Maxar Delivers the Hughes Jupiter 3 Satellite Ahead of Launch
Hughes Jupiter 3 satellite pictured before it was delivered to the U.S. Space Coast for launch preparations. Photo: Maxar Technologies
Hughes Network Systems’ long-awaited Jupiter 3 satellite is now at Cape Canaveral in Florida, ready to launch. SpaceX will launch Jupiter 3 on an upcoming mission, set for the night of July 23, according to Spaceflight Now.
Manufacturer Maxar Technologies shipped the satellite from its facilities in Palo Alto, California, to Florida late last week. Maxar has had challenges manufacturing the Jupiter 3 satellite, which was originally supposed to launch in 2021, but has been delayed multiple times. Last year, Maxar agreed to waive about $50 million in fees to EchoStar to compensate for additional delays in the program.
Jupiter 3, also known as EchoStar XXIV, will double the capacity of the Hughes satellite fleet with an additional 500 Gbps over the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, and more countries in South America. It will bring much-needed capacity to the satellite operator, which is maxed out on its current fleet and is shedding subscribers amid competition from Starlink. The company lost 51,000 subscribers in the first quarter of this year, ending Q1 with 1,177,000 broadband subscribers.
The satellite will support the HughesNet home internet business, including Fusion plans that incorporate wireless technologies, along with in-flight Wi-Fi, enterprise networking and cellular backhaul for mobile network operators.
“Since inventing satellite internet and bringing broadband connectivity to remote and rural customers, Hughes has continued to advance our service offerings with more capacity, higher speeds and a better online experience,” said EchoStar CEO Hamid Akhavan. “Jupiter 3 represents the next leap in our offerings, bringing HughesNet customers what they have been asking for: more data and higher speeds.”
Jupiter 3 is the largest commercial communications satellite ever built, and will have nearly the wingspan of a commercial airliner when deployed in orbit.