Bandwidth-on-Demand
| Customer | DIRECTV, Inc. | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Spacecraft | Boeing 702 | ||
| Launch Date Vehicle Site |
August 14, 2007 Ariane 5 Kourou, French Guiana |
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| Orbital slot | 94.5 degrees West longitude |
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| Contract life | 12.6 years | ||
SPACEWAY™ 3 is Hughes next generation broadband satellite network that provides high-speed, two-way communications for Internet, data, voice, video and multimedia applications. The Boeing 702 geostationary satellite operates in the Ka-band spectrum. SPACEWAY 3 was placed into an orbital slot at 94.5 degrees west longitude following a successful launch on August 14, 2007.
The spacecraft is the next generation in satellite communications technology, with approximately five to eight times the capacity of today's broadband satellites. SPACEWAY 3 enables a full-mesh digital IP network that interconnects with a wide variety of end-user equipment and systems such as personal computers, servers, local area networks, and home networks. This broadband satellite network provides a range of innovative applications, enterprise-wide, throughout North America.
The SPACEWAY 3 satellite features innovative, on-board digital processors, packet switching and spot beam technology. Spot beam technology enables the satellite to provide services to small terminals, while on-board routers enable mesh connectivity; users of the system can directly communicate with any other user of the system without requiring connection through a central hub.
Boeing is a global leader in the manufacturing of quality satellite systems, developing Network Centric Operations solutions and managing satellite operations.
| Ka-band | Regenerative processing payload with hopping downlink spot beams, capacity of 10 GBps per spacecraft |
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| Solar End of life Panels |
Source Power 12.3 kW (summer solstice) 2 wings each w/5 panels of triple-junction gallium arsenide solar cells |
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| Batteries | 45 cell NiH2 |
| Liquid apogee engine | 100lbf (445N) |
|---|---|
| Stationkeeping Thrusters - XIPS | 4x25
cm 0.018 lb (79mN) (low power) 0.038 lb (165mN) (high power) |
| Bi-Prop Axia Bi Prop E-W |
4 5lb (22N) 4 2lb (10N) |
| Receive | Multihorn shaped beam with dual offset fed Cassegrain reflectors |
|---|---|
| Transmit | 1500 element phased array, 2m diameter, forming multiple hopping spot beams |
| In orbit | L, solar arrays: 134.2 ft (40.9m) W, antennas: 24.0 ft (7.3m) |
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| Stowed | H: 16.6 ft (5.1 m) W: 11.2 ft x 10.6 ft (3.4 m x 3.2 m) |
| Mass Launch at Separation |
5993 kg (13201 lbs) |
| In-orbit (beginning of life) End of life |
3832 kg (8441 lbs) 3691 kg (8130 lbs) |