes. Reflectors, antenna feeds, and solar arrays mount directly to the payload module, and antenna configurations can be placed on three faces of the bus. This modular approach allows work to proceed in parallel, thereby shortening the manufacturing schedule and test time.

PanAmSat is the world's leading commercial provider of satellite-based communications services. Galaxy VIII-i is PanAmSat's 17th satellite and its sixth serving Latin America. The PanAmSat operations control center is in Long Beach, Calif. Telemetry and command stations are in Brooklyn, N.Y., Fillmore, Calif., and Castle Rock, Colo.

Boeing Satellite Systems is the world's leading manufacturer of commercial communications satellites. It is also a major supplier of spacecraft for communications and space exploration to the U.S. government, and builds weather satellites for the United States and Japan.